Pvt. Ryan Posted September 7, 2001 Share Posted September 7, 2001 I don't know if this is a CMBO related issue, but the problem happened while playing CM last night. When I exited the game I saw a massively screwed up desktop with a resolution so low that barely anything fit on the screen. I couldn't even bring up the menu to change the screen properties to reset the resolution because the menu wouldn't fit on the screen. I called Dell and the tech had me restore the registry from a backup that Win98SE had saved. That restored my resolution and my computer works fine except that it can't find a dll file that apparently is related to TCP/IP, because I can't access the internet, although my cable modem appears to working properly. The dll file is newdot~1.dll. Is there an easy way to restore/repair this file? I can't locate it anywhere on the Recovery CD that came with my computer, nor can I find it on a Win98SE disk that came with another Dell computer. Do I have to reinstall Windows? If I do have to reinstall Windows, will I lose all my data, such as all my mods? I suppose I can back those up onto a CD, but I also have a ton of large files that would would be a pain to burn to CD. Also, will I have to reinstall all my other software and drivers? I have a WinME upgrade that I got from Dell but never installed. Would installing the upgrade take care of this problem? Any HELP would be appreciated. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted September 7, 2001 Share Posted September 7, 2001 When you have a file name with a '~' character in it, it typically means that it is a long file name (more characters than the DOS-based 8.3 naming convention). So the file probably isn't actually named NEWDOT~1.DLL except at a DOS prompt (outside of Windows). Where and when are you seeing this error ? I'm not familiar with what this .DLL file is ? Did you install a program from your Cable Modem ISP ? That's the only place I could think it would come from if you're having problems accessing the Internet. This particular .DLL doesn't seem to belong to Windows natively, so some program installed it. As to why your problem occurred, I haven't the faintest idea. It's possible that CM may have caused your resolution problem (especially if your desktop runs at a resolution different from CM). But it is probably more of an issue of how the video drivers handle resolution changes. I doubt that installing WinME will fix the problem, since as I've stated, the file doesn't seem to be installed by Windows itself, so it will continue to be missing. I suggest looking at whatever software you may have installed from your Cable Modem ISP to see if it may have the required file. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted September 7, 2001 Author Share Posted September 7, 2001 Thanks for the quick reply. I presumed the file name was longer because of the ~ and I also kind of guessed that it was not a Windows file. CM runs at the same resolution as my desktop, so I don't think switching resolutions caused the problem. The last software I installed was new Nvidia reference drivers for my GeForce2, which is installed a few weeks ago. CM has been a little screwed up since then, but everything else has worked fine. I didn't install any software from the @home disk. The @home install disk basically sets the computer's network name and will only install the software (a co-branded version of IE) if you ask it to. The last harware I installed was a USB Compact Flash reader. That was three weeks ago and I have had no problems with it. I can't imagine what would have installed or would require this particular .DLL, but whatever it is is preventing me from getting on the internet. To anwer one of your questions, I get the notice that the DLL can't be found as my system finishes booting. I click ok and the system finishes booting properly, but when I launch IE I get nothing and when I launch Netscape I get an error message. I'm not home now, so I can't recall exactly what it said, but I had never seen it before. [ 09-07-2001: Message edited by: Pvt. Ryan ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal Elder Posted September 7, 2001 Share Posted September 7, 2001 did some scaning around the web on "newdot" and found several hits about a newdot~1.dll or newdot~2.dll (probably the same file, depending on whats on the machine...but in the same location due to the way Windows does long filenames). All of the messages had something to do with not getting on the internet, and the ones that gave good information, all mentioned cable modems (: its definately not a Windows file, so Schrully (I can never remember how to spell that long name (; ) is right, probably just need to reinstall your cable modem stuff. Strange about the resolution problem...I gather restarting didn't change anything, unless you got the typical Tech Support answer (just Restore!) before they tried any actual troubleshooting. My guess would of been the monitor not resetting correctly after exiting out of Combat