Limited Connectivity after Xp Sp3?!?

Aye. I'll try and keep this as short and sweet as possible.

I recently helped my in-laws pick out a new PC after their seriously old one bit the dust. I ended up recommending a HP desktop (brand new like 3 weeks ago). It's the perfect computer for these guys, but I failed to do the research about XP SP 3 on HP desktops with AMD processors. I would have never recommended the XP SP3 update if I had!

So, luckily they're not experiencing that awful constant reboot problem. The problem is that they're getting a limited or no connectivity message after the update (they also installed Open Office just after the update as well, but I'm guessing that isn't the cause of this problem). After the connectivity problem started after the XP update, I immediately advised a System Restore to remove XP SP3. Still having connectivity issues though. The system is hardwired to a DSL modem. I am able to plug my laptop (toshiba with intel, XP SP3) into their modem and it recognizes and connects to the internet immediately.

I've tried a number of things to resolve this: of course, unplug the modem, etc (there is no reboot button on the modem itself). Tried pinging the modem setup page and couldn't get it (maybe trying wrong address though). Tried release/renew the IP. Tried winsock reset command as well as a couple winsock reset/repair utilities.

I have not tried updating their network drivers, thinking they should be correct since it is such a new system. I have also read all of this info about XP SP 3 completely f'ing up the registry and I am wondering if this may be the problem as well. I did a standard registry check/clean with ccleaner, no help.

Dunno if these will help, but here are screen shots from "ipconfig /all" for the desktop in question:

http://www.insanart.com/webimages/other/benanna-ipconifg.JPG

and for my laptop, when connected to my in-laws' network:

http://www.insanart.com/webimages/other/benarah-ipconfig-on-benanna.jpg

I'm about at the end of my rope with this one. The system is so fresh I'm about to do a re-install of the OS...I need advice on what to do next. Maybe I just need to do an OS repair? Or other things I'm thinking of: Set the IP manually? Update drivers? (this is one I will try next time I am at their house) Registry problems? Can you recommend a cleaner that will let me search for all the bad files and delete them?

Please let me know if there is any other information I can give to help out.

Thanks in advance. You guys are priceless.

 

In your first screen shot, your ip addy of 169 is evidence that you're not connected to the internet. I used to have the same problem before with an IBM laptop and I was using a desktop as a means of getting to the net.

Personally I would try setting the IP addy manually and clear your cache, flush your DNS and give it a try!

 

I'm no expert on this but just taking a quick peek it looks like the problem may be with your network adapter, it's either malfunctioning or some way blocking the ethernet signal from reaching the computer and vice verse. This is just a question:

have you checked device manager to see if there is a conflict in the network adapter

 

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, I've checked the device manager and everything appears to be ok. The network adapter driver could probably use an update (driver says 10/2007, newest on HP site is 2008), I'm going to do that first when I go to work on it tomorrow.

I thought about applying a manual IP but, if the problem is deeper (like in the registry) then won't it just come back on a restart?

If I can't figure out anything more definitive before I visit my in-laws tomorrow afternoon, next after the driver update I'm going to try a XP repair.

Thanks again for the replies!