Windows Win 2000, anyone else having this problem? (Solved, dlink network card owners beware)

Well, a couple days ago I was going around and making sure all the family systems are working ok, updating the software, etc. I was working on my sister's computer, went to uninstall a program, and all I got on the add/remove programs menu was the text: "Add or Remove ProgramsCurrently installed programs" or something to that accord, and nothing else! No buttons, no list

I thought this was rather strange, so I started looking for and noticing other things that were weird. The control panel instead of having the web column on the left, had a 75% empty white column on the right, same for printers. Network and Dialup connections was empty, and the computer refused to access the windows update site!! The computer also started taking insane amounts of time to boot, because it is "preparing network connections."

I decided this was strange enough, so I pulled the plug on the network (can't be too careful!).

So, I rebooted, and same thing! I was showing it to someone else, they rebooted the computer, and it was fine. Rebooted the computer one more time, and it was back again. No matter how many times I rebooted after that, it wouldn't go back to normal...

I finally gave in, backed the system up (only the essential documents and files), and reloaded. That seemed to cure the problem, and I went about restoring the system to it's previous state.

Yesterday, my mom was complaining about her computer acting a little strange, it wasn't printing. So, I went to check it out, and guess what? Same thing as the other computer (the reason it wouldn't print is because some bonehead (me ) forgot to install the printer, not whatever is causing these other problems), the control panel folder margins were whacked, couldn't access windows update, etc. I restarted, and everything was fine, ala-other-computer. Rebooted again, and it was back...

I'm now afraid to reboot my other computers! I rebooted the only XP machine in the house (everyone else is 2000 or Linux), and it is fine (thank goodness). I have also been attempting to experiment with another 2000 computer to see if it is a Windows update causing the problem, but it keeps crashing whilst updating...

All the computers in the house (with the exception of the Linux server) are running VirusScan 7 (updated to most recent version), and behind my D-Link firewall. The affected computers are running 2000.

Anyone had similar problems? Do I have a virus (again!)?

Looks like I get to reload all the house computers today in addition to my other responsibilities

 

that worm that went around recently, doing funny things to 2k and xp machines, did you patch the machines for that??

sorry cant rember the name but can look it up if needs be...i run 6-8 machines all 2k on my network, and i just patched them all, and they all seem to be running fine...

 

I'm patched against blaster, if that's what you mean. I patched the computer I just reloaded with everything avalible on the windows update site...

I was kinda out of touch from the beginning of sept.- about middle of sept, has there been a new virus since then?

 

not that i have heard of, but it seems like something has sat itself into your lan quite nicely...do you run firewall apps on teh other pc's at all, and is there any that are on 24/7 that are win2k?

 

No firewall applications on the PCs themselves, and all the computers are on 24/7...

At least this computer (the sole XP machine) is not affected, that is one plus

 

if it has settled down on some of the pcs, it might be worth running firewalls until resolved, even though its a pain in the ass, then you can see exactly what apps are doing what on the lan...

also, if its making windows bugger up, might be worth re-installing, or trying to see if re(installation) of sp4 might help...

just a thought...

 

Yeah, I'm gonna start by reinstalling one computer and taking everyone else off the network, then reinstalling and adding them one by one...

That is unless I find a fix for it, someone on IRC mentioned a windows fix...

/me gets annoyed at stupid Windows help site...

 

yeah, windows update/help site is a bit poo tbh...worth having a look around before reinstalling a lot of systems though!!

 

I feel stupid now...

Well, after reloading one computer 3 times and the other one twice, I have found my problem...

Seems that the latest 2 versions of the Win2000 D-Link driver that is provided for the wireless networking cards I use in the house computers were causing the problem. I noticed this on the 2nd reload of one of the computers, everything was working just dandy using the ethernet adapter, then as soon as I installed the dlink driver everything went to pot. Bad thing is, once you have installed the bad driver, it is nearly impossible to get off, so I ended up formatting again.

So, I now have both computers running with a slightly older version of the driver, and I have put a call to D-Link on my "to do" list. I have spent 36+ hours (still more to do, have to install all apps and such) this week diagnosing this problem (plus some lost data), and I'd like them to at least know about the problem. Since I reinstalled a total of 5 times over 2 computers, I think that is a prety decent data distribution, don't you think?

I'm now throughly annoyed, tired, and I have this desire to destroy something. I think I'll just go to bed, though, too tired to fire up a game

//2400 posts already

 

arg...that is a bugger, but well done for finding it in the end...

for some reason nic cards can be a right pain in the asss...a mate of mine had random reboots for about 4 months before we realized it was the nic, in his case a netgear....