Help, For the USB Devices That Have No Name

[ourchair]

I finally got my computer repaired yesterday. I had to lug the damn thing on a public jeepney in a tropical climate that is still rather humid even if it is cold season.

Everything seems to be working fine, but now I've got a bit of a problem: I can't use my iPod or flash drive or any other USB storage device.

Make no mistake, the computer knows it's there. Nothing's broken. When you click on the little hardware button in the taskbar you can still see everything:

Yet even though my devices have been recognized, I can't find them on the My Computer, where my flash drive gets the H: and my iPod get's the I:

The only thing that seems to be telling me something is the fact that when I expand the details of the devices I've plugged in is that the space where 'Generic Volume' is has no drive letter:

I suspect that what has happened is that the reinstallation/repair of my Windows XP has actually overwritten some of my security settings or USB device settings that prevents them from being recognized, but I'll be damned if I can figure out how.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[compound]

I'll bet anybody two Simoleans that Ultimate Warrior will be the one who eventually solves Outchair's problem.

 

[Random]

I had a simular problem with an old laptop that has something I really want but there's no other way to get it off

 

[Fredrik Martinsson]

Ugh. USB problems. I hate that. I had problems with a USB CD-burner when USB was new. I never did get it to work properly.

Oh well.

A few questions:

1) Does the drive show up when you go to the Command prompt (cmd.exe) and type H: (or whatever your letter for the drive was)?

2) Have you tried to remove the devices and then install them again?

Anyway a way to assign a letter to a drive can be done by using diskmgmt.msc (type that in Run under the startmenu) or by using TweakUI.

 

[ourchair]

Ugh. USB problems. I hate that. I had problems with a USB CD-burner when USB was new. I never did get it to work properly.

I doubt it's hardware problems since my computer still recognizes my USB mouse regardless of which USB port I plug it into. Also, other computers still recognize my iPod and Flash drive, but actually assign drive letters.

Anyway, answers...

1) Does the drive show up when you go to the Command prompt (cmd.exe) and type H: (or whatever your letter for the drive was)?

Haven't tried that yet, but will do so when I get back to the house from here.

2) Have you tried to remove the devices and then install them again?

I've tried unplugging them (but not without hitting the safely remove hardware button, of course) and replugging them into all the other USB ports and back and forth, but no dice.

But what do you mean by 'install them again'? Do you mean like software and drivers and all that? If so, my flash drive never required I install any software. WinXP just recognized it the first time I used it.

As for the iPod, the iTunes is still in place and I assume that includes the software/drivers needed to get the iTunes to recognize it. However, XP should still recognize my iPod as a storage device, right?

Anyway a way to assign a letter to a drive can be done by using diskmgmt.msc (type that in Run under the startmenu) or by using TweakUI

Alright, I'll try that as well. I'm still kinda worried I'm having some software-to-hardware problem though, since WinXP was supposed to automatically assign drive letters to my devices in the first place. While there's nothing wrong with manual assignment and other brute force device management (I was a DOS baby), I'm worried there's still something wrong under the hood I may not be aware of.

Incidentally, prior to my computer crashing and requiring repair I used to get a error alert about an 'ipwins.exe' that needed to be shut down by XP. However, this error existed WHILE my iPod and flash drive were still working with it. Should I be concerned in any way? I can't tell what program or device 'ipwins.exe' is associated with, and I'm still getting this error after having my Windows XP repaired.

Anyway, thanks a handful for your feedback, UW.

 

[Fredrik Martinsson]

I doubt it's hardware problems since my computer still recognizes my USB mouse regardless of which USB port I plug it into. Also, other computers still recognize my iPod and Flash drive, but actually assign drive letters.

Didn't really think it was. Seems to me like a problem in Windows. I just posted that there so you would know that you're not alone with USB problems. (Of course my problem was waaaaaaay back when win 98 first came out :wink: )

Anyway, answers...

Yaaay!

Haven't tried that yet, but will do so when I get back to the house from here.

Do that. The response will be really informative in locating the problem and solution.

I've tried unplugging them (but not without hitting the safely remove hardware button, of course) and replugging them into all the other USB ports and back and forth, but no dice.

But what do you mean by 'install them again'? Do you mean like software and drivers and all that? If so, my flash drive never required I install any software. WinXP just recognized it the first time I used it.

As for the iPod, the iTunes is still in place and I assume that includes the software/drivers needed to get the iTunes to recognize it. However, XP should still recognize my iPod as a storage device, right?

Right. What I meant was to remove all trace of the drives from your computer (by safely remove feature and such), reboot your computer and plug them in again. If all goes as planned, Windows will install them again (through Plug n Play) and you will be ready to go.

