Wow! It worked for me too! NAV quarantined several viruses which started my problem. I too, spent hours re-installing Windows & Netscape as well as changing several settings back and forth. My computer expert was ready to give me a new hard drive. Luckily, I found this web site with the answer to my problem!
Simple steps to help you "navigate" your way to the Windows Registry: (I stumbled)
Make a back up of windows registry:
Start, Programs, Windows Explorer, File (on tool bar), new, folder, name it abc (so it's listed first in directory),
Click on Windows folder, (scroll down to) regedit.exe and highlight but don't double click,
On Tool bar click edit, copy,
click once on new abc folder, edit, paste (this is your back up of the windows registry, you can delete this abc folder when you are up and runnning again.)
To Delete Winsock2 folder:
click Windows folder, double click on regedit.exe folder,
(Dbl click on each folder) Hkey_local_machine, system, current control set, services
(Do not dbl click on Winsock2) just press delete key on Winsock2 folder, close windows explorer (click black x at top right)
Uninstall Dial-up Networking:
My computer, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, (I did not have a remove button, so I had to double click on Communications to get to Dial-Up Networking and then take the checkmark out of the box and leave it empty.) Reboot
Check to see that Dial-Up Networking does not have an icon in the Control Panel. If it is still there, it is not uninstalled yet.
Install Dial-Up Networking
My computer, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, NOW UN-check every box except Communications and then double click on Communications.
NOW UN-check everything except Dial-Up Network, ok, ok and it will re-install.
My computer asked for the Windows 98 SE CD and then couldn't find a file, I said ok and it started to scan CD and all was fine from there. REBOOT and enjoy having your computer back in working order!
Fitzie