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Windows 2K Boot

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by cdridgley

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Windows 2000 Pro
I have kept current with all fixes and Service Packs. 6 weeks ago I started receiving a "preparing network connection" message as part of my boot activity. I expected this to go away when I moved from Earthlink to Cox broadband. It did not and it takes the majority of time in the boot process. I have looked in Help and all the settings with no luck. I changed my alias but it may not appear on this note. I am at cdridgley@cox.net

12 replies

by donmars

In the "Log On To Windows box" is the "log on using dial-up connection" box checked? Uncheck it.

by cdridgley

I have been unable to find "Log On To Windows box"
in control panel options for network, system, tweakui, etc.

by cdridgley

I forced the boot logon window, usually use no password as I have a secure room. The check box was NOT checked for dialup. What else could be causing the message?

by donmars

There is a mapped drive installed that cannot be found. Probably related to Earthlink and now cannot be found at Cox. Open my computer. Are there any network drives (icons)with a red X indicating a broken connection? Delete the connection. Uninstall Earthlink. Do not reject this answer yet if you need me to further offer assists. Reject answers after you found one to accept or when you are closing the question. This way I can add comments about what to try next and not have to start a new answer which you may reject. each time you reject an answer it drops the sucess rating (percentage) of the answerer. Why mess up my rating with each fix idea I provide for only one answer!

by donmars

Yes this is the way to do it. You can use comments yourself to ask or answer additional questions.Is this a home network? If it is then if you turn on the other computer it will find it, thats what it is looking for since it's probably shared. I bet this is not your answer because you do not have a home network. But I believe the problem is something set in the registry by the Earthlink software and since you cannot uninstall it it causes this situation. See if you can find this entry in the Registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE: REG_DWORD = 1. If so, your problem is being cause by an infinite loop. This should have been fixed by service pack 2 and now it is up to 4. Are you running SP2 at least? If not upgrade but go to 4.

by donmars

Some other things to try. Update to the latest service pack, SP4. Open regedit and in the find box (ctrl F) type run once. Any 'run once' you find related to Earthlink delete that key. You will have to click find next a few times to find them all. Before you do that though, you should creat an ERD (emergency repair disk) and save (export)the registry to the desktop for reloading in case you hit the wrong key and mess up the registry. If you do not know how to make and ERD, open help in win explorer and enter "create an ERD".

by donmars

Sorry I was not able to get back to you earlier.
Go to start>run type regedit then enter then click REGISTRY>EXPORT give it aname such as backup and place where you can find it easily, maybe on the desk top. If you want to return to the current setup after you delete stuff you just click that icon on the desktop and it will rewrite back to the original. This if you make a mistake. Of course you have an updated ERD also which includes registry files backup. The ERD is used for serios problems such as wont boot. Deleting the files below will not cause that situation. Delete the following keys.

HKEY_ CURRENT_USER\RemoteAccess\Profile\EarthLink cdridgley@earthlink.net,

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Ear thLink Network\5.0\BrowserControlBars\cdridgley@earthlink.net-Bar0 ,

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Local AppWizard-Generated Applications\EarthLink Mail Client,

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explore r\MenuOrder\Start Menu\Programs\EarthLink 5.0,

by cdridgley

I hope this is the correct way to keep a question open. I certainly don't want to mess up your rating. I did not find anything in My Computer or My Network Places which does contain Entire Network. I have tried to remove Earthlink and found it has set itself up as system folders/files that cannot be removed. I am trying to search a method for deletion. Thanks for the continued involvment with this problem.

by cdridgley

I went into the registery and found HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/System/Select
Current Reg_Dword 1
Default 1
Failed 0
LastKnownGood 2

I have ordered RegMech to help in cleaning up the registry. It found 93 items to cleanup.

I will try your second suggestion on "run once"
Thanks

by cdridgley

No entries were found for 'run once' with single, double and no quotes. I have SP4 loaded.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\EarthlinkBrowser.Application,
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\elnhelper\shell\open\command,
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products\3381E19FC7D252749BA87C97EF4C9164,
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products\C621DD455F5EC4044B7B66FDF74D2FFF,
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{3FBE7E83-888E-4A9A-8C3F-732CB3902D5D},
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{4B7F8BF4-99C2-11D2-B3C3-00A0CC3A50B9}\5.0\0\win32,
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{545BF471-5A12-11D3-A51A-00105AC69471}\1.0\0\win32,
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{7C3292C9-C25A-11D2-9949-00104BD069D6}\1.0\0\win32,
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{F88A5FC0-DACB-11D2-AED5-00105AC69454}\1.0\0\win32,
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\RemoteAccess\Profile\EarthLink cdridgley@earthlink.net,
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\RemoteAccess\Profile\EarthLink cdridgley@earthlink.net,
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\America Online\AOD\Internet Explorer\Favorities\Icon,
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\EarthLink Network\5.0\BrowserControlBars\cdridgley@earthlink.net-Bar0,
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Local AppWizard-Generated Applications\EarthLink Mail Client,
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Fax\UserInfo,
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Installer\Products\544ADF5B4CAC6AB48ABF7A12B24D93ED\SourceList,
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Installer\Products\544ADF5B4CAC6AB48ABF7A12B24D93ED\SourceList\Net,
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet ClientX,
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.txt\OpenWithList,
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder\Start Menu\Programs\EarthLink 5.0,

There are more. I plan on removing Netscape which seems to have entries for Earthlink and review the MS2000 Internet settings in the control panel as well as the Remove Programs again.

by wlbowers

Once you get to the desktop on boot open a command window and type netstat

Here is mine with the answer page open.

------------------------
Microsoft Windows 2000 [Version 5.00.2195]
(C) Copyright 1985-2000 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>netstat

Active Connections

Proto Local Address Foreign Address State
TCP athlon:1861 c10-btg-xw-lb.cnet.com:http WAIT
TCP athlon:1864 c10-btg-xw-lb.cnet.com:http WAIT
-------------------------------------

This will give you all network connections. I like to do it on a webpage just to see the activity from the links on the page.

Good Luck Lee

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