Diagnosing port problems using "Safe Mode"

Diagnosing port problems using "Safe Mode"

Hi,

I have a problem where some software blocks ports. My system is

Windows XP, Service Pack 2, with all Microsoft patches up-to-date.

The problem started by Outlook Express suddenly reporting that it

couldn't connect to my ISP's POP and SMTP servers (ports 110 and 25)

anymore. I don't recall that had made any changes in the software,

but somebody else is using the same XP system, and they may not be so

careful in perhaps incidentally installing some third party stuff.

I disabled the Norten Antivirus, to NO avail.

I looked at the Task Manager process list and at the running services,

but this is confusing with the many, many processes running and no

indication of what may they do to ports.

Then I re-started the XP system in Safe Mode, and Outlook Express

sending/receiving works FINE, indicating that in Safe Mode the

offending software, whatever blocks ports 110 and 25, is disabled.

QUESTION:

How do you find out which software is the offender, blocking ports

110-25 in normal mode. Do you know a more systematic way of doing

this, rather than the guess work of disabling one after the other of

tens of processes?

Thanks,

Wolfgang,

CA