No network or internet

Question

OS: Windows XP Home Media 2005 SP3. Dell Demension 8400 2 g memory 320 gb hard drive

Broadcom NetExtreme 57g Controller, RCA cable router, 4 port Levtron gateway (these have always worked)

This desktop has worked with home networking and internet connections until recently. Now all I get is "page cannot be displayed" message in IE and I can not get my home network to show up. When I try and repair the network IP settings, I get the can not obtain IP adress and can not be repaired. The IP adress remains all zeros. Everytime I got the could not repair message, all I had to do was reboot the rounter and gateway and it always reestablished connections. But not now.

I contacted my ISP (Comcast) and they flushed winsocks and checked the software settings for networks and told me all were set correctly. When I do to Dos Cmd and ping www.yhoo.com, I get "host not found" and "Can not find RPC server" messages. Comcast then suggests contacting Dell. I went to
Broadcom web site and downloaded their diagnostic program and created a bootable cd. The Broadcom NIC passed all tests. I had to turn Restore off because of a nagging problem with Norton Antivirus detecting a low-level threat and the only way to get rid of it was to wipe out restore points because they kept triggering the alerts.

I have some network drivers on a thumb drive that I reinstalled, but no help. The little taskbar network icon constantly says it is aquiring network address, but never does. I am at a complete loss in what to do now.

My biggest problem now is that I do not have any Win XP cds. I found a program that would slipstream SP3 onto a bootable cd, but it requires the OS on cd. I only have a reinstallation DVD. I have no way to check many windows files using SFC /SCANNOW. This program asks for Windows cd also. Again, I only have dvds and doesn't seem to recognize the DVD. The SFC pprogram is to verify protected window files and replace any corrupt files. I can not even run this.

I am at a complete loss in how to proceed.

I also went into Services and tried to stop/start DHCP services and got error 1075 - problem with dependencies.

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NiceDog · Accepted Answer

I checked my hard drive with diagnostics and it passed.

At first I thought a virus infection was not involved but now I am sure I was hit. I always used SuperAntiVirus, Adaware and Norton on a regular basis since my wife downloaded an obnoxious infection which I was able to get rid of. However, I now believe I have had Win32/Alureon.H virus. From what I have researched, it hides around the windows kernel and its stealth prevents detection. A nasty one to get rid of. This virus does lead to corrupt system files, exactly what I have experienced.

I know this thread is not the place to handle this virus, so I am going to mark this thread as solved. Can you suggest a good anti-virus forum? I will obtain the suggested virus checkers you mentioned and have a bigger arsenal.

PudgyOne · Answer

NiceDog,

Try running WinSock XP Fix

Try posting an ipconfig/all log here and maybe it will tell us something.

What do you see in the device manager?

Can you connect in the safe mode with networking?

If you're the origional owner and live in the United States, then try Request Backup Disks USA

Rick

PudgyOne · Answer

NiceDog,

Did you try looking at the settings in your wireless router? All zeros suggests that either DHCP is not enabled or a duplicate computer is using the ip address, can't figure out how that was suggested. Try using these Recommended Wireless Router Settings in your wireless router, I use channel 11. The procedure will help you to reset your wireless/wired connection and it may help you to connect.

Rick

NiceDog · Answer

WinSock Xp Fix did not correct.

I didn't see how to attach files to these posts, so here is my ipconfig /all as an attachment.

Device Manager looks fine, I disable/enabled and still show working correctly and can not find better drivers.

Have not tried Safe Mode, but will.

I looked at the getting cds link, but it wanted original order number and date, I have to find my 5 year old paper work. Wondering if they still will honor Os this old? Will it be an up to date set of CDs?

NiceDog · Answer

This is a wired computer. It has always worked being hooked up on my home network and always got internet access. The problem appeared one day when I tried to log into a web site. Worked just fine previously, no system changes or downloads made other than loading Zen mp3 player and getting that software working. But I don't think it happened as soon as that as I have used Zen for several weeks prior to this problem.

Every time I got the could not renew ip address message, it was solved by rebooting router and gateway - worked 100% of the time. My other computer still has internet access and multiple reboots not effective.

Did I mention earlier I went into Services and stopped and started DHCP. I got error 1075, something about dependencies. That left me baffled.