Mission, I have sort of the same issue exiting out of MAME games...they leave the desktop at the resolution of the game I was in (which sucks, because most MAME games run in some low 200x200 type resolution (: ). Turning off then on the monitor again gets it to reset correctly (: Schrully, you just an uber-hobbyist or did you put in time with MS? I did 3 years of support/training with them, and you know more than most of the poor phone-jockeys I worked with (: [ 09-07-2001: Message edited by: Mal Elder ] More Editing (saw the new post): try running MSConfig from your Run prompt...it has a Startup tab, and will list all the programs that run on startup. You probably won't find a direct reference to the missing .dll file there, but it will give you an idea of what programs run at startup (one of which is asking for the newdot~1.dll file (: ). Takes a little time, but this can help you track it all down...if you aren't sure which one it is, you can just uncheck em all, then reboot, then add back one at a time until you get the good ol' error message...then you know who's responsible (: [ 09-07-2001: Message edited by: Mal Elder ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted September 7, 2001 Author Share Posted September 7, 2001 Yes, I did try restarting a couple of times before calling Dell, but it didn't help. I didn't try restarting the monitor though. I think that may have been the best way to go. There really is no software for my cable modem. I did reinstall my TCP/IP adapter because I thought that may have been the trouble, but it didn't help. I didn't have the DLL trouble until after I restored my registry. The Dell tech then had me run msconfig and I unchecked everything except systray (I think that was the only one). I still had the problem. The tech said that I shouldn't uncheck everything or my system would not start up properly. I called @home and they told me the missing DLL was a windows file and that they couldn't help me. I guess I could try installing all the junk on the @home disk, but it usually just causes problems with the proxy server for most people. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal Elder Posted September 7, 2001 Share Posted September 7, 2001 hehe, did some more searching (I'm bored at work today)...found the following at Computing.Net...(direct quote follows)... "I also had problems with the Newnet application in my system without me being aware of its installation or its purpose. I emailed them at support@new.net and they sent me copyrighted (yes! copyrighted!!!) instructions on how to get rid of the program. You actually have to go into the registry and modify the configuration if the application fails to be uninstalled by using the Add/Remove Programs software of Windows. Don't waste your time trying to figure out this one! Just write to them and they will email you instructions on how to get rid of the NewNet Application right away! According to the email I received, they have agreements with several companies to distribute their "NewNet Application" with software like: Go!Zilla, BearShare, Mp3.com, iMesh, Babylon, Cydoor, Webshots, GDivx, and KaZaA. I feel it is a clear violation of my privacy to have installed in my system software by any internet company with obscure purposes and worst, without without me being aware of their action. NewNet and those companies certainly deserve some class-action litigation!! Maybe that will discourage this nasty practice! Good Luck to all of you!!! Pablo." http://www.cexx.org/newnet.htm has some awesome information about this, including the fact if you are missing the .dll, you can't connect to the internet site (: Sorry about the previous information, the other sites I was reading implied cable modems, when it looks like that isn't it at all (: Funny, it even mentions that disabling it in MSConfig doesn't work (; I can't wait to get home to check for it on my machine now :/ [ 09-07-2001: Message edited by: Mal Elder ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted September 7, 2001 Author Share Posted September 7, 2001 I found that page too with a Google search. I feel better that I am not the only one with this problem, but I am pissed that it happened at all. I have BearShare and Webshots installed and I heard the BearShare can lead to some problems so I installed Ad Aware which was supposedly able to avoid this spyware problem. Maybe I should run Ad Aware again and see if it uninstalls NewDot. I did search for a file called newdot but nothing turned up. I am not familiar with messing with the registry, so that will be a last resort. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted September 7, 2001 Author Share Posted September 7, 2001 Another thought: The Dell tech had me restore the oldest registry file available when trying to fix the resolution problem. Maybe the NewDot program installed just yesterday or the day before. I will try restoring a more recent registry file that might contain the missing DLL file and then see if I can uninstall it. It might not work, but I allways try the easy way out first. