Windows 7 Start Up Repair Loop, Google Redirector Virus

A customer brought in a laptop that was having multiple issues. The laptop was from Dell (N5110) and fairly new with an Intel i3 processor and Windows 7 Home (64bit).

The first thing I noticed was that it was stuck in a Start Up Repair loop. This only happened after the computer was Shut Down, but not on a Restart.

Once the OS was stable and I was at the desktop I had an error come up.

"GfxUI.exe has stopped working."

This was a simple enough fix with an update of the Graphics Card driver from the Intel web site. I first had to find what type of Graphics Card was being used by going to Device Manager and expanding the Graphics selection and looking at the properties. Looking at the description of the Driver gave me a very basic idea of what kind of card I was using, but to my surprise Intel had that exact driver. (Intel HD Graphics)

While searching for the driver I noticed something odd. My Google searches were returning fine, but my links were being redirected to odd places and advertisements. I was able to download Google Chrome from a cached link and that helped in getting the Virus remover tools I needed to fix this problem.

After installing AVG and Malwarebytes and finding no viruses I had to do some digging and found that Kaspersky created a special Redirector Virus Remover for Rootkit.Win32.TDSS. I downloaded, installed and ran it and took care of that problem.

I then installed all Windows updates and shut down the computer to complete the installation. The Start Up Repair Loop was still in effect. After each Start Up Repair all Windows updates were shown to be needed again.

After much research I found a web post talking about a BIOS mismatch with released Microsoft Windows 7 updates. It was with great relief that I found this, because all other information lead to Format/Reinstall Windows. I never want to do this unless absolutely necessary and after I've cloned the disk.

After the machine went through the Repair and came to the desktop I downloaded the new BIOS from Dell that, which coincidentally, was released not long after the User began having problems with the laptop. Problems began on 7/16 and the user did an emergency back up of the drive. Dell released the BIOS update on 7/24. It was easy enough to install with a simple download, run, install, and reboot.

I was then able to do all Windows Updates, Shut Down the computer and bring it back up with no Windows Start Up Repair kicking in.

The user got the virus removed, new BIOS, new Anti Virus Software, Google Chrome, and all Windows Updates installed. I created a restore point in Windows and labeled it so anyone would know that this point is where all problems were fixed and should be used in case of emergency. I also asked the customer to do another back up and keep it in case of emergency.

This particular person had been my customer for years and knew the importance of back ups from other computer problems they have had. I recommend you do a full back up of the drive you are working on before you do any BIOS updates. BIOS updates are light years beyond what they used to be, but they are still known to crash some systems completely.

A virus infected back up is much better than complete data loss.

Vonage Error Code 007 and a Fax Machine

If you use Vonage and have a Fax Machine or all in one machine you may have run across a [Code 007] error.

If you split your telephone jack with a Y Splitter and connect one port of the Y Splitter to your Vonage Device and the other to your Fax line you may get this error.

Error [Code 007] - Check to see if you plugged your phone into the wrong green phone port on your Vonage Device.

A way to fix this is to first check the phone cables that you are using.

You want a two wire telephone cable not a four wire telephone cable.

Plug the two wire telephone cable into one port of the Y Splitter and run that as your Fax line. Then run the other to the Line 1 of the Vonage Device. You can now add the telephone to the phone port of the Fax machine.

Below is a diagram of the set up:

This should fix your [Code 007] error code unless you really are plugging into the wrong green phone port.

Extended T1 from Cat 5 Keystone to Patch Panel

Here is a way to extend a T1 from a smart jack to a patch panel. I personally recommend dropping another data run for this, but if you don't have that option here is a set up you can use.

Material Needed:

4 patch cables or RJ45 Standard Straight-Through cables
2 Cat 5e Snap In Jack (Keystone)
1 Wall Mount Cat 5e Keystone Jack

Since you are going to use all the pairs in the cable you might need to disable the current T1 extension to make this work. I will use the 568B standard and Leviton R24-5G108-RV5 CAT5e Jack for this example.

First pair for the existing T1 will be (Blue - Blue/White) ~ (Orange - Orange/White). This pair will run to the same colors on the keystone. Punch this first pair down on the Blue/White - Blue - Orange/White - Orange on the patch panel.

The second T1 will be punched down on the keystone a bit differently. Start by punching down the Brown pair. With Brown going to the Orange and Brown/White going to Orange/White.

The Green pair will go Green/White to Green/White (Pin 3)and Green to Blue (Pin 4). Here is a diagram of the Keystones and the wire assignments below:

Keystone pin out:


Wire Assignments:



You can test your pair now by connecting a patch cable from the jack to the smart jack. If everything is connected properly you will see all green lights on the smart jack.

