What file contains the networking / internet settings in XP?

  • Thread starter Thread starter casey.o
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C

casey.o

I picked up a network switch (not a router). It's a linksys (Cisco)
EZXS55W. I tried to hook it ot the XP computer and the Win98 one. The
switch leds appear to "see" the computers, but nothing is happening was
far as myself being able to see the 'other' computer. Honestly, I'm not
sure how or where the 'other' computer is supposed to show up......

I did notice that the wording in some of the folders in "My Documents"
changed to use the word "Shared". I dont normally put anything into
those folders, but to test it out, I copied some files to them, and then
proceeded to make a shortcut to "my computer" and just copy that
shortcut into one of those folders. (figuring that would allow access
to the entire harddrive from the 'other' computer.

Anyhow, I was not getting anything to work. I went to the company's
website, downloaded the manual (which is pretty useless), and then began
to follow their FAQs (which have much more info than the manual). I
found that everything on their site info is for XP, and Win7 and 8, and
nothing for Win98.

OK, rather than try to work with this blindly (on the Win98 end), I
connected my laptop (XP Pro) to my desktop (XP Home). I still did not
get any recognition of the 'other' computer (that I could see). I
disabled the firewall on both computers as suggested.

Then I went into the network settings on the desktop computer and
assigned a static IP address as suggested. Then I noticed that I guess
I need to do the same thing on the other computer. That';s when I got
real nervous, because trhis is dealing with the TCP/IP settings, and I
know that is used for the internet settings as well.
[Why the internet settings are part of the networking settings, i will
never understand.... I know both are networks, but I always thought each
had their own settings].

The last thing I wanted to do is screw up my laptop internet settings,
and thus making the computer unable to connect to WIFI. Somehow I
managed to do that to my older laptop (Win2000) and never could get it
to connect to the WIFI internet again. I was told at a computer shop
that it would cost at least $100 to fix it, so I just junked the
computer and bought this newer one with XP.

So, before making any modifications to the network settings on the
laptop computer, I did a complete backup.

THUS THIS QUESTION:

If when I get to a WIFI spot, if I cant connect, I can hopefully just
restore one of a few files from the backup, and be back in business.
The question is WHAT FILE(s) CONTAIN THESE SETTINGS? (for networking
and wifi use)?

I'm thinking it might be in the regisrtry, so I will need to go back to
an earlier version of it........ But maybe it's some other file?????

I really hate messing with that laptop computer, fearing I'll do the
same thing I did with the older one, because once the WIFI dont work,
the computer is worthless, and I dont want to spend $100 or more to get
it fixed.

Actually, I'd like to just restore the backup now, and be done with it.
It's easier to do this at home than in some restaurant or the library,
but I dont know if the WIFI was wrecked or not. I've already decided
that I will not be using the laptop computer anymore for these tests. I
may put that older slow XP computer back together for these tests,
although I think I've run out of ideas about getting this networking to
work, and may as well just quit trying. While I can usually deal with
most hardware and software issues on a computer, I've determined that
when it comes to any sort of networking, only a professional computer
person can handle them. In fact the instructions for this networking
switch says (toward the end) "if this dont work, contact your network
admin". The problem is "I dont have one of them".....

But I have come to the conclusion that anything dealing with networking,
modems, and internet connecting, does require a professional compurer
technician, and I'm not willing to waste anymore time trying this stuff,
when I'm getting a zero percent success rate. I'm just going to replace
and upgrade my Win98 motherboard, change the dual boot to XP, and get
rid of all the other computers. No matter what I try, regarding
networking NEVER works, and I'm fed up with trying. I'll just continue
to use Win98 for the internet and hope to find a browser that dont
lockup every 10 minutes from script errors. At least I have a better
modem now, since the USR modems are always superior to other brands.

I'll follow my own advice....... If the computer starts to drive you
insane, there's always a typewriter, rotary phone, and the mailbox.
I lived without a computer for 2/3 of my life anyhow.......
 
I picked up a network switch (not a router). It's a linksys (Cisco)
EZXS55W. I tried to hook it ot the XP computer and the Win98 one. The
switch leds appear to "see" the computers, but nothing is happening was
far as myself being able to see the 'other' computer. Honestly, I'm not
sure how or where the 'other' computer is supposed to show up......

