In Windows, how do I edit the registry to remove New.net?

Internet peer-to-peer file sharing programs (e.g., Audiogalaxy Satellite, KaZaA, or BearShare) usually include third-party programs such as WebHancer Agent, Webcelerator, or New.net, among others. If you experience networking problems, and you have Internet file sharing programs installed, you may need to remove those accompanying programs.

You should first attempt to remove New.net by following the instructions in the Knowledge Base document On my PC, why am I having network problems after installing file-sharing software? In some cases, those instructions fail, or the system locks up and disrupts the procedure. In those cases, you should use the following instructions to remove the New.net plug-in entirely.

Warning: This document contains instructions for editing the registry. If you make any error while editing the registry, you can potentially cause Windows to fail or be unable to boot, requiring you to reinstall Windows. Edit the registry at your own risk. Always back up the registry before making any changes. For information on how to back up your registry, see In Windows 95, 98, 98SE, and Me, how do I make a backup of the registry? or In Windows NT, 2000, and XP, how do I back up the registry? If you do not feel comfortable editing the registry, do not attempt these instructions. Instead, seek the help of a computing support provider.

Launch the Registry Editor

1. Click the Start button, and select Run... .
   
   
2. In the window that opens, enter regedit , and click OK.

Remove the registry key that launches New.net on startup

1. In the window on the left, locate the following registry key by clicking the + (plus sign) next to each folder, then selecting the folder named Run: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RUN
2. In the window on the right, locate the line that reads "New.net Startup" and delete it.
   
   
3. In the window on the left, locate the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
4. From the window on the right, delete the entry that contains "New.net". This will remove the New.net application entry from Add/Remove Programs.
   
   
5. Locate the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
6. Locate the New.net folder and delete it. This is the only New.net software folder entry in the registry that can be deleted without affecting other registry entries.

At this point, there are other registry entries that must be removed, but simply locating and removing these entries will cause problems. Windows depends on these specific entries being numbered and in order. Once the New.net entries are deleted, the remaining folders must be renamed so as to maintain the numbering order. So in sum, you will take a series of numbered entries, check each one for New.net references, delete those entries with New.net references, and rename the remaining ones so that they're consecutively numbered.

Locate Catalog Entries folders and delete the relevant ones

1. Locate the following registry key by clicking the + (plus sign) next to each folder: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinSock2\Parameters\NameSpace_Catalog5\Catalog_Entries
2. You will see a series of numbered folders (e.g., 001, 002, 003). Pay close attention to the number of zeroes that are in each number. For example, if there are 18 folders numbered from 00001 to 00018, note that there are 4 zeroes in the first 9 entries, and 3 zeroes in the remaining ones. Write this down if you must; you will need to know how many zeroes were there in a later step. Then select the first folder.
   
   
3. On the right side, locate the line "Library Path". In that line, the right-most column should begin with something similar to "C:windows" or "%SystemRoot%".
   
   
4. Go through the entire list of numbered folders, and locate any that read C:windowsnewdotnet2_109.dll (or something similar) in the "Library Path" line. Delete only those folders referring to "newdotnet".
   
   
5. Here is where you will need to remember the number of zeros from step 2 above. Rename each numbered folder so that they are all consecutive. For example, if there were 18 folders and you deleted the first 3, there would be 15 left and you will need to rename the remaining folders 00001, 00002 and so on until you get to 00015. Note that the first 9 folders must have 4 zeroes, but the 10th through the 15th folders must have only 3 zeroes. To rename each folder, right-click the folder name, left-click Rename and then type the new number. Be absolutely sure to get the zeroes right. Otherwise, the entries will not be in order, and Windows will be unusable.
   
   
6. Make a note of the number of folders remaining (in this example, 15). Write this number down if you must, and then edit the main NameSpace_Catalog5 entry to reflect the number of folders that are left:
   
   
   1. In the left side of the window, select the NameSpace_Catalog5 folder. It should be just above the Catalog_Entries folder you were just working in for the preceding steps. On the right, locate the Num_Catalog_Entries line. At the end of this line is a number in parentheses. Double-click Num_Catalog_Entries.
   2. In the dialog box that opens, select Decimal.
   3. Edit the number on the left to reflect the number of remaining folders from the steps you completed above under Catalog Entries. For example, if there were 18 folders and you deleted 3, the value you should enter is 15 . Click OK.

For the Protocol_Catalog9 numbered folders

Locate the PackedCatalogItem entries that refer to New.net:

1. Locate the following registry key by clicking the + (plus sign) next to each folder: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinSock2\Parameters\Protocol_Catalog9\Catalog_Entries

   Most of this tree should already be expanded from the steps you completed earlier; simply look for Protocol_Catalog9 inside the Parameters folder.

2. Make note of how many folders are in the Catalog_Entries folder. As before, pay close attention to the number of zeroes that are in each number, and write it down if you must. You will need this information for a later step. Then select the first numbered folder.
   
   
3. In the right side of the window, you will see a line beginning with "PackedCatalogItem". Double-click that word.
   
   
4. In the Edit Binary window that appears, you will see several columns with numbers and letters. At the top of the rightmost column, you will see a path that will look similar to C:WINDOWSNEWDOTNET~.DLL or C:WINDOWSSYSTEM. followed by a long list of characters. In that column, see if there is any reference to "NEWDOTNET". If there is, close the window by clicking Cancel, and then highlight the numbered folder on the left you were just looking at, and delete it. Only delete it if you find a reference to "NEWDOTNET".
   
   
5. Repeat the step above for each numbered folder. Continue repeating this until you have checked all the numbered folders, and deleted all the ones containing a "NEWDOTNET" reference.
   
   
6. Rename each remaining numbered folder so that they are all consecutive, being sure to include the appropriate number of zeroes (from step 2 above). For example, if there were 16 folders and you deleted 2 of them, you will need to rename the remaining folders 0001 through 0014. As before, you must make sure you have the number of zeroes correct. Rename each folder by right-clicking the folder name, selecting Rename from the menu, and then typing the new number and pressing Enter.

   As before, don't forget the number of folders (in this example, 14). You will need to enter it in another location later.

7. On the left side of the window, select the Protocol_Catalog9 folder.
   
   
8. On the right side of the window, locate the "Num_Catalog_Entries" line. At the end of this line is a number in parentheses. Edit that number by doing the following:
   
   
   1. Double-click Num_Catalog_Entries.
   2. In the Edit DWORD Value window that appears, select Decimal.
   3. Edit the number on the left to reflect the number of remaining folders. For example, if there were 16 folders and you deleted 2 of them, that leaves 14 folders, and you must enter the value 14 here.
      
      
9. Click OK, and then close the Registry Editor. Your changes will be saved automatically.

Reboot your computer and attempt to access a web site. Things should work normally now.

For more information on removing New.net, visit the New.Net web site at:

Also see:

• What happens if I receive a copyright infringement notice, and how can I avoid it?
• In Windows 2000, how do I use the Emergency Repair Disk to fix my registry or system files?
• In Windows 95, 98, or Me, how do I restore a registry?
• In Windows 95, 98, 98SE, and Me, how do I make a backup of the registry?
• In file sharing software, how can I disable outbound file sharing?
• In Windows NT, 2000, and XP, how do I back up the registry?