This now has to be terminated at the patch panel. Punch all 4 pair down the same way on different ports.

Here is a diagram of this pin out:

Patch Panel Termination:



Now that you have both T1's extended on one Cat 5e cable you can now use the patch cables.

Plug the cable into the wall mount jack and insert the other end into the smart jack RJ45 port. Back at the patch panel you will plug into your assigned port with one end and into the appropriate port at the router.

On the smart jack you should have all green lights and on the router you should see the carrier detect (CD) light as green.

JS

T1 from Westell NID through 66 Block

Telco companies are using outside NID's as T1 Smart Jacks more and more. This cuts down on the Telco installers time from installing inside wiring, but it leaves the end user to finish the job.

Below is a how to for extending the T1 from the NID to the Demark inside the building. I will use the Westell DuetPak as the NID example.

Here is a picture of the Westell NID:


Here is a Spec Sheet for this NID.

As you can see the T1 boards are installed in the left side of the NID and routed through to the right side via an RJ45 jack.

The first thing you should do is grab a pencil and paper and mark down which pair will be the Rx and Tx to extend. What colors are going from the NID and what color the 25 pair will be spliced to. I also recommend killing the extended current by removing the RJ45 male end that is between the right and left side of the 4 posts you will be working with.

Before you start the run make sure to trace all your pair and mark them.

Using 1 and 2 (Black and Yellow) on the right side of the NID as Rx and 4,5 (Green and Red) as the Tx end.

Here is a drawn picture of the NID above with extended pair that will be spliced to the Telco 25 twisted pair and will run to the Demark 66 block inside the building.


This is with the 25 twisted pair spliced:


From here you will continue the run to the 66 Block at the demarcation point. This is what it will look like with the left side being the Telco side and the right side will run to your T1 Jack.

The right side of this 66 block will run to your T1 Jack and in the end will look like this:

In the end what is being accomplished is an extension of electricity from the origin (or close enough) to the end point. So just try to keep all the wire colors consistent so you can follow them start to finish. Mark your wires at the NID, 66 Block and label the jack when you are finished then hook it up to your router and you should be good to go.

JS

Installing a NID Splitter after a Telco NID

You can install a NID Splitter right outside your house or a commercial building if the need arises. Even though it would be just as easy to install DSL filters. If you don't have the option of installing DSL filters follow the steps below.

1. Remove the inside wiring from the Telco NID and place them away from the installation so they do not cross.
2. Create a patch or jumper cable/wire between the NID and the NID splitter. You will connect the pair to the NID where the inside wiring used to be and patch that pair to the Network side of the NID splitter creating a trunk link.
3. You then attach the pair used for voice that was once connected to the Telco NID to the Voice side of the NID Splitter.

There are now two ways of going about the last step.

4a. If you are not installing a new jack then take the extra pair from the Voice line and attach
that to the Data posts on the NID Spitter. This will have to be mirrored at the jack also.

So as an example if you have a two pair wire going to the inside of your house you would in step 3 connect the red and green pair to the Voice posts of the NID splitter and the black and yellow pair to the Data posts. Go to the jack inside and connect the black and yellow pair to where the green and red pair where previously connected.

You can also install a two port jack and put the black and yellow pair on one port and the red and green on the other. Using one for DSL and the other for the telephone.

4b. If you are installing a new jack all together then just run a pair from the Data posts on the
NID Splitter to the DSL jack and connect the modem.


As a precaution and a matter of safety I try not to connect any live wiring as I am working on it. So in this example I would disconnect the Telco side of the Telco NID or wait to connect the patch/jumper wire to the Telco NID until all work is complete.

Below is a homemade picture showing a new install:




For the 4a type of install you would remove the blue wire going to the wall jack and replace that with the grey wire using the black and yellow or any other pair instead.

JS

T568B Pin Out

This picture came to me in an installation guide that I thought would be nice to share with others and to have it when I am out on sites and do not have a reliable picture or book to verify my information.

This picture also gives a real life representation of the pin count on a RJ-45 end.

T568B Pin-Out:

Default User Name and Passwords

I have to add this web site to my blog because sometimes when I'm in a hurry I cannot find this web site.

This is the web site that will tell you the default user name and passwords for a large number of makes and models of switches, routers and modems.

http://www.phenoelit-us.org/dpl/dpl.html

This web site's information has saved me a ton of hair loss and it had to be added to my blog.

To the creator/creators of this wonderment....

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

I hope this never disappears from the World Wide Web.