Accuracy of XP Diagnostics???

[nybarton]

I'm having loads of intermittent internet disconnects. It drops off several
times a day while I'm online and will come back on by itself if I leave it
alone for a while, or if I do a disable/enable maneuver in the network
connections of the control panel. I've spent countless hours on the phone
with Dell testing my computer every which way to Sunday (I'm running an XPS
8300 purchased 3-1/2 years ago). Dell says it's not my machine and the
problem must be with my cable connection. My cable company has tested all
the equipment and finds no problem. Cable feels I have a faulty network
adapter (which is integrated into the motherboard on my machine). Dell says
it's not the NIC......we ran the diagnostic on the system board and there
were no errors.....everything passed with flying colors. I have a 4 year
in-home warranty with Dell that will run out in 6 months. Dell tells me
that's only good for hardware replacement if the diagnostics they run you
through indicate a problem. Dell wants me to change the ethernet wire from
my cable modem to the computer as there may be some fault there. Cable says
ok and they'll be happy to swap out my current equipment (modem and ethernet
wire) for new ones, but on the surface all their tests show everything's
working fine.

I tend to believe cable......why? Because this same problem cropped up over
two years ago, although very sporadically. Even back then, cable felt it
was the network adapter. Now the problem is a few times per day and since
the problem first showed up two years ago, cable has updated all its
equipment, put in new fiber optics, put in a brand new modem and wires, and
I'm still having the problem, only now it's really getting bad. This makes
me think the problem lies with the computer, not with cable.

Question: How accurate are the self-diagnostic tests run by Windows? Can I
rely on them?

Thanks for any advice, and I apologize for the long post.
Marilyn

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

When I had a similar issue a couple of years ago,
it turned-out to be with an underground cable
that water was seeping into at a connection.
Very hard to diagnosis when you have dry weather.
Ask your cable provider to come out and perform
an actual line test for signal seepage.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I'm having loads of intermittent internet disconnects. It drops off several
| times a day while I'm online and will come back on by itself if I leave it
| alone for a while, or if I do a disable/enable maneuver in the network
| connections of the control panel. I've spent countless hours on the phone
| with Dell testing my computer every which way to Sunday (I'm running an XPS
| 8300 purchased 3-1/2 years ago). Dell says it's not my machine and the
| problem must be with my cable connection. My cable company has tested all
| the equipment and finds no problem. Cable feels I have a faulty network
| adapter (which is integrated into the motherboard on my machine). Dell says
| it's not the NIC......we ran the diagnostic on the system board and there
| were no errors.....everything passed with flying colors. I have a 4 year
| in-home warranty with Dell that will run out in 6 months. Dell tells me
| that's only good for hardware replacement if the diagnostics they run you
| through indicate a problem. Dell wants me to change the ethernet wire from
| my cable modem to the computer as there may be some fault there. Cable says
| ok and they'll be happy to swap out my current equipment (modem and ethernet
| wire) for new ones, but on the surface all their tests show everything's
| working fine.
|
| I tend to believe cable......why? Because this same problem cropped up over
| two years ago, although very sporadically. Even back then, cable felt it
| was the network adapter. Now the problem is a few times per day and since
| the problem first showed up two years ago, cable has updated all its
| equipment, put in new fiber optics, put in a brand new modem and wires, and
| I'm still having the problem, only now it's really getting bad. This makes
| me think the problem lies with the computer, not with cable.
|
| Question: How accurate are the self-diagnostic tests run by Windows? Can I
| rely on them?
|
| Thanks for any advice, and I apologize for the long post.
| Marilyn

 

[AJR]

Why not try a network card?

 

[Richard Urban]

You have to keep accurate records as to actual times and weather conditions
for each outage. You also need to record exactly what you have running on
your computer and what program you are using to access the internet when the
outage occurs.

After a period of time, a pattern should form that will help you diagnose
the problem.

I had problems with my DSL a couple of years ago. I came to realize that it
only occurred when it was raining out or under extremely high humidity
conditions. Finally a phone company representative climbed the pole and
found a bee nest inside the can that is supposed to protect the connections
from the elements. The nest was across the connections and to the metal case
of the can (ground). Under the right conditions my signal was effectively
"grounded out" and became non existent. He removed the old bee nest and I
have been fine ever since.

It only took 8 visits from their technicians, over a 5 month period of time,
to sort this out. Without my records they would not have even believed me.
They never were there when it was raining.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[nybarton]

Carey.......thank you for your response. As a matter of fact, when speaking
with my cable provider this afternoon, they told me if the problem still
persists after replacing the ethernet wire, they would send out a tech to
start testing the outside line.

 

[nybarton]

I would be happy to try a network card if I had any idea how to put one in.
I'm not savvy when it comes to the inside of the computer.......never even
had the cover off. I'll try the cable line test approach first and if that
doesn't show any problems, I'll have to call some tech outfit (like Geek
Squad) to look inside the machine. I don't want to buy a new computer only
to find the problem still exists, although that would certainly prove the
fault lies with the cable.

 

[DatabaseBen]

you can always test your
system by a selective bootup
called safemode with networking.

in this mode you can access the internet
and see if the problem you have in normal
mode lingers in safe mode as well.

 

[nybarton]

Carey.......thank you for your response. As a matter of fact, when speaking
with my cable provider this afternoon, they told me if the problem still
persists after replacing the ethernet wire, they would send out a tech to
start testing the outside line.

 

[nybarton]

Thanks for your suggestion and I would be happy to try a network card if I
had any idea how to put one in.
I'm not savvy when it comes to the inside of the computer.......never even
had the cover off. I'll try the cable line test approach first and if that
doesn't show any problems, I'll have to call some tech outfit (like Geek
Squad) to look inside the machine. I don't want to buy a new computer only
to find the problem still exists, although that would certainly prove the
fault lies with the cable.