NiceDog · Answer

I think I have proved there is a problem with some system or OS files on my computer. How they can get corrupt is not clear to me so they must be files that Windows does not automatically replace if they become corrupt.

I hooked up another hard drive that works just fine and I was immediately able to get online. When I put the drive back in, it doesn't work. So there are files associated with networking that are corrupted. Outside of a OS Restore, is there any other way to refresh these files. I think my DVD and CD files are being affected also as sometimes they work, other times they become unresponsive.

I think I am going to be limited to doing a complete OS restore from DVD as I have no Restore points. This is another on-going aggravation I have been fighting and it led to no Restore points. I am going to have to contact Norton about this as they detect this file, tell me I have to manually remove it. I have to manually remove it by getting rid of restore points because the antivirus software detects it in the restore points. Yes, the file alerts disappear, but with restore back on, they quickly reappear everyday. So I had to turn of restore, planning on investigating it further, but then the no network situation happened.

So unless there are a set of files just for networking to install, I am having to face the dreadful OS Restore. So I think I have proved it is not hardware, but software and evidently within the OS files.

PudgyOne · Answer

NiceDog,   I have seen the cd/dvd issues affect other items. Try...   How to Fix Error Code 39 with DVD or CD-ROM drive in Windows XP/Vista     Rick

NiceDog · Answer

Thanks,
I will check that link out even though I do not get any errors. Actually I already removed Upper/Lowerlimits.

Since my DVD drive is so finicky, it works sometimes and then becomes unresponsive. I got it to boot using the DVD Win XP Home Media from Dell. I wanted to try a Repair. It asked for the drive (1: c:\windows) so I entered 1 and pressed enter. Then it asked for Administrators Password. I never set a password so I just pressed enter. It dropped me to c:\windows. Is there something I missed?

PudgyOne · Answer

NiceDog,

Maybe an XP repair would be a good ideea. I always recommend to make copies of files and folders that you cannot afford to lose. This should be a normay practice.

Insert the operating system disk and restart your computer.

Press any key to boot from cd.

Choose install.

Do the agreement.

Now choose repair. Leave the operating system disk in the computer until you see the Welcome screen. Takes about 35 minutes. Now you'll have to get all the Windows Updates again(more painful)

Your system should be just like it was when you purchased it, with the exception that most of your programs should still be there.

Rick

NiceDog · Answer

I finally faced the prospect of either a repair or new install. I certainly was going to try a repair first, but was prepared to lose mrograms and data (backed it all up) if that is what it took to get the network working again. I did the Repair and it told me I had section of Windows that was damaged and would recopy those files. It worked! When it rebooted, the computer immediately connected to the internet.

Now my final question is how to prevent the OS files from becoming corrupt in the first place. Is there a program that can watch for any windows OS files and replace them if they become corrupted? I started looking at WinSafeXp.

I have whole house surge protection, protected outlets and plugged into a PSU. We do have a lot ofr lightening around us as we live on high ground. Other than unpluging the computer every time it storms, are there programs that can correct any corrupted files? I know files can become corrupt for many reasons and know Windows itself will replace certain (kernal?) files if they are damaged. So I am looking out for the other system files now.

Lastly, let me give you who respond to this forum my sincerest gratitude and thanks. I appreciated all offers of help and all suggestions. Thanks and I will be marking this thread as solved once my last question is responded to. Thanks again.

PudgyOne · Answer

NiceDog,

A good virus program is always a plus. I use FREE Avast Home Edition

Running Malwarebytes Anti-Malware weekly helps.

I suspect you may have other issues.

Restart your computer and press F12 on startup. Try running the full diagnostics. If you get an error code, please post back here. I suspect the hard drive may be slowly failing, but the full diagnostics will confirm this. Make sure you have all files and folders that you cannot afford to lose backed up.

Rick

PudgyOne · Answer

NiceDog,

I use Malwarebytes Anti-Malware update it at least once or twice a week and do a quick scan.

DELL Malware Removal Forum ( Please Read This Before Posting For Malware Removal Help )and Post Here for Malware Removal ... have trained volunteers that are very good at malware removal. When Dell Forum gets busy and/or the forum had problems, then you get a quicker responce from the second one.

Take care,

Rick

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

No network or internet

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