Alright, I'll try that as well. I'm still kinda worried I'm having some software-to-hardware problem though, since WinXP was supposed to automatically assign drive letters to my devices in the first place. While there's nothing wrong with manual assignment and other brute force device management (I was a DOS baby), I'm worried there's still something wrong under the hood I may not be aware of.

Sounds more like Windows either don't know what to do with the drive or how to make it show (a complete re-install like I said before SHOULD fix that) or the drives assigned letter has been shut down by windows as inactive (the other solution should help you fix that).

Incidentally, prior to my computer crashing and requiring repair I used to get a error alert about an 'ipwins.exe' that needed to be shut down by XP. However, this error existed WHILE my iPod and flash drive were still working with it. Should I be concerned in any way? I can't tell what program or device 'ipwins.exe' is associated with, and I'm still getting this error after having my Windows XP repaired.

Not good. http://research.sunbelt-software.com/threatdisplay.aspx?name=Ipwins&threatid=44393
http://www.anti-spyware-101.com/remove-adware.ipwins/
I suggest you remove it as fast as possible (check if you can uninstall it from your list of programs before anything else). Don't think it has something to do with your drives though.

Anyway, thanks a handful for your feedback, UW.

No problemo.

 

[ourchair]

Not good. http://research.sunbelt-software.com/threatdisplay.aspx?name=Ipwins&threatid=44393
http://www.anti-spyware-101.com/remove-adware.ipwins/
I suggest you remove it as fast as possible (check if you can uninstall it from your list of programs before anything else). Don't think it has something to do with your drives though.

No problemo.

Okay, I've been fiddling around with this and I'm not sure if I've completely remove this thing. According to the links you've pointed to me, this is supposed to be browser-jacking connection-messing spyware right?

If that's the case, then it should explain why I can't access Google to run some searches, or check my Amazon.Com wishlist, right? At first I thought this was a result of the quake in Thailand that rendered many websites inaccessible on some Internet providers here in the Philippines.

But weeks after connections have been restored and now that I have managed to remove the registry keys, delete the folders and DLLs, I'm still not able to access Google and Amazon.

Have I truly removed this ipwins bugger or has something else happened to my computer? I've uninstalled and reinstalled Firefox, removed all the ipwins stuff and no longer getting the ipwins.exe error message but still the problem persists.

Perhaps there is something that has been done to my proxy settings or anything by either this bit of malware that I can adjust (destroying cookies, clearing out all Internet related cache files) to make this go away?

Oh and one last thing: My inability to access Google takes a very specific form --- it either defaults to a page called Plesk when the URL is typed in, or I get a 404-ish error message when I run searches from the Googlebar in Firefox. the Plesk page also comes up when I try to access Amazon:

Ordinarily, I'd start backing up data and formatting my computer, but unfortunately that's not an option for today because I have to do the Google searches for some research I need to do for class.

 

[ProjectX2]

I love the google search. :lol:

 

[E]

Oh and one last thing: My inability to access Google takes a very specific form --- it either defaults to a page called Plesk when the URL is typed in, or I get a 404-ish error message when I run searches from the Googlebar in Firefox. the Plesk page also comes up when I try to access Amazon:

Plesk is a web admin software package. It looks like the malware on your computer is hijacking any requests for Google or Amazon, which they often do, and trying to direct you to a site that no longer exists at the IP address it's trying to reach. Weird.

 

[ourchair]

Plesk is a web admin software package. It looks like the malware on your computer is hijacking any requests for Google or Amazon, which they often do, and trying to direct you to a site that no longer exists at the IP address it's trying to reach. Weird.

That is strange.

Someone just explained to me the same thing on another message board, and suggested that I edit the hosts file on my operating system, which varies from OS to OS. The question is where is the hosts file located on Windows XP? I'd run a Google search, but you know how that goes...

 

[Fredrik Martinsson]

As E said it seems like your searches and attempts to access the google page has been hijacked by some malware, either the one I'm aware of or another. I suggest you install ad-aware and run it and if that doesn't help download HiJackThis! and run that and post the log here and I will help you.

Oh, and here are the Hosts file: C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
It doesn't have an extension, just open it in word or notepad or something.

