I just built my pc and when I go to the LAN settings in Internet options, the box to use a proxy server keeps getting checked. I believe that connecting to a proxy server causes some of my games to crash or to not work properly but I am not sure if this is the reason.
I have tried many different ways such as unchecking the box, resetting settings to default, checking the automatic detection box, and redownloading the network driver. However, it just keeps conencting to it! It can connect back minutes after I unchecked the box. I uncheck and click ok and check on it 3 minutes later and the proxy server is checked again!!
Is this a malware? ALso, is it possible that connecting to a proxy server could cause some games to not work properly? How do I set it to permanently not connect to a proxy server?
Thanks!
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)
View attachment 316075
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.
