[smitch466]

I am running Vista Ultimate v6.0 with the latest updates on a stock Toshiba Satellite that was new in January 2008. The computer originally shipped with Vista Home but I completed the upgrade right after purchasing it so I could join my company's domain. All has been good for the past 8 months - until now.

Yesterday afternoon as I was doing some research online when my machine suddenly froze. Locked up hard, to the point that I had to manually power it off.

After a series of controlled tests - starting in Safe Mode changing start up parameters, disconnecting all devices and attaching one at a time, etc. here is what I know.

1. The computer operates just fine in Safe Mode with Networking. No problems, no Event Log entries to worry me. I am currently attached in that manner to place this post.
2. The computer operates just fine after a normal boot provided I have the wireless turned off and the ethernet disconnected. I can open files, print, etc. without incident. And again, nothing hits the Event Logs.
3. But plug in the ethernet and it's all over. The system completely hangs within 60 seconds and there is nothing that can be done but power off. Event Logs are not any help here either. About all you see is the Error stating that Windows was not shut down properly.
4. I tried connecting via wireless and had the same result.
5. We run ESET for or antivirus. I have completed a full scan with all the latest definitions up to date, and got the "all clear" from ESET. I have also booted it with ESET and Windows Firewall turned off, but no luck - same problem.

For some of my tests I would forget to unplug the ethernet, or if I remembered to unplug I would forget to physically turn off the wireless. In these cases the boot would complete but then the system would freeze within 60 seconds.

I did not make any changes to the hardware, operating system, or applications yesterday before the problem persented itself. I do think that Windows Update ran earlier in the day, but I had been using the computer right up to the point all went whacky mid-afternoon.

NIC and Wireless Details -

Realtek RTL8101E Family PCI-E Fast Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.0)
Atheros AR5008X Wireless Network Adapter

According to Windows Device Manager both are working fine. Drivers are supposedly up to date. And I don't have a problem in Safe Mode.

Any help anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.

[Orumph]

try uninstalling the drivers for both and reinstall them

[smitch466]

Thanks, but unfortunately that's not it. I was pretty sure I had tried that earlier today, but I did it again just to be certain. No luck.

I'm back in Safe Mode with Networking to do this reply. A fresh normal boot and the computer hung the as soon as I plugged in the cable.

I finished the wireless re-install after another fresh normal boot. As soon as it connected through the wireless the computer hung.

The mouse moves, but I can't click on anything.

[Orumph]

Ok, so, you can get to the use the network without problem in safe mode.

It is not a driver or NIC problem.

What Security Suite are you using?

[smitch466]

I had ruled out the NIC and driver based on the fact that Safe Mode works too - but through the years I have learned to try the basics rather than making assumptions.

We are running ESET NOD32 Smart Security. One of the first tests I ran last night was removing it from the Startup procedure and trying a fresh normal boot. It didn't make a difference when ESET was not running.

I have not uninstalled, mainly because I don't have the disks handy to re-install today. But I can give it a try just to be sure. I have not checked Processes to see if there was a remenant running in the background. I'll update once I am back in Safe Mode with Networking - assuming this doesn't resolve the problem.

[smitch466]

Oh well, it was worth another try, but no luck. I disabled ESET on Startup while in Safe Mode, booted the machine. Once the machine was up I double checked to make sure ESET was not in the system tray, didn't show as a service, no process, no PID, etc.

Plugged in the cable... system hung.

[Orumph]

Well, the reason I ask. I have seen most Internet Security Suites cause this type of problem among others at some point, ones that offer a Firewall solution that is not needed in Vista.

NOD32 is a good Anti Virus solution, but any Internet Security Suite usually goes bad from any company.

The only other thing. Start looking at other software, something you installed or updated recently?

Get Process Explorer
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896653.aspx
to check all running processes.

You might even get Process Monitor
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx

Are there no event log entries at all in normal boot regarding this problem?
If so, exactly what are they?

[Orumph]

Run a Spybot scan.

Get another app called LSPFix
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm

Only click finish, no matter what, do not do anything else with it.
Just open it and click finish, nothing else, you have been warned.

[Orumph]

It could still be driver related. Or malware.
I need to think back on this one. I know I have seen this before, I just can't remember what I did to fix this.

[smitch466]

Problem resolved - it was WINSOCK corruption. I was fairly certain it was a software problem, but I had completely spaced on the WINSOCK. In any case, it is a really simple fix which makes it even more frustrating that it took me so long to remember. In any case, here is what you do -

To repair and reset the Windows Vista WINSOCK

1. Click on Start button.
2. Type Cmd in the Start Search text box.
3. Right mouse click on CMD and choose Run As Administrator. Allow elevation request.
4. Type netsh winsock reset in the Command Prompt shell, and then press the Enter key.
5. Restart the computer.

That's it. No disks required. No risk of data loss due to rebuild. 30 seconds tops.

Now if I can only remember when I come across this problem again in the future.

[teraside]

I've been searching my rear off for a solution with my Toshiba Laptop that has exactly the same Wireless and LAN hardware as the original poster.

It might even be the same Satellite edition.

Thing is. This seems to be an all around problem with Vista and Toshiba, as noted in this thread on an S.A. forum where I am part of:
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=139074

My problem specifically is that my Laptop freezes at completely random intervals, but mostly if I stream media from a Desktop machine located a short distance away (through Wifi).

I would appreciate any help or solutions and the person that can fix this issue will truly get a huge hug from me

I've had 2 different threads on Toshiba Euro forums and after asking me the details and where I responded, I have not even received one decent reply.

The Laptop is a Toshiba Satellite L40 13G PSL40E with Vista Home Premium and it has an Atheros AR5700EG Wireless adapter.

I am using WPA2 AES PSK encryption on my router and my router is a Billion 7300Mimo.

Steps I've taken:

Reset Winsock
Disabled remote differential compression
Disabled TCP autotune

I won't say thanks in advance (I will thank you personally) and I hope I have included enough information for you to troubleshoot the query, please let me know if you require anything else.

[teraside]

My laptop still freezes I thought I had it nailed, but it still does it

[smitch466]

Does the problem happen when you are connected via copper? Or is it only through WiFi?

[crazlunatic]

what exactly does winsock do or what is it?

Originally Posted by smitch466

Problem resolved - it was WINSOCK corruption. I was fairly certain it was a software problem, but I had completely spaced on the WINSOCK. In any case, it is a really simple fix which makes it even more frustrating that it took me so long to remember. In any case, here is what you do -

To repair and reset the Windows Vista WINSOCK

1. Click on Start button.
2. Type Cmd in the Start Search text box.
3. Right mouse click on CMD and choose Run As Administrator. Allow elevation request.
4. Type netsh winsock reset in the Command Prompt shell, and then press the Enter key.
5. Restart the computer.

That's it. No disks required. No risk of data loss due to rebuild. 30 seconds tops.

Now if I can only remember when I come across this problem again in the future.

[htpbreewel]

I have a Targa 826T M32, which is equal to the MSI M635 with both wired Realtek RTL8139 LAN and Improcomm IP2220 WiFi. All worked fine with Vista until after installing SP1. After that exactly the same problem as Smitch466. After plugging in the lan cable or switching on WiFi the system hangs after a few seconds. I have to remove the battery to switch the portable off. I re-installed Vista without SP1 and everything worked again. In Save Mode everything works ok, with or without SP1. I have found no solution so far for the problem Any idea is welcome