Networking help requested

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

The problem with safe mode on the XP system is that Windows is still running and the file I want to delete (svhost.exe...courtesy of CoolWebSearch) is hidden.

I need to get to the C:\drive before Windows gets a hold of it...not doable with NTFS as it is on FAT-32.

Fortunately, it is not my PC (a friend's) and the trojan is only a MSIE browser hijacker. I set my friend up with Mozilla Firefox and everything works fine now. MSIE bites.

[foto]

JUst wanted to correct something I mentioned here. Netbeui is the old name of the netbios protocol from pre windows days and microsoft lan manager. They changed the name to netbios later on, but netbios is still not included with XP and has to be added. Just hope no confusion there. Lots of good ideas here. take care.

[travelinman_53]

To clarify what my wife posted.

Currently our desktop is running ME and is connected to an Ethernet hub.

Her work laptop is running XP for small business and is connected to the same hub.

My laptop is running 98 and is connected to the hub.

All three PCs can access the Internet through our DSL line.

The ME PC and the 98 PC can talk to each other, but nether can talk to the XP PC.

Thanks you all the help

[longjack]

You're right, the same workgroup name is important, especially if you like network neighborhood.

I don't have any problems 'seeing' computers in other workgroups, though, since I don't always use NN. I usually type \\ip_address in a command window or the windows explorer address bar, or use software like netscan. I can mount my MACs and Linux Machines that way, as well, without authenticating, if I acccess them from a common user/password account.

The original post asked about ME (9X) and XP compatibility. They are compatible, with the caveat that a common user/password has to exist on each machine. otherwise they won't 'talk' (which I thought meant share files) to each other.

You must know the Johannes Helmig web pages, right? He has good windows networking tutorials. I can remember the 9X user/password problem when XP first came out. 9X had been a lot simpler.

BTW, Hun, I hope you're not a '60 Munich or Frankfurt fan. Kaiserslautern fan, here. The fur will really fly, then.

How about Schumi? Or are you BMW / Mercedes?

longjack

[MarkL]

The problem with safe mode on the XP system is that Windows is still running and the file I want to delete (svhost.exe...courtesy of CoolWebSearch) is hidden.

I need to get to the C:\drive before Windows gets a hold of it...not doable with NTFS as it is on FAT-32.

Fortunately, it is not my PC (a friend's) and the trojan is only a MSIE browser hijacker. I set my friend up with Mozilla Firefox and everything works fine now. MSIE bites.

If the file is hidden, it's still no problem. If you don't know where it's running from, open a command prompt ([START] -> [RUN] CMD {Enter}) and then type CD \ {ENTER}. Finally type DIR SVHOST.EXE /A /S {ENTER} to find all the locations it's hiding. Then delete them, using the DEL [path]\SVHOST.EXE command. This will defeat even the "Superhidden" attribute where you will not see the file, even if you've specified that you want to see hidden files.

In a worst case scenario, there is a bootable CD image that you can get off of the Internet (I can't remember the name right off hand) that will allow you to boot XP off your CD, then access the NTFS drive with no problems. I can't remember the name right now, but I can post it later, if someone else doesn' do it first.

Mark

[MarkL]

purchase a firewall/switch combo for $30 - $70

Thanks Mark, I figured there was some gizmo like that out there. ;-)

No problem. While I've never had any problems with the LinkSys devices (now owned by Cisco), there seem to be a lot of people here that have. I've been using a Linksys BEFSR81 (8 port switch, broadband Firewall/Router) for a few years now with no problems. Otheres here have reported having great results using pretty much the same device from DLink and Netgear. They're not too dificult to set up, even for someone with NO experience. For a small network, with only 2 or 3 computers, the 8 port switch is overkill... 4 ports would be plenty for most home or SOHO networks (ask me about the 24 port switch (w/ 2 GB ports!) I've got in the other room!

Mark

[TommyDale]

"That's not sound advice."

Anyone who has used ME for very long will agree that it is the worst O/S ever released from Microsoft, except perhaps DOS 4.0. Windows 98SE works better than ME. I didn't say that it wouldn't network. It networks fine...It's just crap.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Finally type DIR SVHOST.EXE /A /S {ENTER} to find all the locations it's hiding.

