W2K Pro SP4 Update Successful => LOST NIC Connectivity !!!!!

[Ted]

On a laptop of my colleague (Compaq Presario 904ea model) with Windows 2000
Pro running OK, I updated the OS using SP4. The update was successful...NOT
a single hichup...

After reboot, I tried updating the system using the Onboard NIC by clicking
the Windows Update link provided in IE. Very soon I found out that the NIC
connectivity was NOT avaialble...

No the NIC (RTL 8139) is NOT dead...How do I know that? I uninstalled SP4
&...you guessed it...The NIC connectivity was back to normal...I could surf.
No, the TCP/IP settings were NOT initialised by SP4...The device was
detected too without any problems...just NO connection to the I-net!

Now here's the other part of the story (the more successful one I dare say).
Win XP is installed on the laptop (off course on another partition) & with
all updates (incl. SP1) on the XP version, the NIC responds w/o any issues!

CONCLUSION: Hardware is OK!

Just wondering why this actually happens...on the Win2000 Pro version

HISTORY: Tried installing SP2 & SP3 some time back (B4 SP4 came out) BUT had
the same problem.

Anyone aware of the problem & importatly the solution? My colleague is
loosing a lot of hair lately...Please help me help him keep the rest of his
hair...

 

[Alan Illeman]

On a laptop of my colleague (Compaq Presario 904ea model) with Windows 2000
Pro running OK, I updated the OS using SP4. The update was successful...NOT
a single hichup...

After reboot, I tried updating the system using the Onboard NIC by clicking
the Windows Update link provided in IE. Very soon I found out that the NIC
connectivity was NOT avaialble...

No the NIC (RTL 8139) is NOT dead...How do I know that? I uninstalled SP4
&...you guessed it...The NIC connectivity was back to normal...I could surf.
No, the TCP/IP settings were NOT initialised by SP4...The device was
detected too without any problems...just NO connection to the I-net!

Now here's the other part of the story (the more successful one I dare say).
Win XP is installed on the laptop (off course on another partition) & with
all updates (incl. SP1) on the XP version, the NIC responds w/o any issues!

CONCLUSION: Hardware is OK!

Just wondering why this actually happens...on the Win2000 Pro version

HISTORY: Tried installing SP2 & SP3 some time back (B4 SP4 came out) BUT had
the same problem.

Anyone aware of the problem & importatly the solution? My colleague is
loosing a lot of hair lately...Please help me help him keep the rest of his
hair...

Some time ago I tried to network Win2K Pro SP4 with a Win95 network
using RTL 8039 NICs and could never get the damn thing to work, but
no problems at all in the Win95 network.

 

[Ted]

Some time ago I tried to network Win2K Pro SP4 with a Win95 network
using RTL 8039 NICs and could never get the damn thing to work, but
no problems at all in the Win95 network.

Hi Alan,

Thanks for your reply...If I understand you corectly you are saying:

1. You tried Win2K Pro System with SP4 installed on it on a Windows 95
network
2. The W2k SP4 system was able to connect to the local Win95 network
3. The W2k SP4 system was NOT able to Internet...

Is that what you are saying?

If that is true & I assume you have NO solution for this issue what could
ONE possibly do with the laptop? I am in a Catch22 (no win) situation...If I
have the system connect to the Inet without SP4, then I cannot install a few
critical Patches & thus cannot Internet safely...

If on the other hand I do INSTALL SP4 I cannot Internet at all...

What a situtation to be in...Basically one cannot use the laptop UNLESS one
takes the big risk involved....

CAN ANYONE HELP? Maybe RTL8xxx manufactures have a patch? If they do I am
NOT aware of the patch...HELP!

Ted