Weird situation

[[Jett]-Pauper]

Ok, the wife was trying to watch the most recent episode of Biggest Loser. She couldn't find the most recent episode on all the normal "safe" sites so she began to search. She got a bug i the lappy. Because we are ona network I too got he bug.

It works like this: It does not allow your security software to update (I have Ad-Aware, malwarebytes). It give a connection error. I can surf online fine. I just cannot update the software. AVG still updates but doesn't see this bug either.

Yesterday I reformmated completely. Everything was great. Today I am back to square one.

One other point of interest. I decided to just go direct to the modem to test. It gives me a low connectivity warning. Plug back into the router and bam I have full connectivity.

Linksys Router
Comcast Modem
Windows XP
Firefox is preferred browser

[[Jett]-XgrinderX]

did u reformat your wife's pooter too?

[[Jett]-Pauper]

Hers has one of those systems built into the HD to reformat. So thanks to Dell, no new partition and fresh install. It was a rehash of what she already had. Still, directly connecting to the Comcast modem to see a low connectivity message, then plugging it back in to the router to be at full speed is rather strange.

[Chaser]

-Pauper;9820']Hers has one of those systems built into the HD to reformat. So thanks to Dell, no new partition and fresh install. It was a rehash of what she already had. Still, directly connecting to the Comcast modem to see a low connectivity message, then plugging it back in to the router to be at full speed is rather strange.

My dell had one of those systems but I was still able to format like you would any other time. Are you sure it's out of the question? Is that possible for them to completely lock you out like that?

Haven't had to deal with one of those other than one time but maybe on one of the factory built pcs they could lock you out of that option but it doesn't seem like they could very easily.

I might be wrong though lol.

[[Jett]-Willow]

Ya.. uhh.... let's see... all you need to do is delete both partitions, and reformat the whole drive as one partition. If you pop a XP disk in you should be able to get to the Disk Formating business, and within that you should be able to delete both and repartition as one. IF that does not work, there are quiet a few partition tools out there, however, the best bet is to find a Linux Live CD that has disk management tools on it, and best of all it's free. I know the "bad word" Linux came out.

In fact here is the LiveCD I use just for HDD problems, http://gparted.sourceforge.net/

Get it, learn it, love it, live by it.

For real though, this is how you take care of this problem.

[[Jett]-OMEGA]

And what he means by XP disk is the stand alone XP disk, not the ones that come bundled with dell or hp or any of that business.

For what you use a PC for I don't recommend messing with linux on your primary computer. learn it in a controlled environment. Somewhere away from your typical daily routine.

[[Jett]-XgrinderX]

I don't think Willow is suggesting he use Linux for everyday computing. He is saying to get that Linux Live CD so you can boot into Linux from the CD and correct any HDD issues you have without even worrying about Windows and all its "in use" files or whatever. Use the Linux to kill and partition your HDD, then use standard XP install disc to do a fresh reinstall.

Willow feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

[[Jett]-Willow]

Ya, what Grinder said. It's a Live CD, everything boots from the CD, use it to do what ya gotta do, very easy, everything has a GUI. That GParted is for one thing, and that is Fixing HD Issues.

[[Jett]-OMEGA]

Cool. I'm going to get one for me now before I need it.

[[Jett]-Pauper]

Well, we will have to purchase an XP CD as the lappy came with Vista Yuck! I did my reformat with an XP CD and repartitioned just so it will be completely fresh.

Any ideas on the issue with no connectivity going direct to the modem and then having great connectivity after tying into a router?

[[Jett]-Willow]

Ya... I've ran into the issue you're having. When you look at the computer with "Limited Connectivity" is it showing it as having an IP in the range of 169.XXX.XXX.XXX?

[[Jett]-Pauper]

-Willow;9834']Ya... I've ran into the issue you're having. When you look at the computer with "Limited Connectivity" is it showing it as having an IP in the range of 169.XXX.XXX.XXX?

YES! I attempted an IP release and renew and that didn't work.

[[Jett]-Willow]

OK! This is a pain in the ass, what it comes down to is it's your Computer failing to receive a DHCP reply from the router which would NORMALLY assign it an IP, however it's not getting it. There seems to be various undocumented problems that cause this problem, so the thread here: http://www.daniweb.com/forums/thread2367.html is a good place to start to try and troubleshoot the problem.

