Strange problem after SP3

SteevieNiteHeat · 18-08-2008, 19:00

Hi first ever post here and it is a strange un!
I am sorry for the really long post, but if I describe everything then my hopes that help will arrive faster!

Anway, I bit the bullet last night and chose to install SP3 onto my PC downstairs, left it overnight as I was tired, came to it this morning and it said it had installed all ok, so I restarted the PC.

After restarting I could not access the internet (wired CAT 5e from ethernet to router upstairs), but was getting a connection to the router and also the other computers connected to the router, so I thought right, so I un-installed SP3 from that PC and after a restart I still couldn't get an internet connection!

Luckily (or is it?) a few days ago I made a new Windows XP with SP3(slipstreamed) CD which I used to format & install the machine I am currently on upstairs (which obviously is working fine and was able to 100% update this installation with all the updates and what-not) so earlier I used this exact CD to install Windows onto the PC downstairs, and after it completed, I set up my firewall and security, but when it came time to connect to the net to update that machine, all I get is "limited or no connectivity" from the Ethernet, even tried giving it a set IP address, but none worked, luckily enough I have a wireless card installed in that PC and used this to update my security as well as Windows itself as I have read lots of times that SP3 sometimes messes up connectivity.

I have now fully updated windows with all availible updates, but I still cannot get anywhere on the Ethernet side

The PC which is affected has a built-in Marvell Yukon 1gb eEthernet port, I have used their utility (Virtual Cable Tester) and this reported no errors (I have also tried a different Ethernet cable to make sure) and it reports full 100Mb connection, I have tried changing the setting to auto, 100Mb & 10Mb, autodetect IP, manually assigned IP but nothing works, have even tried WinsockxpFix but this also does not work!

I am stuck as I need a ethernet connection from that PC as the wireless card is really old and I hardly get any speed at all from it.

Can anybody help or suggest anything I have not already tried?

lsproc · 18-08-2008, 19:23

On a Little or No Connectivity error its often caused by getting no IP address (timeout). Setting one yourself is unlikely to work unless you also get the netmask and the routers IP correct. And the right DNS too (even though thats not directly linked).

Have you tried booting a Linux livecd and seeing if you can browse the web from it?

SteevieNiteHeat · 18-08-2008, 19:33

hi Lsproc!
I have no idea what a Linux Livecd is?
When I set the IP address manually, I also enter the subnet? the 255 thing, and also dns servers, it then says it is connected but i cannot ping the modem, least of all the router!

Where could I get 1 of them Linux LiveCD's from and do they cost much?

lsproc · 18-08-2008, 19:41

They are free, you just download them and burn them to a CD using the "Burn Image" or "Burn ISO" function of your cd burning software.

An example is www.ubuntu.com

All you would really need to do is boot it up, open a web browser and see if google works. May be a bit overkill for what your looking for though.

Edit I wouldnt try that just yet though, see if me or some other member comes up with a less drastic solution

Can you please tell me if you are getting "Limited or no connectivity" at the moment or not?

SteevieNiteHeat · 18-08-2008, 19:44

Thanks Lsproc I am willing to try anything right now!
I shall download this live CD you said about and will report back later on how it works (or dont work) depending

lsproc · 18-08-2008, 19:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteevieNiteHeat

Thanks Lsproc I am willing to try anything right now!
I shall download this live CD you said about and will report back later on how it works (or dont work) depending

Can you just see the edits i made above first, made a few more :P

SteevieNiteHeat · 18-08-2008, 19:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsproc

Can you just see the edits i made above first, made a few more :P

Sorry did not see the edits then, but I have now!

I am currently downloading the live CD image now, better to be prepaired!

And yes, I am still getting that error on that PC I have tried uninstalling the drivers for it, reinstalling them, updating drivers ect but to no good, thank god I have another that is fully functional for a while

lsproc · 18-08-2008, 20:02

Hehe ok, Just remember to not press Install, you dont want to replace Windows with Linux. You will also need to boot up from that CD remember.

I personally thought this is a bit of a drastic thing to do (silly me!), but you never know when these get you out of a sticky situation (xp wont boot, need a file for example :P)

SteevieNiteHeat · 18-08-2008, 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsproc

Hehe ok, Just remember to not press Install, you dont want to replace Windows with Linux. You will also need to boot up from that CD remember.

I personally thought this is a bit of a drastic thing to do (silly me!), but you never know when these get you out of a sticky situation (xp wont boot, need a file for example :P)

Yes I thought that it would be wise to try it in a vm machine first, just to make sure as this is new terrortary for me and I do not want to fluff anything

MovedGoalPosts · 18-08-2008, 20:09

I'd take the wireless card that you don't want out of the PC leaving you with just the wired card. Make sure you uninstall the drivers too. That is one less thing to worry about.

Try completely uninstalling the wired card drivers, rebooting and reinstalling, making sure you have current wired card drivers, and indeed that your motherboard chipset drivers too are current.

Make sure that your antivirus and firewall are fully patched

lsproc · 18-08-2008, 20:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob

I'd take the wireless card that you don't want out of the PC leaving you with just the wired card. Make sure you uninstall the drivers too. That is one less thing to worry about.

Try completely uninstalling the wired card drivers, rebooting and reinstalling, making sure you have current wired card drivers, and indeed that your motherboard chipset drivers too are current.

Make sure that your antivirus and firewall are fully patched

Annoyingly I have a habit of missing the obvious

SteevieNiteHeat · 18-08-2008, 20:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob

I'd take the wireless card that you don't want out of the PC leaving you with just the wired card. Make sure you uninstall the drivers too. That is one less thing to worry about.

Try completely uninstalling the wired card drivers, rebooting and reinstalling, making sure you have current wired card drivers, and indeed that your motherboard chipset drivers too are current.

Make sure that your antivirus and firewall are fully patched

Yes they are all fully up-to-date!
The other strange thing is, that in the computer I am no now, it has a wireless PCI card in too, so basically same CD, no issues on 1 PC but wired issues on the other, and on the PC I am on now as I said has a wireless card in, but this is disabled, and I had this problem flagged before the wireless drivers were installed on the other PC, but I will try it, am so desperate I will try just about anything

Dai · 18-08-2008, 21:04

This is clearly a widespread issue. I'd suspect a clash between certain NIC drivers and some component in SP3.

What I'd do in your situation is try a different brand of NIC. Preferably one using a different chipset.

Bear in mind this is only a guess. NIC cards are cheap so it's a low-cost experiment.

GoldenBoar · 18-08-2008, 22:01

Before changing any hardware, give this a try.

Goto Device Manager, right click the network adaptor, and select uninstall.
Now click "Scan for new hardware".

SteevieNiteHeat · 18-08-2008, 23:06

Right people I am sorry I took so long to get back you all, but I have fixed the problem!
Surprisingly, it wasnt a Windows or Service Pack error, it was the damn router!
I forgot the fact that earlier on today I upgraded the firmware to the latest, and this was the cause of the problem!

After running the Linux LiveCD, I still could get no connectivity, could not even access the router or modem's webservers, so I had a thought: what if I take the ethernet lead out of the router's socket and try one of the other 3, and when this presented me with "no connectivity" I suddenly remembered, so I downloaded the older firmware, reflashed and all is good and harmonious in the house again!

Tomorrow morning Belkin will have a bit of a surprise when they have a customer call up to complain about their "updated" firmware!

Thanks all for your patience with me, but a big thanks especially to Lsproc as he was the first to respond, and also to direct me to a new tool (LiveCD)

So my first impression of this help forum: very good, patient members!

Thank you all that took the time to reply so muuch!