DHCP Server not pingable nor renewing

[Barbara Ann]

My W2K pro laptop, previously able to network with routers
has now lost touch. I think I messed it up in doing some
registry editing for some malware removal without
previously backing up the registry, but that's just my
guess.

At this point, on logon, with dhcp enabled and
autoconfiguration disabled, I get 0.0.0.0 for IP and
Subnest masks. I do refresh/renew, and get DHCP Server
unreachable. I've searched the kb but any "dhcp server
not found" messages refer to 2000 Server, and I'can't find
any references to scope in 2000 pro.

I tried using a static ip address/gateway, but that won't
ping. Maybe one out of 4 sends gets through. Maybe.
Usually not.

I have uninstalled & reinstalled tcp/ip and the nic
driver. I've swapped cables to the router, and used my
cable tester to make absolutely sure the cable wasn't the
problem. I've got SP4 and the 03-039 patch.

Does anyone have any suggestions, short of reformatting
the disk and starting over with a clean install of 2000
pro?

TIA,
Barbara Ann Mahoney

 

[Marina Roos]

Remove all the network protocols, reboot and add them again.

Marina

 

[Barbara Ann]

Marina,

thank you so much for your reply. I tried it, removed ALL
the networking anything in the box, rebooted, reinstalled
tcp/ip, still nothing. I disabled the ipautoconfig.
Still 0.0.0.0.

Is is possible there's some virus stepping on my
tcp/ip? /renew is still generating an unreachable server
error.

I really appreciate your thoughts.
Barbara Ann

 

[Marina Roos]

Hi Barbara,

Is your machine connected to a network?
Do you know exactly what you changed in the registry?
Is the networkadapter alright? (Can you ping 127.0.0.1?)

Marina

 

[Guest]

Hi Marina,

I am connected to a Linksys router, to which my xp
computer is working just fine with. I swapped cable
slots, and still nothing. I've already tested the cables
with the cable tester, and reversed the ends of the cable.

loopback ping works just fine.

As for the registry, I removed references to FireDaemon,
Dll32 and a malware version of winmngt.exe all located in
a bogus winnt/config directory. These references were all
located in the 4 control sets, in LOCAL MACHINE. I had
found one instance and removed it at the beginning of this
mess, and in tracing back when the networking stopped, I
deduced it was after this change. Was I smart enough to
back up the registry before I started all this? I wish.

The computer is running much better since I deleted the
nasty subdirectory and removed all the instances
(FireDaemon started as a service and called up dll32.exe
which just ate up resources, occasionally. Lately it had
been pretty constant, with the cpu at 100% usage all the
time.) So I've solved one problem but created another.
And I'm still not sure that this isn't a virus, since I
can't get online to download the latest list.

Is reinstalling 2000 beginning to sound like the only
option?

Thanks so much for your thoughts,
Barbara Ann

 

[Marina Roos]

Hi Barbara,

You could always try a repair install. That way you don't lose any data. I
think that you'll be much quicker with that than trying to find out what is
keeping the nic from getting an IP.

Marina

 

[Barbara Ann]

Hi Marina,

Well, both the Repair install and a Clean install result
in the identical behavior. Once I disable the
ipautoconfig I get a licence untill January 2038 (!), and
when I reboot, it goes all back to 0.0.0.0.

Is it possible that the nic is bad in a terribly specific
way?

TIA,
Barbara Ann

 

[Marina Roos]

Hi Barbara,

Can you try another nic?

Marina

Hi Marina,

Well, both the Repair install and a Clean install result
in the identical behavior. Once I disable the
ipautoconfig I get a licence untill January 2038 (!), and
when I reboot, it goes all back to 0.0.0.0.

Is it possible that the nic is bad in a terribly specific
way?

TIA,
Barbara Ann

 

[Barbara Ann]

Hi Marina,

Thanks for *all* your troubleshooting help -- I've really
learned alot from this experience!

I called Dell with all the history of what you suggested
to do, and they agreed that it's most likely a bad NIC.
So they're sending a call tag for the laptop (if it were a
tower I could of course just throw another NIC in, but
laptop nics are a little more complicated (and the
keyboard needs to be replaced, too; the pg up/dn keys
don't anymore.))

Thanks again, and Happy Holidays!
Best,
Barbara Ann

 

[Marina Roos]

Hi Barbara,

You're very welcome. I really hope that it is a bad nic. Keep me posted.
It is a bit early for wishing happy holidays, but the same to you too.

Marina

 

[Barbara Ann]

Hi Marina,

I sure will.

Thanks again,
Barbara Ann