 

[ourchair]

I've tried Ad-Aware multiple times since last week and it hasn't helped, so I went with HiJackThis. I wasn't warned by HiJackThis to shut any down, so I just made the assumption I could run this with programs on. Here's the logfile:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 7:51:57 AM, on 1/19/2007
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\CyberLink\Shared files\RichVideo.exe
C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMAgent.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_02\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PDVDServ.exe
C:\Program Files\Roxio\Easy Media Creator 8\Drag to Disc\DrgToDsc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Ahead\lib\NMBgMonitor.exe
C:\Program Files\InterVideo\Common\Bin\WinCinemaMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Logitech\SetPoint\SetPoint.exe
C:\Program Files\Palm\HOTSYNC.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Logitech\KhalShared\KHALMNPR.EXE
C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
C:\Program Files\Last.fm\LastFM.exe
C:\Program Files\DAP\DAP.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\HiJackThis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://gigo.jawbreaker.ph/
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 lycos.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.lycos.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 altavista.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.altavista.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 amazon.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.amazon.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 aol.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.aol.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 earthlink.net
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.earthlink.net
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 ebay.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.ebay.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 go.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.go.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 google.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.google.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 icq.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.icq.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 lycos.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.lycos.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 msn.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.msn.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 yahoo.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.yahoo.com
O2 - BHO: Yahoo! Companion BHO - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - C:\PROGRA~1\YAHOO!\COMPAN~1\INSTALLS\cpn\ycomp5_3_12_0.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx
O3 - Toolbar: &Yahoo! Companion - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\PROGRA~1\YAHOO!\COMPAN~1\INSTALLS\cpn\ycomp5_3_12_0.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroCheck] C:\WINDOWS\System32\\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\System32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_02\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroFilterCheck] C:\WINDOWS\System32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DownloadAccelerator] "C:\Program Files\DAP\DAP.EXE" /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RemoteControl] "C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PDVDServ.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LanguageShortcut] "C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\Language\Language.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RoxioDragToDisc] "C:\Program Files\Roxio\Easy Media Creator 8\Drag to Disc\DrgToDsc.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Logitech Hardware Abstraction Layer] KHALMNPR.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DAEMON Tools] "C:\Program Files\DAEMON Tools\daemon.exe" -lang 1033
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SpyHunter] C:\Program Files\Enigma Software Group\SpyHunter\SpyHunter.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Yahoo! Pager] C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\ypager.exe -quiet
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AIM] C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe -cnetwait.odl
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [BgMonitor_{79662E04-7C6C-4d9f-84C7-88D8A56B10AA}] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Ahead\lib\NMBgMonitor.exe"
O4 - Startup: PowerReg Scheduler V3.exe
O4 - Startup: HotSync Manager.lnk = C:\Program Files\Palm\HOTSYNC.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA9.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Gamma Loader.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration\Adobe Gamma Loader.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office OneNote 2003 Quick Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\ONENOTEM.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: InterVideo WinCinema Manager.lnk = C:\Program Files\InterVideo\Common\Bin\WinCinemaMgr.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Logitech SetPoint.lnk = ?
O8 - Extra context menu item: &AIM Search - res://C:\Program Files\AIM Toolbar\AIMBar.dll/aimsearch.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Clean Traces - C:\Program Files\DAP\Privacy Package\dapcleanerie.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Download with &DAP - C:\Program Files\DAP\dapextie.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Yahoo! Search - file:///C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common/ycsrch.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download &all with DAP - C:\Program Files\DAP\dapextie2.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Yahoo! &Dictionary - file:///C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common/ycdict.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Yahoo! &Maps - file:///C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common/ycdict.htm
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_02\bin\npjpi150_02.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_02\bin\npjpi150_02.dll
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {4528BBE0-4E08-11D5-AD55-00010333D0AD} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\yhexbmes0521.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Messenger - {4528BBE0-4E08-11D5-AD55-00010333D0AD} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\yhexbmes0521.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: AIM - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {03F998B2-0E00-11D3-A498-00104B6EB52E} - https://components.viewpoint.com/MTSInstallers/MetaStream3.cab?url=http://www.viewpoint.com/cgi-bin/compaq.v2/vet_install_popup.pl?1&4&04.00.08.43-hp&http://h71016.www7.hp.com/html/interactive/rz1715/model.html?jumpid=in_R329_3d/HND/rz1715|ProdPage|viewpoint
O16 - DPF: {54B52E52-8000-4413-BD67-FC7FE24B59F2} (EARTPatchX Class) - http://simcity.ea.com/update/EARTPX.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1122629104135
O16 - DPF: {B9191F79-5613-4C76-AA2A-398534BB8999} (YAddBook Class) - http://us.dl1.yimg.com/download.yahoo.com/dl/installs/suite/yautocomplete.cab
O16 - DPF: {C36661D7-3590-45B1-80B5-520839E94DAD} (MaxisSimCity4PatcherX Control) - http://simcity.ea.com/update/MaxisSimCity4PatcherX.cab
O16 - DPF: {D719897A-B07A-4C0C-AEA9-9B663A28DFCB} (iTunesDetector Class) - http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/detection/ITDetector.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{752996D7-571F-4EA2-88E0-3997358C87FC}: NameServer = 10.10.10.10 10.10.10.11
O17 - HKLM\System\CS1\Services\Tcpip\..\{752996D7-571F-4EA2-88E0-3997358C87FC}: NameServer = 10.10.10.10 10.10.10.11
O20 - Winlogon Notify: winijp32 - winijp32.dll (file missing)
O23 - Service: Adobe LM Service - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe Systems Shared\Service\Adobelmsvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: iPodService - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: Cyberlink RichVideo Service(CRVS) (RichVideo) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\CyberLink\Shared files\RichVideo.exe
O23 - Service: RoxMediaDB - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\SharedCOM8\RoxMediaDB.exe
O23 - Service: SoundMAX Agent Service (SoundMAX Agent Service (default)) - Analog Devices, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMAgent.exe

