Sometimes you can't open your applications as you attempt to do it,it says "Winsock error".If you don't see any error then error-log of application may point you to these errors.What could be the problem because of them:

QUOTE
Unable to run local server like :XAMPP,EasyPHP,Apache,
Unable to connect to internet
Unable to open database related applications
Unable some other applications


So how you can determine if you're having this problem.

Checking to see if you've Winsock error
Start Msinfo32 from the start>run>then type msinfo32
Expand Components, then Network and click on Protocol.You will have ten sections inside Protocol and the section headings will include the following names if the Winsock2 key is clean:

QUOTE
1.) MSAFD Tcpip [TCP/IP]
2.) MSAFD Tcpip [UDP/IP]
3.) RSVP UDP Service Provider
4.) RSVP TCP Service Provider
5.) MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip...
6.) MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip...
7.) MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip...
8.) MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip...
9.) MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip...
10.) MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip...


If the names are anything different from above, we either have corruption or a third-party add-on such as proxy software. If it is a third-party add-on, it will be named in the first two sections in replacement of the letters: MSAFD.If there are more than ten sections, then there are third-party additions, if there
are less then ten sections, we have information missing.

NOTE: The above entries represent an installation with only the TCP/IP protocol installed. You can have a working winsock and see additional entries if another protocol is installed. For example, if you install NWLink IPX/SPX, you will see 7 additional sections, for a total of 17. Below is an example heading of one of the new sections:

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MSAFD nwlnkipx [IPX]


Also note that each of the new sections created by installing NWLink IPX/SPX start with MSAFD, so there are still just two sections that do not begin with those letters.If the Netdiag test fails or it is determined there is winsock corruption by looking at Msinfo32, we should repair the winsock2 key by following the steps below.

There are plenty of others out there which show you error either directly or show it up in error log.

How to Recover from Winsock2 corruption:

Method1 :You can download the Winsock fix from following website:
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfix.html

Or if you want to use another method then use the following,just make sure you ask exper about this method before you proceed with registry editing.

Method 2:Deleting WinSock keys from registry

QUOTE
A) Open Regedit from the Run line
B) Go to both of the following keys, export each of them, and then delete them:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2
C) Restart the computer


QUOTE

NOTE: It is important to restart the computer after deleting the Winsock keys.
Doing so causes the XP operating system to recreate shell entries for those two
keys. If this is not done, the next step does not work correctly.



Step 2: Install TCP/IP on top of itself

QUOTE
A) Open the properties window of the network connection
B) Click Install
C) Click Protocol, then Add
D) Click Have Disk
E) Type the path to the nettcpip.inf file, for example: c:\windows\inf, and click
OK (if you try to click Browse, then browse to the \inf folder, it may not show up
in the list).
F) You should now see "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" in the list of available
protocols. Select it and click OK.
G) Restart the computer


When the computer reboots you will have functional Winsock keys.

QUOTE
NOTE: If the network connection properties contained more than the following three
items: Client for Microsoft Networks, File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft
Networks, and TCP/IP, then the additional items may need to be removed in order to
restore browsing. If those items are needed they can be reinstalled. The reason
for removing them is due to those items placing entries into the Winsock keys and
those entries will no longer be there.


Side effects and possible problems:

QUOTE
This method will restore basic functionality to the Winsock keys, but is not a
complete rebuild. On a default install of Windows XP the registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2\ParametersProtocol_Cat
alog9\Catalog_Entries - will have 11 sub-keys. When applying this method, the
Catalog_Entries will only have three sub-keys. However, it works and there does
not appear to be any side effects. The missing entries relate back to the:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces
key.Also, third-party proxy software or firewalls may need to be reinstalled.














Alternate methods are the fixes available from Microsoft's valuable professionals like doug knox and Kelly Theriot.

Hope this solves your Winsock problem.