IE crashes on startup, can't connect to internet with other browsers Win7 64

[MrToad]

System: Win7 Home Premium sp1 all updated, IE 10 updated. Private firewall, Security essentials...reverted from Avast which probably started the problems.

Malware free: Complete scans by Malwarebytes, Superantispyware & security essentials.

IE problem: IE11 would start, hang for 2-4 seconds, then close. Cleaned cash removed add-ons No help Same response. ...reverted to IE1O from 11 by deleting update, Updated IE 10 with windows update...No help does the same. I've run microsoft fixits to fix and reset to default..no help. Uninstalled IE10..udated IE9 does the same starts, hangs 5-30 seconds, then closes.

Connection problem: Can't connect to internet with other browsers - Firefox, " "server not found" Chrome "DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET" and new install Opera. 'Webpage not available' Thunderbird email client also can't connect.

Suspecting a DNS problem, I applied Microsoft fixit 50199 to reset TCP/IP, switched to OpenDNS...neither helped, still same error messages.

I tried to access google with IP 74.125.224.72 instead of name...no help...seems to rule out DNS problem

I did a brand new install on Opera with no addons or history...same problem...seems to rule out rogue addons or bad history with Firefox and chrome, my primary browsers...I only use IE occasionally.

Network OK: 3 other PC's connect with no problems and I can access files on the problem computer across the network. I can update security essentials, use windows update and update superantispyware. When I ping google.com Google from cmd, I get good results...no problem.

Although I can trasfer files across the network, Vice-versa [cross-network file updater] starts with"cannot initialize windows sockets" on the problem PC, but I can use the same program on another pc to update files on the problem pc.

I've tried all the available restore points, with no results.

I have a backup from 3/30, but I'm not sure if it's a system backup...Created with win7 backup.

I have quest network tools program, a network diagnostic toolbox with capabilities I don't understand...but that might be of use to an expert here offering diagnostic suggestions.

Other stuff I've tried: windows, "Diagnose connection problems" Disabled Firewall. Safe mode with networking...None helped the problem.

To summarize: Win7 PC updated, malware free, can't connect to internet with multiple browsers, DNS problem ruled out...but can ping google & update some software. IE crashes on startup. Error message "cannot initialize windows sockets"

Insights and suggestions needed and appreciated.

Perplexed MrToad.

 

[TomasD]

Hi,

Seems to be an issue with WinSock. Let's do the following:

1. Open an elevated Command Prompt by right-clicking on CMD.EXE shortcut in your start menu and selecting Run As Administrator from the context menu.
2. Type the following command:
   

   NETSH winsock reset

3. Reboot the computer
4. If the issue persists, do the following:
   1. Open an elevated Command Prompt by right-clicking on CMD.EXE shortcut in your start menu and selecting Run As Administrator from the context menu.
   2. Type the following commands:
      

      REGEDIT /e C:\WinSock.reg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinSock
      REGEDIT /e C:\WinSock2.reg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinSock2

   3. Compress C:\WinSock.reg and C:\WinSock2.reg and attach the archive here

 

[MrToad]

Thanks for your efforts and guidance.
NETSH winsock reset didn't work...


Attached Winsock1-2MrToad.zip per your instructions
Thanks again.

 

[MrToad]

New Clue: 64bit browsers work but 32bit browsers can't connect...So what 32bit .dll or whatever could be replaced to fix a 32bit only connection problem?
Still getting "failure to initialize windows sockets" error message on a 32bit cross network file updater.
I searched for windows explorer by typing explorer in windows start. Noticed that Internet explorer [64-bit] was one of the options that popped up...so after pinning win explorer to the start menu, I clicked the IE 64 link..It opened, suggested compatibility mode...I accepted, and it opened a microsoft web page...this is the first time I've been able to open IE...been using IE-32...and the first time I could open a web page with a browser...any browser. I can go anywhere with IE-64...So what about the 32bit browsers
Unfortunately Neither firefox nor chome work...at least not the 32bit versions I've been using.
I downloaded Waterfox, a 64bit firefox variant...I'd tried it a long time ago, but quit because of lack of plugins...anyway it installed fine and connects to the net with no problem..

 

[TomasD]

Dear,

Could you please also provide Autoruns log by following these steps:

1. Download Autoruns tool.
2. Extract the downloaded archive to C:\Autoruns directory.
3. Start Autoruns and wait for it to finish scanning the system.
4. Click CTRL+S or select File -> Save... from the menu.
5. Confirm the path the log will be saved and click OK.
6. Compress the ARN file and attach it here.

Thank you.

 

[MrToad]

Thanks for following up on my case..your efforts are appreciated on this vexing problem. The autoruns file is attached.