I know exactly where it hides. It is in C:\Windows. Norton finds it there but won't delete it..."Hijack This!" finds it but can't delete it. Every other trojan scanner I use sees it there but will not touch it. No amount of searching using dir /s will find it once Windows starts up. Yet when I go to Windows in Safe Mode and run any of the above, it reports the file as being there...even the Registry entries list the svhost executable as being in C:\Windows.

I tried going directly to the Windows directory and typing in "attrib -H *.*" to change all hidden files to archive status and every file that was hidden is no longer hidden...except svhost.exe.

As I said before, it's not a fatal piece of malware, just a pain in the ass if you run MSIE...so I put all of MSIE in the background and installed Firefox which is a better browser anyway. I don't think that my friend has an XP CD...the PC didn't come with a recovery CD as I recall...he is supposed to be checking on that for me...because if he does have one, I may just help him wipe the drive and restore it to factory. Extreme, yes...but satisfying.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Anyone who has used ME for very long will agree that it is the worst O/S ever released from Microsoft

I've used Win ME on multiple PCs for over 3 years and would say that it has flaws but by no means is it the worst MS release. Win 95 would have to take that award. Win95 isn't an OS. It's a POS.
Maybe I'm in the minority, but I like Win ME. It's done alright by me.

With ME, if you configure it cleanly and properly and keep it well dusted off...it runs just fine.

I love Win98se too. I run it on all of my laptops. But ME is more robust and can become very unstable if not maintained properly. Maybe that's why it's not for everybody and why XP is more popular.

As for me, I've used XP many times and given the 10 foot diameter security holes and just the way it operates...I'll never have it on one of my boxes. Hackers and script-kiddies will target XP first before they go around dicking with ME and 98se. (As long as you've gotten rid of the MS Java VM and taken care of the Active X issue.)

[familyop]

"You can find crossover cables on eBay for 3 or 4 bucks and all you need to do is plug the end of the cable into the NIC on each machine....and Whooppeee!"

So there are cables ready-made with crossovers? Cool!

[familyop]

Ah, so you're using a hub. Disregard my reply, then. It's more likely a Windows configuration problem, and I don't do Windows.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

So there are cables ready-made with crossovers?

Yeah...I found a seller on eBay that has them in any length and color. I was looking to buy a cheap hub so I could link 2 laptops to play a network game of Scrabble and found that a hub isn't necessary for connecting 2 units. Just use a crossover cable. I think I paid $3.85 including shipping for a 5 foot red one and it works like a dream.

www.cat5.net

[Hun in the sun]

"The original post asked about ME (9X) and XP compatibility. They are compatible, with the caveat that a common user/password has to exist on each machine. otherwise they won't 'talk' (which I thought meant share files) to each other."

Hmm... I know this problem when connecting to a
W2K machine, and here it`s a NTFS problem. Never had
problems to connect with W98 systems (dunno about ME
,but should be similiar). I`ll mich schlau
machen, cause I`m usually working in a
pure XP/W2K domain enviroment.

"BTW, Hun, I hope you're not a '60 Munich or Frankfurt fan. Kaiserslautern fan, here. The fur will really fly, then."

No prob, I`m living close to the Ruhrgebiet and am
prefering Schalke 04 :o)

"How about Schumi? Or are you BMW / Mercedes?"

Schumi... Mercedes is a bit too arrogant for my
taste :o)


Have a good start, it`s monday...
Hun

[longjack]

We use 98 machines with a 2003 server at school, but not in a domain. As long as we create user/passwords on the server the same as the user/password of the 98 machines we add we're OK.

Not too kind of your 'Knappen', the 4-1 against 'Betze'. Kaiserslautern will have to worry until the final whistle on Saturday, now.

Glad to hear you're a Schumi fan. We agree! I'd like to see him win his 6th straight at Monte Carlo. Renault will probably out-qualify BMW and Mercedes at Monte Carlo, too, I think.

longjack