New Mobo Can't Connect to Internet

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:

Quote:

---

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

---

Any ideas?

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.

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

Did you uninstall the nic through device manager and reinstall?

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

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.

Quote:

---

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?

(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.

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. ;)

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

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

Hi,

Well, I have only done two XP MoBo replacements, and in both cases I had to format and reinstall. This did not surprise me given the way the MS anti-piracy mechanism works. The MoBo is too large a change (unless it is the same MoBo) and will almost certainly be detected.

I have added hard drives and RAM without XP batting an eyelid, but have had problems with modems, sound and video cards..............most of that could be put down to drivers though.

I think that aeallison discovered bugs in the beta release of XP.

The scenario that I envisage is that you load the XP OS and it creates an uninstall record. This record contains the hardware configuration (that is the logical error, as there is no good reason for it to do so, other than to remove XP drivers) On uninstallation, it detects that the hardware has changed and crashes. That is a design flaw as a second HDD does not install new drivers. It also implies that the uninstall record is not updated when new hardware is added.

The way it should work is uninstall what it has installed and warn you that there is stuff you will have to uninstall manually, if appropriate.

I must admit that I am surprised that it seemed to work for the first couple of boots.

My suggestion:

1. Try SDK's suggestion and uninstall AVG, although that might just be a coincidence.
2. Reformat and reinstall the OS

This is a pure guess, but I suspect that XP tolerated the anomalies until AVG started to try to connect to the net on its own (as it does)..........that probably broke something. Even if option #1 works, you will still have to go to option #2 if my suspicions are correct.

Good luck

I disagree with the format because of a new motherboard idea. MS doesn't like you changing your entire system, but it only should require you to reactivate XP.

As to the connection problem, if you're getting a bogus address it means its not seeing the DHCP server. You say this happened right after installing AVG which leads me to think the problem is related. I don't know if AVG has any firewall software built in, but firewall is the piece of software I would be looking for. You might also try reinstalling the NIC driver just to be safe. If you have a CD bootable OS, I would try that and verify that the card still works. It might have worked yesterday and just blew up today. That will verify all of your HW and you'll know for sure its a SW issue.

Nothing personal zENGER but I have to disagree with your disagreement. :D

You might want to compare your profile and experience to nihil's and my own.

nuff said...

Quote:

---

Originally posted here by aeallison
Nothing personal zENGER but I have to disagree with your disagreement. :D

You might want to compare your profile and experience to nihil's and my own.

nuff said...

---

How do you say "nothing personal" and then follow it up with compare your personal info to my personal info? Are you talking about the AO profile that I didn't bother to fill out? Whos to say that any of it would be correct if I did? I've been in computers since around 85, I have a BS in CS, I'm a CNE, I'm an IA contractor for the gov't, and was formerly a computer tech for the gov't. I am also an extra class amateur radio operator much like yourself. I didn't bother typing that into my profile because I don't really find it relavent. Its self proclaimed and advice should be taken with a grain of salt anyways. I give the most helpful information that I have. I don't think our profiles and experiences are too much diverse, maybe just our opinions. I have changed motherboards many times and had no problems. Maybe you didn't have any luck doing it which isn't a dig against you, sometimes stuff happens. None the less, I prefer to exhaust all my resources trying to fix the problem before trying to reinstall. Just my personal preference.

Your disagreement of my disagreement is so noted and accepted. To each his own opinion :)

Hey zENGER, chill out man!

Quote:

---

I have changed motherboards many times and had no problems

---

sure, so have I but NOT Windows XP! that is what this is about, I feel.

XP machines are relatively new, so don't have that many MoBo failures. If I upgraded a machine to XP it was a new installation anyway. I have encountered problems with replacing the MoBo on an existing XP machine, as have several of my friends in the business.

But there is one thing I will say:

All the bits of paper and letters after your name don't count for a jot compared to actually opening the case and getting the damn thing to work :D

Incidentally, I do not follow your comment on "re-activation"??????????? the only time you need to do that is after a reinstall, not a repair/restore???

Quote:

---

Originally posted here by nihil
All the bits of paper and letters after your name don't count for a jot compared to actually opening the case and getting the damn thing to work :D

Incidentally, I do not follow your comment on "re-activation"??????????? the only time you need to do that is after a reinstall, not a repair/restore???

---

I agree, thats why I didn't bother putting that stuff in my profile. I solely speak from an educated and experienced position and let the readers do what they want with the information.

As to reactivation, sometimes if you change too much HW in your machine the software licensing code will trigger and require to you re-activate. This is caused by the fact that XP only allows you to make small changes to your HW before it assumes something fishy is going on.

I'm not saying that he won't have to reinstall, I just think that exhausting other options first would be a better course. No need to hijack this thread any longer. I respect your opinions and I hope you respect mine. There is no clean cut answer in anything electronic :)

Thanks everybody, problem's fixed!

Due to the clock running out on me, I went ahead and reformatted, and indeed, that fixed the problem. Backed up all the files the owner wanted then restored them after the reinstallation, and all is well, running smooth and clean.

By the way, I should have mentioned earlier, but prior to my installing AVG there was no AV installed and it had quite a virus infestation (350+ infected files last count). Norton was on there but not running for some reason.

Another intesting thing I discovered: The new MoBo I installed has a built in ethernet port, as I stated earlier. However, since the old MoBo did not, there was of course a seperate NIC in the machine. I left the NIC out until I was finished reformatting and reinstalling, and just used the built in port. Here's where it gets interesting -- After I was finished I decided to put the NIC back in just so it would be there just the way the owner had had it before. Well, once I stuck the NIC back in (but still using the MoBo's own ethernet port), it stopped connecting to the network again, giving me the exact same symptoms and error messages as before the reformat. So, I quickly removed the NIC, rebooted, and all was well again.

This would leave you to think that was the original problem, but such is not the case either -- Before reformatting, I tried removing the NIC and using the MoBo's port only, and it still didn't work. Didn't work until after the reformatting, and it works now. So, it seems there were potentially two problems, though I find it odd that adding a NIC would cause such a conflict.

Whatever be the case though, box is finished and going back to its owner today. :)

If you just removed the card instead of uninstalling from device manager and removing the card maybe there was some kind of lingering driver issue?

Good deal ;) AngelicKnight. I am glad you resolved the issue on your own, keep up the good work mate.

zENGER I agree my post may have been a bit of a personal attack on your ego... after seeing what should have been in your profile. You are still quite new here, and obviously don't understand the importance of AO's Profile data. I am sure most of us "old timers" here will agree that a properly filled out profile, including hobbies and interests of the poster, ways heavily on the content of their reply and respect for the person they are replying to. I apologize... :cool: