Save My Internet

Autocratic · #1 08-30-2006, 04:47 PM

So a few months ago my Internet stopped working. The modem (Comcast cable) is fine - it works on my roommate's PC. Network connections said the connection was fine, and the Comcast people told me the network card was to blame. I encountered a peculiar problem. When trying to reinstall the onboard (MSI K8 Neo2 something or other mobo) ethernet drivers, the installation would always freeze up. Other drivers worked fine. I got a new network card, which had the same problem. So I finally got a hold of my XP disk and did a reformat Monday. Voila - Internet working - for two days. Today at noon (noon exactly I think, which is strange because that's when Windows was set to auto-update daily) it stopped. It seemed to be the same problem. I did another reformat, since I had everything backed up and I only had installed the essential drivers and loaded up some documents anyway. I encountered a couple of problems, though I'm not clear on exactly what went wrong, and now am having the same problem again (having never connected to the Internet after todays second reformat).

In addition, when trying to install the second network card, the PC always freezes, locking up almost entirely, and when I restart XP gets stuck at the load screen. I have to boot in safe mode (safe mode "with networking" does not load) and then do a system restore for the PC to even start at that point. This is all very strange for a computer that has otherwise had very few significant problems. At this point it seems to be a hardware issue - do I need a new mobo? This is kind of a problem as I don't trust myself to rebuild my PC and will want to get it to a good technician, the only one of which I trust is at home in Philly. I figure I could get it there within a couple weeks if the need be, however. I'm pondering a wireless card to tide me over, but I'm not sure I want to drop $60 on something that could just as easily not work.

Some other specs: Athlon 64 3400+, 2 GB RAM, Radeon 9800 256MB.

Any help would be appreciated.

buckslayer80 · #2 08-30-2006, 04:52 PM

You're having a hardware conflict. The explanation will most likely be lengthy and I don't have time to write it out now. Maybe someone else could get you started. I'll reply later tonight.

Oh and stop reformatting so much. You create more problems doing that sometimes. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Autocratic · #3 08-30-2006, 07:00 PM

Thanks! I was about to reformat again tomorrow, heh.

Edit: Oh, and if it helps, everything worked fine until I tried to hook up the 'net using a router so both my roommate and I could use it.

buckslayer80 · #4 08-30-2006, 07:15 PM

Can you rewrite a summary of the OP? For some reason I'm having a hard time deciphering the problems and chain of events. I understand what happened I think it jut needs to be reworded.

The best way to determine the problem is probably a little over your head, no offense or anything. It would be good if you could enable boot logging on startup and then send me that file. The log will let you know what, if any, drivers failed.

My best guess is either you have bad drivers or you're having a driver conflict. That's just an initial guess.

Go to device manager, Right click My computer-Manage-Device manager. See if there are any items with red or yellow icons next to them. If there are double click them and let me know wht it says.

you also might have an IRQ conflict between he 2 network adapters. That would be rare, but still a possibility.

Autocratic · #5 08-30-2006, 08:03 PM

The only device with a yellow icon is the extra network card I installed, the one that locks up the PC on installation (this is from memory, I checked it several times).

Summary of a course of events:

-My roommate and I try to set up router (Internet working when plugged in directly). The router works for him, not me.
-At this point my Internet no longer works directly plugged in either. I can't figure out what is happening and let it go til I get an XP disk to reformat.
-Reformat this week, things are working fine until noon today when the Internet suddenly stops working.
-Reformat again, this time the Internet never starts working.

Important notes: After the problem first started, trying to install ethernet drivers has caused the PC to lock up, in a couple cases forcing a system restore.

I'll be back in my apartment later tonight, I can get the boot log then if you still need it.

buckslayer80 · #6 08-30-2006, 09:11 PM

How are you installing the drivers for the ethernet card?? Are the drivers on a cd and are loaded by running a .exe file? You should just have to run the driver app while windows is running, load the drivers then reboot.

What type of ethernet card do you have?
What brand and model PC do you have?
Have you tried using the on board ethernet adapter?
You did buy a seperate ethernet card right?

Answering these questions will help.

Autocratic · #7 08-30-2006, 09:26 PM

The on board ethernet adapter is the one I was using from the outset, and only bought the separate card after this trouble started. The drivers for both are on cd's. As I said, when trying to install the drivers (at least in some instances, not right after reformat) the PC locks up - it was worse with the network card I bought.

My PC is custom built by my Dad's friend, and has worked fine for couple of years.

Autocratic · #8 09-01-2006, 12:26 AM

Selfish bump. My computer is useless until I get a geek to come through!

Shroomy · #9 09-01-2006, 12:13 PM

1) could be conflict like was mentioned (most likely with the onboard NIC and your new one).. you need to get a geek like me to help.. but local. but try to disable the onboad card in your bios.

2) your roommates computer had a virus that you got when you were on same network, then it tried to hijack your network connection, but for whatever reason didnt do so successfully and blam .. your dead. those virus writers are pretty bad with solid code. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
solution? .. you need to get a geek like me to help.. but local.

Autocratic · #10 09-01-2006, 12:16 PM

I don't think it's a conflict between the onboard and new card, because the new card was only purchased to alleviate the problem after it began. Everything was working fine before I plugged it into the router. It's also probably not a virus, just because the reformat would've solved that (after the reformat, I didn't use the router but the problem still recurred).