mystery re-starts

[Merlin]

The problem started with the PC locking up at what appeared to be random times but always when online. The event viewer said it was something about TCP/IP stuff. I did ipconfig/ renew and that seemed to fix it. Now my PC has restarted for no reason 3 times today always when online and the event viewer says the same thing, some communication issue. Anyone know what this is about and how I can fix it more permanently?? the last fix lasted a few days.

[kenc51]

Try updating your network card drivers to the latest version, also do the same for the chip set drivers.
Software firewalls can corrupt the TCP/IP stack, especially the crappy one built into the Nforce4 chipset. (yes it's software based, not hardware like Nvidia's marketting guff leads you to believe)

You could try resetting TCP/IP

Goto start / run and type CMD
Then "netsh" & press enter
Then "int" & enter
Then "ip" & enter
Then "reset" & enter

Then reboot the PC.

[Merlin]

I have already done the chipset drivers and my network card is not in use. I have a wireless USB Network adaptor linked to a netgear modem in another room. I am also running BSafe which is a total system security suite that includes a firewall. I will try reseting my TCP/IP like you show and see what that does.

[Merlin]

Still happening, checked event viewer and this is what it said.

event DHCP warning: " your computer has detected that the IP address xxxxxx for the network card with network address xxxxxx is already in use on the network. Your computer will automatically attempt to obtain a different address.

That warning was followed immidiatley by a long string of errors named IPNATHLP which occurred five or six times per second then the PC just rebooted. The text of the error was

" The DNS proxy agent encountered errors while obtaining the local list of name resolution servers. Some DNS or WINS servers may be inaccessable to clients of the local network. The data is the error code."


The fixes listed for both errors , reset IP and renew IP have both been ineffective in fixing the problem. I know my ISP will tell me that it is a windows problem so that is why I came here for the fix. HELP please.

[kenc51]

Try manually specifying your IP address and DNS for your network connection.

Goto the properties of the connection, selected "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and select properties.

Most routers use 192.168.1.1 for their address, so set this as your "Default Gateway"
The IP should be 192.168.1.x (x can can be any number between 2 & 254)
The subnet should be 255.255.255.0

You'll have to get your ISP's DNs server address's from their support site, or you could use a free DNS server (google)

How many PC's are connected to your router/modem?

[Merlin]

I thought I might jus give it a try and called my ISPs customer service line and after 40 minutes this is what I know.....both the IP address and DNS servers are dynamic on a cycle of 24-72 hours so manually specifying them will not work. Other than " we don't actually get into any real detail as long as your connection will work , and yours does it just crashes, we don't go any farther." I have no clue how to fix this problem and I also got the " you might call your computers manufactorer." The man was very nice so I couldn't really go off on him for the fact that their customer service ISN'T since their techs don't know any more than I do. He asked me no questions at all and had me check nothing. I guess I am going to try the old wipe and start over in regars to internet connection and see IF that works. I wont do that yet so any more advise will still get read before I go off and do something irrational.

[kenc51]

I thought I might jus give it a try and called my ISPs customer service line and after 40 minutes this is what I know.....both the IP address and DNS servers are dynamic on a cycle of 24-72 hours so manually specifying them will not work. Other than " we don't actually get into any real detail as long as your connection will work , and yours does it just crashes, we don't go any farther." I have no clue how to fix this problem and I also got the " you might call your computers manufactorer." The man was very nice so I couldn't really go off on him for the fact that their customer service ISN'T since their techs don't know any more than I do. He asked me no questions at all and had me check nothing. I guess I am going to try the old wipe and start over in regars to internet connection and see IF that works. I wont do that yet so any more advise will still get read before I go off and do something irrational.

I was presuming you're on DSL and using a router and NAT.
Can you goto DOS and type "ipconfig" --> See what IP you're getting. If it's anything other than an address starting with 192.168.1.x or 10.x.x.x, the guy from support was correct.
This would mean your PC is receiving a public IP address directly from your ISP

Normally people with DSL have a router which using a thing called NAT. This allows your router to get the public IP from the ISP and your PC(s) @ home receive a seperate private IP address from the router.
When I asked if you can change the IP address on your PC, it would only work if your PC has a private address and not one from the ISP.

I worked in tech support for ISP's for years and dealt with this stuff all day. I still work for an ISP now, but just not on the phone (my current job is implementing new products, like IPTV or VOIP)

[Merlin]

I have tried everything I know of plus what Kenc has told me to do and I still have the problem. The ISP sent a guy out the other day and he said there was something wrong with my machine. I really don't think it my PC since the errors are web related but I really don't know. Any other ideas about what it could be caused by IF its not web based??

[KnightRid]

I have the SAME problem, but ONLY when I have the wired network cable plugged in. If I use a wireless usb for the network, I have no restarts!

This is in Vista 32.

I feel we are now bonded in restart hell - welcome my brother, welcome.

Mike

oh and stay away from the flames and my sister :p

[Merlin]

I appreciate the warm welcome and I hope you don't take offense ...but...I DON"T WANT INTO YOUR CLUB. Please just let me out I liked my no restart hell just fine thank you. My newest aggrivation is that I sent an e-mail to my ISP expressing my displeasure with their inablity to supply me with someone that has a brain to talk to and they sent me a response that just proved my point. They asked me 3 questions all of which I had answered in my initial remarks thus proving that NO ONE had read my question in the first place. That is my biggest pet peeve, please don't tell me " we are sorry for the inconvinience this has caused you..." when I can tell they haven't even read what the problem is or what I have done to try to fix it.

[kenc51]

Merlin, You said via PM you're using wifi?

If it's USB, uninstall the drivers, then reboot with it removed. Then try reinstall it, but make sure you're using a USB port @ the back of the PC.
If it's a PCI card, uninstall the drivers then power off and change the card to another PCI slot and then reinstall the drivers.

You could also try reinstalling your security software. Anti-virus and firewall software interact with the kernel in XP and if the software is corrupt it will cause the kernel (windows) to crash.

Sorry I didn't reply to your last PM btw!
When my inbox is full, I stop receiving PM's until I delete some older ones first

[Merlin]

NP about the last PM Kent! Since my last post things took a turn for the worse. The crashes became more frequent up to the point that Windows could not finish loading my personal settings and it would crash in a loop. I tought " this has to be hardware now" so I opened it up and put back my old CPU under the idea that maybe I didnt have enough power to run the dual core. Still crashed in a loop. Put back the Dual core and loaded in SAFE mode and reset to a restore point from yesterday. Still crashed. Went into Recovery console and ran CHKDSK /P and I'll be darned if it didn't find 2 errors. I am back up now...couldn't write this otherwise, and I got internet working under Wireless Zero bypassing the software that came with the USB ( but It does have to stay installed for the drivers just disabled the monitor part). I was going to do your next advise Kent but when I try to un-install the software pack that came with the USB adaptor I get this message..." installation support package could not be installed. The system cannot find the file specified." I even tried to un-install it using the CC cleaner unistall utility and I get the same message also same in Add/Remove in console. I am 95% sure this whole problem has to do with Windows + USB adaptor monitor+ my security software+ my ISP not all "speaking the same language at the same time" and causing a hiccup. My problem Is I have no clue how to fix it nor do I fully understand how or why it progressed to the point it did today causing the loop crashes.