The RAS subsystem on a mate's XP system fails to start up. The IP layer that uses the RAS manager to dialup fails: however, the device is OK and the diagnostic for the device passes fine.

So it seems that the RAS meat-in-the-sandwich is narfled. Any ideas how to fix/re-install/get around/repair etc. this so he can connect again?

The device is a USB ADSL modem, by the way. And as usual he "didn't do anything - it just stopped working all of a sudden". Yeah, right I've not heard that one before.

Odd side note: I have been out of work for 6 weeks and in that time have spent more time fixing computers than at any other time I can recall. Sheesh.