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Hi,

I have a really weird problem and i am not sure what went wrong. I will try to make it as descriptive as possible. I am using windows xp pro on my Asus laptop with windows wireless zero configuration on.

Problems:
1) The wireless list (View wireless network) is not showing no matter how i refresh it with wireless zero configuration. The service is indeed started already on my xp.
2) All the old preferred network list are gone too and even if i add new one it won't show.
3) Somehow it still auto connect to the wireless point which i have been using or have set it to connect auto previously without me manually connecting to it (with and without wep) even when preferred network list is not showing up.
4) When i am connected(ipconfig + browser check), the network connectivity in the system tray still report disconnected. The system tray icon will only refresh itself when i manually go into network connection folder and refresh the whole folder. The list will still be empty even when i am connected.
5) I have two wireless adaptor, one internal built in the laptop, another USB external adaptor. Both of them are having same issues. The third party client utility for my wireless adaptor are having no problem detecting and connecting to the wireless points list.
6) My network stumbler has also no problem detecting the list of wireless points.

I really have no idea what went wrong but i am suspecting it could be one of the following reasons.

Probable cause:
1) I have previously unplug my external USB adaptor while netstumbler is running, causing netstumbler to freeze and i have to kill the process. This happen a few times in a row. Then i manually restart the WZC services.
2) Virus, my Nod32 recently detected virus called Win32/Patched.G.virus that is located in my c:\windows\system32\sens.dll file. I've already replaced this file with the original clean version of it from xp disc(same version same byte too). Quick search on google reveal sens.dll is used for System Notification Events but i have no clue how it will affect the wireless. So far this is the only virus i have encountered since i am quite cautious with how i use my system, eg, scheduled scanning, safe surfing with firefox, online virus scanning whenever i download .exe installer from non official website.

Steps taken:
1) I have already scanned my system overall with other spyware and anti virus applications and most came up clean at the moment.
2) I tried booting into linux with live cd and it has no problem detecting and connecting to the wireless point, so i am suspecting its only issue with my WZC.
3) Reinstalled my service pack 2 for xp pro and still no success. Reinstalling my xp pro isn't a viable option at this time and system restore is not available too since its disabled.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Hi there and welcome to PC Help Forum

I have 2 suggestions...

1) Grab your XP Cd and run the sfc /scannow routine (link below in my signature)
2) Use System Restore to take your PC back to a point before you had these issues

Hi, i've already completed the file system check twice and reboot twice as well. The problem somehow still persist. The file system check just auto close itself after its done scanning without stating anything further. Is that normal?

Try running it in safe-mode with Admin rights.

Did you try the System Restore option yet?

My system restore has been disabled for quite a while already when i was following the xp tweak guide to squeeze some performance out of it. That was silly thing to do i admit. I tried running sfc /scannow in safe mode without networking and it saying some RPC error. Then i boot into safe mode with networking enabled and its reporting window file protection error. Any idea how do i solve this?

By the way Hengis, i tried to reinstall the WZC from windows\system32\netwcz.inf too but still doesnt help.

On second note, i trying to figure out why the preferred network list are not showing up and yet WCZ will auto connect to those networks without problem, even if they have WEP. Somehow i am suspecting this might be the culprit in the issue.

Just a follow up, I finally figure whats wrong with it. The service COM+ Event System somehow was switched off. I turn it back on and its back to normal now. In case anyone else experiecing same issue, this could be it.