The computer in question has been working fine for a longtime and suddenly
yesterday it stopped being able to access the Internet.

I have a valid IP address, I can connect to other computers on the local
network. I can ping IP addresses on the Internet and I can resolve (ping -a)
names to IP addresses. One strange thing happens when I run PING I see
strange characters where I would normally see an IP address. Here are two
examples:

C:\Documents and Settings\user name>ping 24.48.217.226
Pinging °ÿ with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 24.48.217.226: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=250

C:\Documents and Settings\user name>ping yahoo.com
Pinging yahoo.com [°ÿ] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 66.94.234.13: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=52

This leads me to believe that I am able to access the Internet, but there is
something wrong that won't allow either Internet Explorer or Outlook Express
to use the Internet.

I usually have this computer setup for static IP, I have changed it to
dynamic, but it made no difference.

One other interesting point. My Norton AntiVirus (I have version 2002) came
up and told me I must re-register my product. Apparently Symantec stopped
supporting 2002 in early December of 2005. I've uninstalled the product in
hopes that it might fix my problem, but it hasn't.

Any help will be much appreciated.
Thanks.

I have exactly the same problems that Scott has except, I have Antivirus 2004
and my autoprotect and e-mail scanning no longer work. I tried uninstalling
and re-installing my Nortong AV but the same thing happened again. I have
been working with my network and pinging just as Scott has and getting the
strange characters. Could we have a virus?

"Scott" wrote:

> The computer in question has been working fine for a longtime and suddenly
> yesterday it stopped being able to access the Internet.
>
> I have a valid IP address, I can connect to other computers on the local
> network. I can ping IP addresses on the Internet and I can resolve (ping -a)
> names to IP addresses. One strange thing happens when I run PING I see
> strange characters where I would normally see an IP address. Here are two
> examples:
>
> C:\Documents and Settings\user name>ping 24.48.217.226
> Pinging °ÿ with 32 bytes of data:
> Reply from 24.48.217.226: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=250
>
> C:\Documents and Settings\user name>ping yahoo.com
> Pinging yahoo.com [°ÿ] with 32 bytes of data:
> Reply from 66.94.234.13: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=52
>
> This leads me to believe that I am able to access the Internet, but there is
> something wrong that won't allow either Internet Explorer or Outlook Express
> to use the Internet.
>
> I usually have this computer setup for static IP, I have changed it to
> dynamic, but it made no difference.
>
> One other interesting point. My Norton AntiVirus (I have version 2002) came
> up and told me I must re-register my product. Apparently Symantec stopped
> supporting 2002 in early December of 2005. I've uninstalled the product in
> hopes that it might fix my problem, but it hasn't.
>
> Any help will be much appreciated.
> Thanks.

I talked to Symantec today and they walked me through the fix.

Run msconfig (Start | RUN | msconfig <enter>)
under the startup tab (right most tab)
uncheck ccApp and hit Apply
exit msconfig (select Exit without restarting)
run msconfig again and
check ccApp and hit apply
exit msconfig (select Exit without restarting)

Now from a cmd box (Start | RUN | cmd <enter>)
type netsh winsock reset catalog (press <enter>)
now restart your computer.

It fixed mine - good luck.

-Scott

"Designer Me" wrote:

> I have exactly the same problems that Scott has except, I have Antivirus 2004
> and my autoprotect and e-mail scanning no longer work. I tried uninstalling
> and re-installing my Nortong AV but the same thing happened again. I have
> been working with my network and pinging just as Scott has and getting the
> strange characters. Could we have a virus?
>
> "Scott" wrote:
>
> > The computer in question has been working fine for a longtime and suddenly
> > yesterday it stopped being able to access the Internet.
> >
> > I have a valid IP address, I can connect to other computers on the local
> > network. I can ping IP addresses on the Internet and I can resolve (ping -a)
> > names to IP addresses. One strange thing happens when I run PING I see
> > strange characters where I would normally see an IP address. Here are two
> > examples:
> >
> > C:\Documents and Settings\user name>ping 24.48.217.226
> > Pinging °ÿ with 32 bytes of data:
> > Reply from 24.48.217.226: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=250
> >
> > C:\Documents and Settings\user name>ping yahoo.com
> > Pinging yahoo.com [°ÿ] with 32 bytes of data:
> > Reply from 66.94.234.13: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=52
> >
> > This leads me to believe that I am able to access the Internet, but there is
> > something wrong that won't allow either Internet Explorer or Outlook Express
> > to use the Internet.
> >
> > I usually have this computer setup for static IP, I have changed it to
> > dynamic, but it made no difference.
> >
> > One other interesting point. My Norton AntiVirus (I have version 2002) came
> > up and told me I must re-register my product. Apparently Symantec stopped
> > supporting 2002 in early December of 2005. I've uninstalled the product in
> > hopes that it might fix my problem, but it hasn't.
> >
> > Any help will be much appreciated.
> > Thanks.

I also found a tool called "Winsockxpfix" by Option Explicit Software
Solutions. I just ran this utility and it fixed the whole mess for me! I
found a lot of helpful hints on a web site called EZLAN.net. There is all
kinds of info on this site.

Thanks for your info as well.

Designer Me


"Scott" wrote:

> I talked to Symantec today and they walked me through the fix.
>
> Run msconfig (Start | RUN | msconfig <enter>)
> under the startup tab (right most tab)
> uncheck ccApp and hit Apply
> exit msconfig (select Exit without restarting)
> run msconfig again and
> check ccApp and hit apply
> exit msconfig (select Exit without restarting)
>
> Now from a cmd box (Start | RUN | cmd <enter>)
> type netsh winsock reset catalog (press <enter>)
> now restart your computer.
>
> It fixed mine - good luck.
>
> -Scott
>
> "Designer Me" wrote:
>
> > I have exactly the same problems that Scott has except, I have Antivirus 2004
> > and my autoprotect and e-mail scanning no longer work. I tried uninstalling
> > and re-installing my Nortong AV but the same thing happened again. I have
> > been working with my network and pinging just as Scott has and getting the
> > strange characters. Could we have a virus?
> >
> > "Scott" wrote:
> >
> > > The computer in question has been working fine for a longtime and suddenly
> > > yesterday it stopped being able to access the Internet.
> > >
> > > I have a valid IP address, I can connect to other computers on the local
> > > network. I can ping IP addresses on the Internet and I can resolve (ping -a)
> > > names to IP addresses. One strange thing happens when I run PING I see
> > > strange characters where I would normally see an IP address. Here are two
> > > examples:
> > >
> > > C:\Documents and Settings\user name>ping 24.48.217.226
> > > Pinging °ÿ with 32 bytes of data:
> > > Reply from 24.48.217.226: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=250
> > >
> > > C:\Documents and Settings\user name>ping yahoo.com
> > > Pinging yahoo.com [°ÿ] with 32 bytes of data:
> > > Reply from 66.94.234.13: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=52
> > >
> > > This leads me to believe that I am able to access the Internet, but there is
> > > something wrong that won't allow either Internet Explorer or Outlook Express
> > > to use the Internet.
> > >
> > > I usually have this computer setup for static IP, I have changed it to
> > > dynamic, but it made no difference.
> > >
> > > One other interesting point. My Norton AntiVirus (I have version 2002) came
> > > up and told me I must re-register my product. Apparently Symantec stopped
> > > supporting 2002 in early December of 2005. I've uninstalled the product in
> > > hopes that it might fix my problem, but it hasn't.
> > >
> > > Any help will be much appreciated.
> > > Thanks.