EnableActiveProbing Changes State Every Reboot

[Canprof]

Registry entry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NlaSvc\Parameters\Internet\EnableActiveProbing changes state from 1 to 0 every time I reboot. When set to 0, Windows won't check to see if there is an active Internet connection, and thus shows "No Internet Connection" on the network icon in the system tray (even though the connection actually works). Aside from the annoyance of an incorrect fault showing, certain update or other functions apparently rely on this NCSI indication and won't run. I am dealing with this by resetting the parameter to 1 every reboot. Is there a way of correcting this?

Windows 8.1; Lenovo laptop; i7 processor 2.6 GHz; 8 GB RAM

 

[xilolee]

Hi canprof. :smile9:
Have you disabled the Windows connection manager service - Wcmsvc?

 

[Canprof]

Hi canprof. :smile9:
Have you disabled the Windows connection manager service - Wcmsvc?

Not that I know of. How do I verify that?

 

[xilolee]

(Windows 8.1 x64, every updates installed)

start - run: type services.msc (press enter)

Default status: running - startup type: automatic (trigger start)

From a (simple or elevated) command prompt:

sc qc wcmsvc
sc query wcmsvc

Possible output:

Read More:

c:\>sc qc wcmsvc

[SC] QueryServiceConfig SUCCESS
SERVICE_NAME: wcmsvc
        TYPE               : 20  WIN32_SHARE_PROCESS
        START_TYPE         : 2   AUTO_START
        ERROR_CONTROL      : 1   NORMAL
        BINARY_PATH_NAME   : C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalServiceNetworkRestricted
        LOAD_ORDER_GROUP   : TDI
        TAG                : 0
        DISPLAY_NAME       : Windows Connection Manager
        DEPENDENCIES       : RpcSs
        SERVICE_START_NAME : NT Authority\LocalService

C:\>sc query wcmsvc

SERVICE_NAME: wcmsvc
        TYPE               : 20  WIN32_SHARE_PROCESS
        STATE              : 4  RUNNING
                                (STOPPABLE, NOT_PAUSABLE, ACCEPTS_SHUTDOWN)
        WIN32_EXIT_CODE    : 0  (0x0)
        SERVICE_EXIT_CODE  : 0  (0x0)
        CHECKPOINT         : 0x0
        WAIT_HINT          : 0x0

 

[Canprof]

OK. According to the Services list in Task manager, it is running. Both queries you gave returned precisely the code you show. The Run command also returned the same as you gave.

 

[xilolee]

Are you using a different firewall or antivirus than the Windows buit-in ones?

 

[Canprof]

Yes. Norton Internet Security.

But I've had this laptop for about 2 years with the same firewall/antivirus configuration. The problem only started 3 months ago. The only change at the time was that I moved and changed ISPs.

As I said earlier, my connection works well; it is just the NCSI that stops. As I understand it, the connection manager pings a specific URL looking for a specific response. If it gets it, then it shows that Internet is available; if it does not get it, it shows Internet not available. The EnableActiveProbing parameter allows (tells?) it to ping. I keep setting it to a '1', but every reboot, something sets it to '0'. If I don't reset it manually, then NCSI stops working at the next reboot.

 

[xilolee]

Just try to uninstall Norton and see if the problem disappears.
If it disappears, you can reinstall Norton, but if the problem will reappear, you will know that it is the responsible.

If the problem isn't it, you can try to start your computer in clean boot mode (click).

 

[Canprof]

I guess I can try that, but I want to be sure we're talking about the same problem.

The Internet works. Pinging works. Everything works fine - except the "Internet Access" indicator in the system tray. Even this indicator works - if the EnableActiveProbing parameter is set to 1.

There has to be some other parameter or program that runs on reboot (either on shutdown or startup) that is resetting this parameter. I'm trying to track down what might alter this registry entry on its own.

 

[xilolee]

Yes, that's what the clean boot should help to do.
Remove possible programs that interfere with Windows, then enable the programs one by one (this could brings to a number of reboots).

Antivirus software is usually the culprit for a variety of problems, that's why I'd start with it...