Find out from your isp what are your ip, subnet mask, gateway, and dns addresses assigned to you.
Then, open your Network Connections. Now, right click on and select Properties for your local connection.
Next, click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click on the Properties button just below and to the right.
On the General Tab, you’ll see...
*Obtain an IP address automatically
*Use the following IP address.
Choose the second option by clicking the “Radio” button.
Now, enter your ip, subnet mask, and gateway addresses in the appropriate fields.
Do the same for the dns section.
Click OK. Now, reboot your pc, and then check your connection.
BTW, Did you modify your “Hosts” file yet?
Papa, My sincere apologies for taking so long to reply. To be 100% honest, this is the first time I’ve been able to get online (dial-up) since this afternoon. Something is messing with my services.msc.
For instance, in the Event Log it will say certain services terminated unexpectedly.
I see this as an error quite often in the Event Log:
“The account specified for this service is different from the account specified for other services running in the same process.”
Or certain services will stop because it will say the file can’t be found.
However, I did sfc /scannow at cmd, and it shows no errors (go figure!).
I can’t even get Plug & Play to start anymore.
I did enter all that information you suggested (Static IP, DNS, etc.) many days ago and rebooted, but it doesn’t seem to make things better. At least none of the info has changed to different values/numbers since I’ve inputted it. I would think if it was an active hack, that info would have changed again by now.
Something seriously messing up my computer big-time, but it’s not showing up via HiJackThis log, Spybot, etc.
When I ran Sophos Anti-Rootkit, it showed four rogue hidden items, but said two were not removable and another two were not recommended for clean-up (since removing them could permanently screw up my OS).
One of the hidden files which said it would remove for me, but not recommended to do so, was in my Java folder.
Maybe I got a Java virus?
My hosts file says it’s just a sample (# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows).
Do you know how you get your actual hosts file?
I followed the path you said (C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc), but don’t see it there.
hosts.default hasn’t been updated since July.
I’m not sure how to modify it. If you are able to advice on that front, I would be so very appreciative.
Thank you much.