 

[TomasD]

OK, let's try this:

1. Download this archive - View attachment WinSock2Fix.zip.
2. Extract the REG file from inside this archive to C:\.
3. Open an elevated Command Prompt by right-clicking on CMD.EXE shortcut in your start menu and selecting Run As Administrator from the context menu.
4. Type the following commands:
   

   REG EXPORT HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinSock2 C:\WinSock2Backup.reg
   REG IMPORT C:\WinSock2Fix.reg

5. Reboot the computer.

 

[MrToad]

Thanks for the comeback, TomasD. Unfortunately, the fix didn't appear to affect the problem: The 32bit browsers still can't connect, IE 32bit still flashes 30sec and crashes, the cross network file updater still says, "can't initialize windows sockets." Malwarebytes can't update, but UDP based Superantispyare can.
More clues: I ran some disagnostic programs...and edited the huge logs to get to errors that might matter:
...................
I still have this problem. Below is an excerpt from CBS.LOG showing indication of file problems that scannow couldn't repair. I have no clue how to interpret this, but perhaps someone here does. I ran scannow from safe mode with networking
excerpt from CBS.LOG:
2014-05-05 21:33:52, Info CSI 0000031f [SR] Beginning Verify
and Repair transaction
2014-05-05 21:33:53, Info CSI 00000321 [SR] Cannot repair me
mber file [l:22{11}]"PINTLGB.IMD" of Microsoft-Windows-IME-Simplified-Chinese-Co
re, Version = 6.1.7601.17514, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_AMD64 (9), Culture neu
tral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type n
eutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, hash mismatch
2014-05-05 21:33:53, Info CSI 00000323 [SR] Cannot repair me
mber file [l:22{11}]"PINTLGB.IMD" of Microsoft-Windows-IME-Simplified-Chinese-Co
re, Version = 6.1.7601.17514, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_AMD64 (9), Culture neu
tral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type n
eutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, hash mismatch
2014-05-05 21:33:53, Info CSI 00000324 [SR] This component w
as referenced by [l:202{101}]"Microsoft-Windows-Foundation-Package~31bf3856ad364
e35~amd64~~6.1.7601.17514.WindowsFoundationDelivery"
2014-05-05 21:33:53, Info CSI 00000327 [SR] Could not reproj
ect corrupted file [ml:520{260},l:62{31}]"\??\C:\Windows\IME\IMESC5\DICTS"\[l:22
{11}]"PINTLGB.IMD"; source file in store is also corrupted
2014-05-05 21:33:53, Info CSI 00000329 [SR] Repair complete
2014-05-05 21:33:53, Info CSI 0000032a [SR] Committing trans
action
2014-05-05 21:33:53, Info CSI 0000032e [SR] Verify and Repai
r Transaction completed. All files and registry keys listed in this transaction
have been successfully repaired
...................................

Here's some more log info from another source...I don't know what it means, but perhaps a helpful tech star on the board can get an insight and suggest steps to take:
Event log issues [pulled up by ESET SysInspector64] After problem occurred:
NOTE: The 1st entry, "The Computer Browser service depends...," was repeated many times in the log. Since I can't connect to the internet with 32bit browsers, it seems to fit the problem...So what "dependency service or group failed to start?"
"Entry" = "The Computer Browser service depends on the Server service which failed to start because of the following error:
The dependency service or group failed to start." 06/05/2014 01:05:27 ;

"Entry" = "DCOM got error "1084" attempting to start the service WSearch with arguments "" in order to run the server:
{9E175B6D-F52A-11D8-B9A5-505054503030}" 06/05/2014 01:05:31 ;

"Entry" = "The HomeGroup Provider service depends on the Function Discovery Provider Host service which failed to start because of the following error:
The dependency service or group failed to start." 06/05/2014 01:05:31 ;

"Entry" = "A duplicate name has been detected on the TCP network. The IP address of the computer that sent the message is in the data. Use nbtstat -n in a command window to see which name is in the Conflict state." 06/05/2014 01:27:59 ;

"Entry" = "Crash dump initialization failed!" 06/05/2014 02:09:57 ;

[3 ENTRIES LIKE THIS] "Entry" = "Unable to read performance data for the Server service. The first four bytes (DWORD) of the Data section contains the status code, the second four bytes contains the IOSB.Status and the next four bytes contains the IOSB.Information." 06/05/2014 12:51:04 ;
Thanks,
MrToad

 

[MrToad]

As it stands, I have a working PC that can't connect with 32bit browsers and some 32bit network apps, but can connect to the net with 64bit browsers...less than optimal but reasonably workable.

I would like full 32bit functionality, but various fixes have failed

Do you think a windows 7 repair install would be a good next step?

Would you give it a decent chance of succeeding?

Might it actually make the situation worse...impair the functionality I currently have?

Thanks

 

[TomasD]

Hello,

sorry for delay backing to you. There seems to be quite a lot of different problems with your computer. If we would like to continue working on them (it might take some time and there are no guaranties we will be able to solve the WinSock issue), let us know.