Internet locks up every time

I have two computers hard-wired into my router/modem. Both are Compaqs of about the same age and both have Vista Home Basic, 3.x gig processors and 2 Gig of RAM. My computer works just fine on the internet. My wife's computer locks up every time. It either gets the endlessly spinning wheel or everything freezes and all you can do is power down and restart. I've done everything I can think of to make sure the computer is clean (boot-sector scans, spybot scans, anti-virus scans, registry repairs) but nothing seems to help. It does the same thing with either Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome (I haven't really tried Explorer). It does run fine in Safe Mode.
I don't know if this is relevant or not, but the computer had a crash a couple of months ago that I had to do a destructive restore to repair (back to factory software etc., lost all her files that weren't backed up and aftermarket software), but now it boots fine, runs off-line fine, it's just when you get on the internet it freaks. Driving me crazy. Any thoughts?
Keith

 

I posted this a month ago and not one response?
Keith

 

Greetings, kjhansen56...

Couple of quick questions:

1. When you stated that "It does run fine in Safe Mode", does this mean Safe Mode or Safe Mode w/Networking? If w/Networking, can Internet Explorer then access the internet?

2. Have you tried reinstalling the most current device drivers, especially for any network cards, modems, etc.? (As an aside, you might prepare an Everest or Speccy report in case we need to look at installed hardware/software).

3. Since you stated that the machines are "hard-wired into my router/modem", have you tried swapping cables and/or ports for troubleshooting purposes?

 

Hey, thanks for the reply.

Safe Mode with Networking. I don't use Internet Explorer--I use Firefox or Chrome and they can both access the internet with no lock-up problems.

The network card is brand new. When I disconnected the wireless (I thought that might be the problem) I found that the computer didn't have a network card or have networking functions built into the motherboard. I don't know what an Everest or Speccy report is, so help me out with that, please.

Since, as noted above, the problem started when the computer was operating with a wireless adapter, I figured that the hardwiring wasn't the problem when I switch over and the problem continued.

A little more background here: The computer was running fine, then the monitor (a flatscreen) failed--it went black. This seemed to have an effect on the entire system, as it would boot but not work at all after I replaced the monitor. I tried to reset the system to an earlier date, but that didn't work. I ended up doing a destructive reset (i.e., lost all the files and programs except factory originals). The computer started working after that, anyway. I put the programs it was missing back on it (Avast!--I removed Norton completely, Spybot S&D, Open Office's latest iteration, Firefox, Glary Utilities). Now it works fine off-line but locks up on the internet.

Keith

 

Good morning...

They're free system information tools. I prefer Speccy - it's a little more in depth than Everest. Since you're having internet problems, you'll have to download it on a good computer and transfer the program to the problem machine (via flash drive will do just fine).

Install and run it - when the scan completes select 'File', 'Save as Text file', name the report, and save to an easily found location such as your Desktop.

Be advised: the report will display your IP Address and Windows Product Key. You may delete this information if you so wish.

Then transfer that file and attach it to your next post per these instructions: HOW TO: Attach Items To Your Post

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Meanwhile, you might try using Internet Explorer for troubleshooting purposes - I'm interested in any error messages that IE might give you. Also, please check your Device Manager for any obvious flags, especially concerning networking.

 

Well, I'm not trying to revive a dead thread here so much as to update it.

I decided to try something different--upgrading the OS. This would have the same effect as upgrading drivers, etc., or so I thought. And it did work... more or less.

My son, the college student, got a free copy of Windows 8 (I use the word free advisedly--you ought to see what tuition costs at ***). Since his computer is an Apple laptop, he gave Windows 8 to me and I installed it on my wife's computer. It no longer locks up on the internet! HOWEVER, it doesn't log onto the network automatically anymore. After booting it almost ALWAYS has the the "failure to log onto the network/internet" logo in the bottom right corner. The network logo is a funny looking thing that might be a monitor with an antenna, who knows? But it has the overlaying yellow triangle with the black exclamation mark in it showing that it doesn't work. In any case, you can click on it, troubleshoot, and it resolves the issue every time, saying the it had to reset the NIC (this computer is hardwired to the router/modem). So then you have the internet and it works just fine... BUT the computer won't "see" the other computer(s) on the network! Not a problem for my wife as she doesn't want to see the other computers, but since I back-up my wife's data files on my 1T hard drive, it becomes an exercise in flash drive storing, moving, etc., instead of just logging onto the "public" directory on the big drive...

So if it's not one thing it's another. Why can't the Windows 8 computer see the Vista computer? Does Windows 8 have an issue talking to Vista? Why does the card have to be reset EVERY TIME when you turn the computer off and back on? What to do!

Keith