However, first thing I would do is, I'm sure you've done it but to double check, check that your Wife's Comp's NIC is set to automatically obtain an IP Address. Once that is confirmed, check your Modem and your router to ensure they are residing at different IP's, yet within the 192. range. After that, disable/renable your NIC. I'm sure you've tried this, but just incase do all this.

If that doesn't work, uninstall the drivers for the NIC, reboot, and reinstall the drivers, reboot again, and see if it takes a new IP address. If's a non-integrated try moving the PCI slot in which it resides.

After that, if that doesn't work, you can try assigning an IP address manually, and so forth. Lemme know what's going on, this as I said is a pain..... probably the most frustration I've ever had with Networking. Lemme know and we'll try to work it out further.

[[Jett]-Tank]

-Willow;9823']

In fact here is the LiveCD I use just for HDD problems, http://gparted.sourceforge.net/

Get it, learn it, love it, live by it.

For real though, this is how you take care of this problem.

Sweet...man, I've looked high and low for a freebie app that might actually be able to resize partitions "on the fly" like this one claims...downloading the .iso file to find out. :)

-=Tank=-

[[Jett]-RB]

Is the laptop that you are re-doing a Dell? If so, we have a ton of Dell Branded XP Pro SP2 and even SP3 disks that should work without a problem. Let me know and I will send it to you.

RB :)

[[Jett]-Pauper]

-RB;9842']Is the laptop that you are re-doing a Dell? If so, we have a ton of Dell Branded XP Pro SP2 and even SP3 disks that should work without a problem. Let me know and I will send it to you.

RB :)
Send it to:
Scott Anderson
8322 Sophie Ln
Greenwood, LA 71033

Question, will the drivers disk still work with XP instead of Vista. If not, what will we need to do to get the driver installed once it is totally fresh in the reformat?

[[Jett]-Pauper]

-Willow;9836']OK! This is a pain in the ass, what it comes down to is it's your Computer failing to receive a DHCP reply from the router which would NORMALLY assign it an IP, however it's not getting it. There seems to be various undocumented problems that cause this problem, so the thread here: http://www.daniweb.com/forums/thread2367.html is a good place to start to try and troubleshoot the problem.

However, first thing I would do is, I'm sure you've done it but to double check, check that your Wife's Comp's NIC is set to automatically obtain an IP Address. Once that is confirmed, check your Modem and your router to ensure they are residing at different IP's, yet within the 192. range. After that, disable/renable your NIC. I'm sure you've tried this, but just incase do all this.

If that doesn't work, uninstall the drivers for the NIC, reboot, and reinstall the drivers, reboot again, and see if it takes a new IP address. If's a non-integrated try moving the PCI slot in which it resides.

After that, if that doesn't work, you can try assigning an IP address manually, and so forth. Lemme know what's going on, this as I said is a pain..... probably the most frustration I've ever had with Networking. Lemme know and we'll try to work it out further.

The link is down that you supplied. Shoot me a PM with your phone number and a good time to reach you later this week and let's see if we cannot work through it. I remember all of these however it has been more than two years since I last did any of them and cannot remember the steps.

[[Jett]-RB]

Pauper, most of the time the CD that they send will run a little install app which will let you chose which OS you need the drivers for. If you don't have that disk, you can always go to support.dell.com on a computer that works and enter in your service tag to get the proper drivers. You may have to find out which driver that you need if there are multiple options for that device (sound cards, wireless NICs, etc). Most of the time the video and PCI bus are all the same due to them being part of the system board. What Model is the laptop? if it is a Latitude line, I might have that CD as well. Do you want the Roxio CD Creator and DVD software that always come with the laptops as well?

RB :)

[[Jett]-Pauper]

Yeah, we have all of the disks that came with the laptop, which is a Dell Vostro 1500. In that collection of CD's is a Vista one but it doesn't auto load nor can we get it to boot to that CD.

[[Jett]-RB]

I will send out the Dell XP CD today

[[Jett]-Pauper]

-RB;9853']I will send out the Dell XP CD today
Thanks a ton brother!

[[Jett]-RB]

Didn't get it out yesterday, but going out today for sure....sorry...didn't have my truck for most of the day.

RB :)

[[Jett]-Pauper]

I got the cd's. Thanks dude!

[[Jett]-RB]

No Problem :) Did you get 'er all fixed up?