How to manually recover from Winsock corruption?

Important:
The following options contain steps that ask you to modify the registry. Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Create a restore point of the system. Create a valid backup. To learn how to create a system restore point to backup the registry and settings, click here.

Warning:
Programs that access or monitor the Internet such as antivirus, firewall, or proxy clients may be negatively affected when you run the netsh winsock reset command. If you have a program that no longer functions correctly after you use this resolution, reinstall the program to restore functionality.

Note:
If these steps do not resolve the problem, follow the steps in the next section.

Option 1: Winsock Reset
If you have Windows XP Service Pack 2 or above installed, TYPE (omit Quotes) "netsh winsock reset" at the command prompt and then PRESS "enter".
Restart the computer.

Option 2: Winsock Catalog Reset If you have Windows XP Service Pack 2 or above installed, TYPE (omit Quotes) "netsh winsock reset catalog " at the command prompt and then PRESS "enter".
Restart the computer.

Option 3: Delete the corrupted registry keys and reinstall TCP/IP protocol

1. Open Regedit: CLICK "start" and "CLICK "run".

2. TYPE (omit quotes): "REGEDIT and CLICK "ok".

3. Locate the Winsock keys: right-click each key and CLICK "delete" and confirm the deletion.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2

Note:
Restart the computer after you delete the Winsock keys. Restarting causes the Windows XP operating system to create new shell entries for the two Winsock keys. If you do not restart the computer after you delete the Winsock keys, the next steps will not work correctly.

4. Network protocol setup: Right-click the network connection and click Properties.

5. Install TCP/IP: CLICK "install", CLICK "protocol", and CLICK "add". CLICK "have disk".

6. Browse for files: C:\Windows\inf and CLICK "ok".

7 . Choose your protocol: CLICK "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and CLICK "ok".

8. Restart the computer.

Option 4: Export the Winsock registry keys from another computer

Note:
The computer that you are exporting the working Winsock registry keys from, must use the same version of the Windows operating system and a similar hardware configuration. On the computer that has a working installation of TCP/IP, follow these steps.

1. Copy Winsock keys: Insert a floppy disk or USB storage drive into the computer that has the working Winsock registry keys that you are exporting.

2. Open Regedit: CLICK "start" and "CLICK "run".

3. TYPE (omit quotes): "REGEDIT and CLICK "ok".

3. Locate the Winsock keys: locate the following registry subkey and CLICK "file" and CLICK "export".
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2

4. Browse and save: FIND your floppy drive or USB storage drive and CLICK "save".

Note:
Each Winsock key exported must have a different .reg file name.

5. Quit Registry Editor. CLICK "file" and CLICK "exit".

6. Import the registry: Insert the floppy disk or USB storage drive that contains the .reg files into the computer that is experiencing the loss of Internet access.

7. Open Regedit: CLICK "start" and "CLICK "run".

8. TYPE (omit quotes): "REGEDIT and CLICK "ok".

9. Locate the exported Winsock keys: CLICK "file" and CLICK "import".

10. Browse and save: FIND the .reg files on your floppy drive or USB storage drive and CLICK "open".

11. Confirm import process: CLICK "yes" when you are prompted to add information to the registry and CLICK "ok" when you receive the message that the information has been successfully entered in the system's registry.

12. Quit Registry Editor. CLICK "file" and CLICK "exit".

13. Restart the computer.