What is trying to get online?

[athlonfan]

When I start my computer something is causing a situation that results in it asking for me to connect to the internet. I once tried it an immediatley got something going on with my internet but no internet window. If I close the connect window and then connect to the internet I don't get the unknown internet activity.
My question is, is there anyway to find out what is doing this (win xp home)? I've allready run my fully updated Norton and got nothing.
Richard

[mrrobotto]

Have you check for parasites using either spybot or Ad-Aware?

[RampageIII]

Also check your startup folder for strange programs. And Run> msconfig.

[Swordfish]

maybe a software firewall will let you know what is accessing internet at some particular moment.

[EvilEdwin]

Any messenger programs or P2P software?

[G]

Go to the following Registry sub-key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Ole

The right panel, go to the entry named EnableRemoteConnect and change the value to N from Y.

Each time you get this problem it is that a program has changed this entry to N to Y.

This is one possible cause and one possible solution. There will be others.

G

[athlonfan]

I have run Ad-aware, there is nothing in my startup folder. Running msconfig reveals one program that I have no idea what it is. It is called carpserv.exe. Do you know of any free software firewalls (who's that pic of swordfish btw)? I have no messenger or P2P programs. How do I get into the registy sub-keys?
Thanks,
Richard

[G]

Start>Run, and type regedit.

Work your way down to the Ole sub-key (looks like a yellow folder) and click on it to reveal its contents.

[athlonfan]

I don't have "EnableRemoteConnect" but I do have "EnableDCOM". Should I set that to N?
Thanks,
Richard

[nothing]

Like Swordfish said; the best way to know what's trying to/ connecting to the internet is to use install a firewall. ZoneAlarm is free...

http://download.com.com/3000-2092-10217783.html?tag=lst-0-1

[G]

Right-click in the empty space that EnableDCOM resides in. You will see New>String Value.

Name the new string value EnableRemoteConnect. Make its entry N for No

There is no guarantee this will work. I found that Diskeeper did this for me. It could be a registry shortcut for some program that wants you to register. Even after registering the connect box may not go away. The Registry fix I have mention may do so.

The free version of ZoneAlarm is worth considering, as mentioned by the members above, as a means to ascertaining the cause.

As mentioned, uncheck, using msconfig (at Run), any errant programs.

Trial PestPatrol at www.pestpatrol.com as it may be spyware or scumware causing this too.

G

[athlonfan]

ZoneAlarm came up with 2 things:it asked me if i want to allow internet explorer to access the net and then it asked me if I want to allow Generic Host Process for Win32 services to act as a server (it said the application was svchost.ece). So, what do y'all think?
Thanks,
Richard

[athlonfan]

Originally posted by G
Right-click in the empty space that EnableDCOM resides in. You will see New>String Value.

Name the new string value EnableRemoteConnect. Make its entry N for No

G

Well that didn't do it. Is pest patrol any better than ad-aware or should I not waste my time?
Thanks,
Richard

[G]

Generic Host Process for Win32 services tick everything except any reference to acting as a server. You do not want anything acting as a server, especially if it is a single machine.

There is no reference to svchost.exe in my ZoneAlarm and there has never been. This could be a virus. Have you scanned your machine with the latest virus definitions installed?

Carry out the procedures I, and others above, have mentioned too.

You need to isolate the problem.

Add the registry entry, uncheck unnecessary entries in msconfig, scan for viruses, and scan for spyware and scumware.

G

[athlonfan]

Yup. I did scan for viruses. When I told it to not allow Generic blah blah to act as a server, I couldn't check my e-mail or access the net. I'm going to disable this carpserv thing and see what happens.
Richard-who never realized how much stuff tries to mess with his computer. Ive had attempted access of port 135 like 5 times in the past 3 minutes.

[G]

Any advice I give is not to waste your time.

Now I have bought Ad-Aware and PestPatrol. Guess what one is on my machine permanently scanning for spyware, scumware and Trojans and much more – PP.

As mentioned above, you have tried the first suggestion and it has not worked but it is worth remembering.

Now carry out in the order I mentioned in my last post the remaining possible solutions. You have nothing to lose by trying and you will learn something from the experience so it will not be a waste of your time even if a solution is not found just yet.

[athlonfan]

Well the window still pops up, but the generic blah blah no longer wants to act as a server.

[G]

After trying everything mentioned above and assuming you have a Dial-Up Networking connection one possibility is to delete it, reboot and make a new connection.

This is only a suggestion but it may work. I have never tried this before; it just occurred to me.

Otherwise I’m all out of suggestions for the time being.
G

[mrrobotto]

carpserv.exe is a driver for Conexant 56K AC-Link Voice modem its suppose to be the same as Rnapp. It was used a lot by gateway for the modem.

If this started giving you trouble after you upgraded you could try what some other people have had some luck with and that is uninstalling the modem and reinstalling it.