Ping General Failure

[Tim]

I'm having some issues with acquiring an IP address via DHCP. When I
statically set the address and try to ping anything I get General Failure as
a result each time. This is the case when I ping 127.0.0.1 as well. I tried
using a USB wireless card instead with the same results which is why I do not
believe it is a hardware problem.

I have restarted in safe mode with networking which provides the same
result. I've checked for any software firewalls that the user may have
installed but found nothing. It is a Sony VAIO, so I can't rule out the Sony
hid one somewhere and I just can't find it.

The machine is running Windows Vista Home Premium. When in the network and
sharing center, there is a link between 'This computer' and (when the address
is not static - unidentified network or when static - Network 2) but the next
link has a red x through it. When I tell it to diagnose the problem it
responds with "There might be a problem with one or more network adapters on
this computer" and reccommends that I try to use wireless instead. Since
wireless has the same problem, I'm at a loss.

I've contacted Sony support and I would like those 40 minutes of my life
back. If anybody has any ideas, they would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JamesNewton]

I've had the same problem on a Vista Business Dell Vostro_200 but when
I boot into Safe Mode with network support, I can get on the net just
fine. So we knew it couldn't be the NIC. After trying everything we
could think of, the only way we could fix it was to re-install Vista.
Suddenly everything works great! Until next time?

 

[Robert L. \(MS-MVP\)]

In most cases, it is 3rd party software. This post may help.

Vista ping General Failure
http://www.chicagotech.net/netforums/viewtopic.php?t=3436

--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com

 

[AJR]

Regarding "...I get General Failure as a result each time. This is the case
when I ping 127.0.0.1 as well....".

Try ping localhost - failure to ping a local computer (127.0.0.1 or
localhost) indicates TCP/IP problem.

 

[JamesNewton]

In most cases, it is 3rd party software. This post may help.

Vista ping General Failurehttp://www.chicagotech.net/netforums/viewtopic.php?t=3436

Thanks Robert, I agree that 3rd party software is always a suspect,
but the machine had been running for a solid week since the last new
program had been installed and that was just an upgrade from AVG
personal to a licenced version of the same. And we did NOT install the
AVG firewall or web monitoring options; just the very basic AV
protection. After that install, it worked fine for a week then
installed a MS update and an AVG update and worked till the next day
when it stopped being able to access the internet. No changes to the
company firewall were made for a solid month before the failure.

Also, if 3rd party was the cause, why didn't restoring the machine to
the prior weeks restore point solve the problem?

Those are retorical questions, I don't really expect anyone to have
the answer at this point, but I do think we need to try to keep track
of these problems and document our experiences for the next time and
for others.

Thanks again for your time and links.

 

[JamesNewton]

Regarding "...I get General Failure as a result each time. This is the case
when I ping 127.0.0.1 as well....".

Try ping localhost -  failure to ping a local computer (127.0.0.1 or
localhost) indicates TCP/IP problem.

Absoulty correct, I'm sure. The interesting point is that IPCONFIG /
ALL showed EXACTLY the same thing in both safe and regular mode. In
safe mode, it worked fine but in regular it did not. So it had to be a
sofware / driver / etc... problem and not the configuration of the TCP/
IP stack. Something was wrong with the TCP/IP, but how to find were?

 

[Robert L. \(MS-MVP\)]

You may want to try netsh winsock reset to reset TCP/IP settings. please
post back with the result.

--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com

In most cases, it is 3rd party software. This post may help.

Vista ping General
Failurehttp://www.chicagotech.net/netforums/viewtopic.php?t=3436

--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting
onhttp://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access
onhttp://www.HowToNetworking.com

Thanks Robert, I agree that 3rd party software is always a suspect,
but the machine had been running for a solid week since the last new
program had been installed and that was just an upgrade from AVG
personal to a licenced version of the same. And we did NOT install the
AVG firewall or web monitoring options; just the very basic AV
protection. After that install, it worked fine for a week then
installed a MS update and an AVG update and worked till the next day
when it stopped being able to access the internet. No changes to the
company firewall were made for a solid month before the failure.

Also, if 3rd party was the cause, why didn't restoring the machine to
the prior weeks restore point solve the problem?

Those are retorical questions, I don't really expect anyone to have
the answer at this point, but I do think we need to try to keep track
of these problems and document our experiences for the next time and
for others.

Thanks again for your time and links.