New Mobo Can't Connect to Internet

[AngelicKnight]

This is a wierd one, got me baffled here.

Mobo went bad on a friend's computer. I installed a new one, got everything put back together, now it boots up fine. For the first couple of boots, it would connect to Internet on my LAN just fine (mine's set up that any XP machine can be plugged in and automatically be online, you don't have to configure anything in the connection). (This is an XP Home machine, by the way.)

But, after installing AVG, Internet connection went bye-bye and I haven't been able to restore it sense. No idea why. DNS and IP address is auto-configure, which is tested and proven to work on my LAN (my main XP Home machine works this way just fine). So, there shouldn't be a problem. For the sake of argument, I manually configured the IP, DNS server, and Gateway properly...still nothing.

ipconfig shows this:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix:
Autoconfiguration IP Address: 169.254.32.191
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway:

Note that the DNS suffix and gateway are blank for some reason. What's really odd is the IP. My network's a 169.254.2.x network, so I don't know where the heck it got that. And like I said, I can go in and manually change this and still get no connection.

Not a driver issue. The ethernet port is built into the mobo. Installed drivers from the CD that came with the mobo. Shows up properly in Device Manager.

Now here's the wierdest part...

If I do an ipconfig /release then /renew, I get this:

An error occured while renewing interface Local Area Connection : An operation was attempted on something that is not a socket.

Any ideas?

[Irongeek]

Numbers like 169.254.32.191 mean it’s not seeing a DHCP server. Is it hooked to the router or directly to the cable/DSL modem? If you hook up another box to the same connection does it work? I’d think it’s a problem with the router/modem and not your mommy board.

[whatthe]

Did they have McAfee Firewall?
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=316522

Did you uninstall the nic through device manager and reinstall?

[SDK]

As IronGeek said, you don't have a valid IP from a DHCP server.

Autoconfiguration IP Address is a default IP address. To read more about Autoconfiguration IP address, check this page http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/w2ktcpip.htm

[AngelicKnight]

Gotcha...I checked the router, and indeed it doesn't detect the presence of this computer...which is odd because it usually autodetects anything connected to it.

<edit>
So I tried manually configuring the connection again. Manually set IP and configured Gateway and DNS server to 192.168.2.1 (local address for my router, same way my other boxes are connected). Of course, no luck. But get this --

If I go into System Information --> Components --> Network --> Adapter, it shows the DHCP server as being 172.30.36.64, and I have NO idea where that came from. That should be 192.168.2.1, so I have no idea why it won't see my router's DHCP server even though the other boxes will.

[Und3ertak3r]

after installing AVG, Internet connection went bye-bye

so it happened at this point? OK..

Have you checked the device manager is the network card stil active? or is it dsiabled or have a problem?
Was AVG the only software installed? and was it AVG 6 or 7, free or paid?
IS this a Clean install of WinXP or is it the same from the old MoBo?
HAve you tried a system restore?

[AngelicKnight]

(Note my edit in the last post.)

Card is active in Device Manager (actually it's build into the mobo).
AVG is only software installed (latest free version).
Same installation from previous mobo, only repaired.
No system restore attempted yet.

[aeallison]

Simple Solution: Re-format hard drive and re-install OS.

I have never successfully replaced a mobo (even if its the exact same model/revision) and allowing it to use old install from previous board. Experience taught me to never even try it again. It takes much less time to do this than to try and troubleshoot it. Besides I can guarrantee that the mobo has hard codes that are unique for each board. Microsoft frowns on this kind of repair and I would bet my rep that WinXP is protesting.

I hope I have been some help, good luck.

[SDK]

Angel, force your IP setting directly in Windows and check if you can connect to the Internet. If you cannot, try uninstalling AVG.

[aeallison]

I have read and re-read this thread. I am sure your problem lies in Microsofts licensing code. I can't verify my theory with any facts as I don't have the time to put into it. Maybe someone else here would make an effort to substantiate my view. (hint... hint) I remember reading something about WinXP having built in code to self destruct upon detection of Major hardware changes (like a mobo)

I ordered 5 Beta versions of XP Upgrade before it was commercially released. I set up a lab/test environment to see if WinXP would be able to perform as well as our win2k workstations. After being totally disgusted by XP's (remember this was a beta release) obvious networking and stability problems. I decided to uninstall XP, the version we were sent by Microsoft clearly stated that it could be un-installed. In fact it was intended to be un-installed as they only came with a 30 day license agreement. It was also clearly stated that the OS would automatically disconnect any network connections, including modems, upon expiration of the 30 day evaluation period. I was at least 14 days into this when I decided to un-install.

I had installed a second hard drive after upgrading (down grading) to XP. When I executed the uninstall utility I was promptly greeted with an error message that XP had detected a hardware change and that I would have to restore it to its original configuration it was in at the time of installation. So I did as the message instructed, tried the utility again and during the process it froze up and resulted in a complete and total OS failure. I went to try this procedure on the other 4 boxes (that had no hardware changes at all) and experienced the same freeze up, each one at a different point of the un-install, all 5 computers were rendered useless.

Needless to say I have never bought a copy of XP and as long as M$ will still support Win2k I will never use XP. Unfortunately I long to purchase a couple of software packages that will only work on XP. I really wish software develpers would consider multiple platforms for their programs.

Good luck AngelicKnight