I tried this method and it seemed to work but whenever I played a game, the check to use a proxy would always appear. However, I think I have narrowed it down to the steam client service and another program. On the other hand, no matter what I disable, I always connect to a proxy server after gaming. I don't know why this is happening!
I guess we should answer your questions :-(
1) Of course it could be malware, but it probably is not.
2) Yes, having a proxy set like yours is could mess up all or parts of games.
3) We don't know how to fix your issue permanently - yet. We need to find out what app(s) is making the change.
I really should learn to read more closely... or maybe I'm getting my forum threads mixed up. I'm involved in three threads with this same proxy issue (one thread is in another forum). If I had noticed the info I've quoted/highlighted in red, I would not have suggested that you try a clean boot*. You can put all of the MSCONFIG stuff back the way that it was (if you have not already done so.
*the clean boot method might find it, but there might be an easier way.
Before I mention our options for finding the offending app, let me say once again that I've never seen a screenshot like yours - nor can I replicate it:
If there is a check-mark by the option named "Use a proxy server for....", then the Address: and Port: fields should be white/enabled (ready to be typed in). Your screenshot shows them as greyed out. I'm not sure how that is possible.
Just for my own info/curiosity...
...please uncheck the option named "Use a proxy server for...."
...then "OK" your way out of all of those windows
...then go right back in to the screen shown in that screenshot
...and place a check by the option named "Use a proxy server for...."
Once you have done that, can you type in the Address: and Port: fields?
There are two ways that I can think of to find the app that is changing this setting:
1) Process Monitor might show you the change...
...but Process Monitor can be a bit overwhelming.
So, read the second option before you decide.
Look at this post (and the videos). The first video shows how to use Process Monitor to see some of the things that Explorer does to files when you change a certain Folder Option. In your case, you would not want to filter on the app named Explorer since you don't know which app we need to gather info on. And (in your case) you don't care about watching for file changes, you need to watch for changes to the registry.
1.1) You would start Process Monitor (& handle the EULA)
1.2) stop it from gathering data (left most arrow shown below)
1.3) clear the data it has gathered (center arrow)
1.4) filter out everything except registry changes (right most arrow)
The right most arrow is pointing to the only button that you want pressed in. Click on each of the other buttons in that area so that they are not depressed/activated. This should let you only see changes made to the registry.
1.5) Manually uncheck the option named "Use a proxy server for...."
1.6) "OK" your way out of all of those windows
1.7) start gathering data via Process Monitor (left most arrow shown above)
Let Process Monitor gather data while you start Steam or any other app that you think might be changing the proxy setting. Then manually check to see if the prozy setting has indeed been changed.
1.8) Once you see that the proxy setting has been changed...
...stop Process Monitor from gathering data (left most arrow shown above).
1.9) Search the Process Monitor app/info for ProxyEnable
(Use ctrl-f to search the info/data gathered.)
2) A script might be easier...
...but it might not tell us everything that we need to know.
Look at this rather long post. Feel free to skip down to the videos. I might be able to change that script so that it tells you when the proxy setting gets changed. Then you might be able to find the offending app. Let me know if you would rather try a script instead of Process Monitor.
Last edited by UsernameIssues; 12 May 2014 at 06:17.
I just checked the proxy settings and the address and port fields aren't greyed out. Also, in the advanced settings, it is now blank. I think one of the programs in the services section of msconfig was causing this .I guess we should answer your questions :-(
1) Of course it could be malware, but it probably is not.
2) Yes, having a proxy set like yours is could mess up all or parts of games.
3) We don't know how to fix your issue permanently - yet. We need to find out what app(s) is making the change.
I really should learn to read more closely... or maybe I'm getting my forum threads mixed up. I'm involved in three threads with this same proxy issue (one thread is in another forum). If I had noticed the info I've quoted/highlighted in red, I would not have suggested that you try a clean boot*. You can put all of the MSCONFIG stuff back the way that it was (if you have not already done so.
*the clean boot method might find it, but there might be an easier way.
