ppftt windowsectomy

[smurkin]

Well, actually a home networking problem I am trying to fix without a radical windowsectomy and reinstallation. Problem is I have too much critical work related stuff installed on the problem pc to reinstall windows. So my problem...

I have three pcs on a wired or wireless (I have tried both - separate routers) ADSL router. 1) data backup pc, 2) laptop, 3) gaming rig all either XP pro or home - all SP2.

1) and 2) will happily network (share files) and ping each other

3) will ping 1) and 2)

1) and 2) will not ping 3)

Both 1) and 2) will see computer 3) (under view workgroup computers) but can not access it

All firewalls are deactivated.

Can anyone suggest how I can repair the networking on 3) without reinstalling? I am really stuck here

Thanks...

 

[Panda On Smack]

Do you have the same User (Set to Administartor) on all 3 machines with the same password?

 

[smurkin]

I was wondering about that. Thing is, none of these three machines have any common usernames and passwords (although they all have admin usernames), yet two machines network correctly. I'll give it a try.

 

[smurkin]

Sadly, that didn't work even logging both pcs in using the same username. I have a gut feeling the networking itself on this pc is broken somehow. A couple of months back I installed SP2 and vaious other recommended updates - this completely fouled up and stopped the internet working and I had to rebuild winsock. The thing is, the workgroup mshome will not set up properly on this third pc. There must be some diagnostics somewhere I can try?

 

[smurkin]

Anyone?

 

[Panda On Smack]

Its a bugger, sadly i dont have Theory Knowledge, i just some how seem to know what works for me and change settings accordingly.

I dont use any of the Windows Firewalls etc. What are your computer names? Are they conflicting with your Login names?

 

[smurkin]

Thanks for the suggestion, Panda. No, the names are all different. I am working up the courage to remove windows file and printer sharing on the suspect pc, and then to reinstall it. The thing is...once upon a time, you bought an os and could repair and add/remove things at will. Todays windows is so extensively patched online that repairs and other manipulations using the installation disk are damn risky

 

[Draylor]

A couple of months back I installed SP2 and vaious other recommended updates - this completely fouled up and stopped the internet working and I had to rebuild winsock.

Hmmm, so something in the networking settings is probably screwed up.

Make a note of what the various settings should be, go into device manager and remove everything relating to your network card.

Reboot, youll get the 'found new hardware' stuff and should have the chance to set things up again.

Checking machine names etc is fine, but if you cant ping the IP address theres something more basic wrong.

 

[smurkin]

yeah, I tried both wired (onboard) and wireless (pc card) network interface hardware on the problem pc - they are both fully functionally with internet, but not the sharing/incoming ping. I also completely removed the wireless card and its software and completely reinstalled no banana

 

[Draylor]

odd

whats "ipconfig /all" look like when they are both put back in and allegedly setup properly?

 

[smurkin]

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\######>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : po##er
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : mcc.ac.uk

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 5:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NETGEAR 108 Mbps Wireless PCI Adapte
r WG311T
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-B5-##-##-##
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 16 November 2005 10:09:09
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 19 November 2005 10:09:09

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Marvell Yukon Gigabit Ethernet 10/10
0/1000Base-T Adapter, Copper RJ-45
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0D-61-##-##-57

C:\Documents and Settings\######>

I hashed out some security stuff. The onboard (Marvell Yukon) nic is currently active but not plugged in. Interesting that there is a DNS search suffix entry - I think this relates to the cisco vpn we use for work - however, although this shows as a LAN connection under network connections, it is disabled and doesn't enable without starting the vpn software.

 

[Draylor]

Nothing instantly obvious there.

What does the same show on machines 1 & 2?

 

[Lazarus]

are they all on the same workgroup?

 

[smurkin]

Aye, Laz..all on mshome. I decided to uninstall sharing. Tomorrow though...I haven't the heart to go to bed having borked the os and its late .

I cant test the ipconfig for the other machines just now...the Tosh lappy is flat and the leads are at work...the other machine needs cabling...the router is on the phone point in the lounge and the cable is too short :/

 

[smurkin]

ok not fixed but a work around - installed the ipx/spx/netbios protocol under the LAN setting and voila...all pcs now share