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted September 7, 2001 Author Share Posted September 7, 2001 Reading from the link that Mal gave I see that this program uses Rundll.32 to function. I am always manually shut down programs when defragging my HD, so I am pretty familiar with the programs running under windows when I hit Alt-Ctrl-Del. In the past few days I noticed that Rundll32 was in there and it never was before. I suppose when it appeared is when the NewDot program was installed. The site explains how to uninstall NewDot, but it warns not to delete the DLL. Since my registry no longer contains the DLL I can't simply uninstall NewDot, which sucks. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal Elder Posted September 7, 2001 Share Posted September 7, 2001 yeah, once the .dll is gone, it's gone :/ the Registry only contains information on where that file exists (or existed in this case)...for that fact, that's how the registry works...its a database of where everything is in Windows and how it ties together with other things in Windows (: Rundll/Rundll32 are basically "loader" programs, they "call" certain functions inside of other .dll's, "running" them for lack of a better term (: They are vital, since most Windows programs consist of .dll's (which are libraries of functions...the bulk of whatever run's..for more rundll fun, search for "Dependancy Walker", a cool tool for tracking down .dll fuctions). So in this case, you have a leftover rundll line somewhere that is trying to call a function in newdotnetXXX.dll (whatever it's called), and since the .dll file is gone, you get the error... Thinking about this a bit, I think running AdAware again might be a good idea, depending on how it removes stuff...it might get rid of the reference to the newdot file in the registry, solving the problem...I think what happened is that AdAware may of wiped this out before, but going back to an older Registry broght back the reference to the file...the files themselves won't come back (: If worse comes to worse, don't be too worried about editing the registry...MS makes it sound scary, but if you take things slow and don't go crazy deleting stuff, you should be fine (: You're in 98, rite? Try this...goto Run, type in scanregw...it should mention something about the Registry already been backed up or not, and then ask if you want to back it up again...tell it yes (: then go Regedit to your heart's content, if worse comes to worse and you break something, you have that copy to go back to. You can do that by booting to a command prompt (hold down cntrl-key on boot, tell it "5. Command Prompt Only" (I think it's 5 (: )), and at the prompt, type in the "scanreg /restore" which will get you the list of Registries you can backup from...the most recent date will be your last backup (Windows makes one each day you successfully boot up, a default of the last 5 days technically). Worth a shot at least, the "hard" instructions at http://www.cexx.org/newnetfix.htm are done pretty well...using Regedit is like working in Windows Explorer. I will state that the Registry is basically the "brains" of Windows, but as long as you make a backup first, you should be pretty safe. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted September 7, 2001 Author Share Posted September 7, 2001 Thanks so much for your help. I have been printing out all these various instructions so I can refer to them when I get home. If I can't fix it I will take my computer to NewDot's offices in Pasadena and make them fix it! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted September 8, 2001 Author Share Posted September 8, 2001 I called NewDotNet to get the "official" NewDot removal instructions. They were very nice on the phone, considering they must be getting a ton of help requests. They e-mailed me the removal instructions. The reason they have copywrited the instructions is because they say there is a set of instructions on the internet that is not exactly correct and they are trying to get it removed. If anyone needs the instructions, let me know. Hopefully I'll have my home e-mail back by tonight. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted September 8, 2001 Author Share Posted September 8, 2001 I re-ran AdAware and deleted all references to New.Net. I restarted and everything works fine. No registry editing or anything. What a great little piece of software!!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal Elder Posted September 8, 2001 Share Posted September 8, 2001 awesome (: Schrullenhaft, we should start our own support company (; 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted September 8, 2001 Author Share Posted September 8, 2001 You guys are an invaluable resource. I really agonized over this until you helped me identify the source of the problem. Thank you so much! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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