Before I mention our options for finding the offending app, let me say once again that I've never seen a screenshot like yours - nor can I replicate it:
If there is a check-mark by the option named "Use a proxy server for....", then the Address: and Port: fields should be white/enabled (ready to be typed in). Your screenshot shows them as greyed out. I'm not sure how that is possible.
Just for my own info/curiosity...
...please uncheck the option named "Use a proxy server for...."
...then "OK" your way out of all of those windows
...then go right back in to the screen shown in that screenshot
...and place a check by the option named "Use a proxy server for...."
Once you have done that, can you type in the Address: and Port: fields?
There are two ways that I can think of to find the app that is changing this setting:
1) Process Monitor might show you the change...
...but Process Monitor can be a bit overwhelming.
So, read the second option before you decide.
Look at this post (and the videos). The first video shows how to use Process Monitor to see some of the things that Explorer does to files when you change a certain Folder Option. In your case, you would not want to filter on the app named Explorer since you don't know which app we need to gather info on. And (in your case) you don't care about watching for file changes, you need to watch for changes to the registry.
1.1) You would start Process Monitor (& handle the EULA)
1.2) stop it from gathering data (left most arrow shown below)
1.3) clear the data it has gathered (center arrow)
1.4) filter out everything except registry changes (right most arrow)
The right most arrow is pointing to the only button that you want pressed in. Click on each of the other buttons in that area so that they are not depressed/activated. This should let you only see changes made to the registry.
1.5) Manually uncheck the option named "Use a proxy server for...."
1.6) "OK" your way out of all of those windows
1.7) start gathering data via Process Monitor (left most arrow shown above)
Let Process Monitor gather data while you start Steam or any other app that you think might be changing the proxy setting. Then manually check to see if the prozy setting has indeed been changed.
1.8) Once you see that the proxy setting has been changed...
...stop Process Monitor from gathering data (left most arrow shown above).
1.9) Search the Process Monitor app/info for ProxyEnable
(Use ctrl-f to search the info/data gathered.)
2) A script might be easier...
...but it might not tell us everything that we need to know.
Look at the this rather long post. Feel free to skip down to the videos. I might be able to change that script so that it tells you when the proxy setting gets changed. Then you might be able to find the offending app. Let me know if you would rather try a script instead of Process Monitor.
Do you need more help to figure out which app is causing this proxy issue?
Or is the tutorial enough?
Hey I really appreciate all the help you have given me but I have been thinking about installing a clean version of windows and wiping the hard drive. So far I have gotten like 6 different blue screens that randomly occur and all of my browsers (internet explorer, chrome, firefox) have been crashing and have been getting different errors. New problems keep occurring one after the other and I was thinking that if I started fresh, and tried to install things one at a time, I would see if I can find out if it is something I may have installed.
Do you think that reinstalling windows would be a good idea and could help solve all my problems?
I don't have anything important on my pc so I won't lose anything
You are welcome.
Re-installing the operating system is a good idea, but I cannot guarantee that doing so will cure all of your issues. Sometimes, hidden nasties survive the format/re-install process. Opinions vary on how best to wipe the hard drive first.
You might want to start a thread in the security forum and ask about that. Maybe they will ask you to run some scans so that you will know how much time/labor to put into wiping the drive.
I found that a program called RocketTab snuck on my system when I was trying to obtain some other software. It was resetting the proxy flag in an attempt to make itself as the proxy server, but must have been unable complete the proxy setup. It was not detected as malware since apparently it looked like I wanted that program.
Reinstalling your OS will fix the problem because it will get rid of this program or any program like it that wants to be the proxy server on your machine.
I found this forum after experiencing the same problem - I wasn't able to access the web when I rebooted because my pc was trying to access an invalid proxy server. As soon as I deleted the proxy server and saved changes I would go back in and the details had re-populated.
I saw to comment above about RocketTab program
I went to Add/Remove programs, found this on my computer (which is only a few days old) and deleted it. This has fixed the issue successfully :)
Cheers
Quote