 

[ourchair]

Gasp! I deleted the entries for amazon.com and google.com from the Hosts File and now the sites are working again.

Hm, I'm still suspicious.

Now I must go to class and tell all my partners in Language, Society and Culture that I have no research to contribute, because this is what I've been doing all day.

And now the matter of my USB devices, I must solve when I get back.

 

[Fredrik Martinsson]

All these:

O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 lycos.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.lycos.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 altavista.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.altavista.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 amazon.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.amazon.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 aol.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.aol.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 earthlink.net
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.earthlink.net
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 ebay.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.ebay.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 go.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.go.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 google.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.google.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 icq.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.icq.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 lycos.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.lycos.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 msn.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.msn.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 yahoo.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.yahoo.com

was what made your browser redirect different URLs from their actual address. I suggest you delete ALL of them from your hosts file. I can't see anything else wrong with your system except, do you use viewpoint? Because some consider it spyware and some don't so if you don't use it I suggest that you remove it from your system.

Hope you fix your USB problem.

 

[ourchair]

All these:

O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 lycos.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.lycos.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 altavista.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.altavista.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 amazon.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.amazon.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 aol.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.aol.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 earthlink.net
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.earthlink.net
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 ebay.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.ebay.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 go.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.go.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 google.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.google.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 icq.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.icq.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 lycos.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.lycos.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 msn.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.msn.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 yahoo.com
O1 - Hosts: 69.50.173.4 www.yahoo.com

was what made your browser redirect different URLs from their actual address. I suggest you delete ALL of them from your hosts file. I can't see anything else wrong with your system except, do you use viewpoint? Because some consider it spyware and some don't so if you don't use it I suggest that you remove it from your system.

Thanks, just fixed it this morning actually, as I reported in the above post.

I had only learned about hosts files while trying to research the problem and I tested this out by deleting the host entries for google and amazon. I guess I'll delete the rest later.

Once again, thanks for your continued assistance, UW.

On the USB problem later.

 

[E]

The hosts file can be very helpful for this sort of thing too. There are guides out there that tel you how to edit it in order to prevent certain ads from appearing on sites.

 

[Fredrik Martinsson]

The hosts file can be very helpful for this sort of thing too. There are guides out there that tel you how to edit it in order to prevent certain ads from appearing on sites.

Yeah. You can even download pre-edited hosts files. I have done this for years.

The procedure is also called "supertrick" if it helps.

 

[ourchair]

Here's a little update --- I STILL can't get my iPod recognized and have been listening to the same bloody music for some time now. I also have loads of podcasts to catch up on.

Sounds more like Windows either don't know what to do with the drive or how to make it show (a complete re-install like I said before SHOULD fix that) or the drives assigned letter has been shut down by windows as inactive (the other solution should help you fix that).

Anyway, it seems that no amount of safe removal or plugging in of USB devices is remedying my problem. I've used the Disk Management tool to assign drive letters but this only seems to allow access via the command prompt. Meaning that I'm still unable to access my devices through My Computer nor will ITunes recognize my iPod.

Regarding TweakUI, what was I supposed to use it for?

Also, is it possible that something might be daft with the BIOS right now that's impaired the functionality of my USB devices?

 

[E]

Also, is it possible that something might be daft with the BIOS right now that's impaired the functionality of my USB devices?

I'm hardly an expert, but I've never heard of the BIOS having anything to do wth functionality over a USB device.

 

[Fredrik Martinsson]

Anyway, it seems that no amount of safe removal or plugging in of USB devices is remedying my problem. I've used the Disk Management tool to assign drive letters but this only seems to allow access via the command prompt. Meaning that I'm still unable to access my devices through My Computer nor will ITunes recognize my iPod.

Seems like Windows has locked out your iPod.

Regarding TweakUI, what was I supposed to use it for?

That has options in it that will "unlock" your drive and identify it as a unit in Windows.

Also, is it possible that something might be daft with the BIOS right now that's impaired the functionality of my USB devices?

Haven't heard of that happening before as USB drives are controlled from you OP-system and not you BIOS.