I did notice that the wording in some of the folders in "My Documents"
changed to use the word "Shared". I dont normally put anything into
those folders, but to test it out, I copied some files to them, and then
proceeded to make a shortcut to "my computer" and just copy that
shortcut into one of those folders. (figuring that would allow access
to the entire harddrive from the 'other' computer.

Anyhow, I was not getting anything to work. I went to the company's
website, downloaded the manual (which is pretty useless), and then began
to follow their FAQs (which have much more info than the manual). I
found that everything on their site info is for XP, and Win7 and 8, and
nothing for Win98.

OK, rather than try to work with this blindly (on the Win98 end), I
connected my laptop (XP Pro) to my desktop (XP Home). I still did not
get any recognition of the 'other' computer (that I could see). I
disabled the firewall on both computers as suggested.

Then I went into the network settings on the desktop computer and
assigned a static IP address as suggested. Then I noticed that I guess
I need to do the same thing on the other computer. That';s when I got
real nervous, because trhis is dealing with the TCP/IP settings, and I
know that is used for the internet settings as well.
[Why the internet settings are part of the networking settings, i will
never understand.... I know both are networks, but I always thought each
had their own settings].

The last thing I wanted to do is screw up my laptop internet settings,
and thus making the computer unable to connect to WIFI. Somehow I
managed to do that to my older laptop (Win2000) and never could get it
to connect to the WIFI internet again. I was told at a computer shop
that it would cost at least $100 to fix it, so I just junked the
computer and bought this newer one with XP.

So, before making any modifications to the network settings on the
laptop computer, I did a complete backup.

THUS THIS QUESTION:

If when I get to a WIFI spot, if I cant connect, I can hopefully just
restore one of a few files from the backup, and be back in business.
The question is WHAT FILE(s) CONTAIN THESE SETTINGS? (for networking
and wifi use)?

I'm thinking it might be in the regisrtry, so I will need to go back to
an earlier version of it........ But maybe it's some other file?????

I really hate messing with that laptop computer, fearing I'll do the
same thing I did with the older one, because once the WIFI dont work,
the computer is worthless, and I dont want to spend $100 or more to get
it fixed.

Actually, I'd like to just restore the backup now, and be done with it.
It's easier to do this at home than in some restaurant or the library,
but I dont know if the WIFI was wrecked or not. I've already decided
that I will not be using the laptop computer anymore for these tests. I
may put that older slow XP computer back together for these tests,
although I think I've run out of ideas about getting this networking to
work, and may as well just quit trying. While I can usually deal with
most hardware and software issues on a computer, I've determined that
when it comes to any sort of networking, only a professional computer
person can handle them. In fact the instructions for this networking
switch says (toward the end) "if this dont work, contact your network
admin". The problem is "I dont have one of them".....

But I have come to the conclusion that anything dealing with networking,
modems, and internet connecting, does require a professional compurer
technician, and I'm not willing to waste anymore time trying this stuff,
when I'm getting a zero percent success rate. I'm just going to replace
and upgrade my Win98 motherboard, change the dual boot to XP, and get
rid of all the other computers. No matter what I try, regarding
networking NEVER works, and I'm fed up with trying. I'll just continue
to use Win98 for the internet and hope to find a browser that dont
lockup every 10 minutes from script errors. At least I have a better
modem now, since the USR modems are always superior to other brands.

I'll follow my own advice....... If the computer starts to drive you
insane, there's always a typewriter, rotary phone, and the mailbox.
I lived without a computer for 2/3 of my life anyhow.......
Click to expand...


I don't use XP anymore but I still have the machine and my Dell Disks.
However, I remember that XP did have a tool to configure your networks
automatically. I suggest insert your XP disk in the DRIVE and go to the
second screen (I think it is more ... or something like that) and look
for Network or similar terms. It will do everything for you including
copying the settings on to Windows 98 by running the disk created by XP
on to Windows98 system

I will check it later today if nobody answers here. At present I am out
at University work so can't check it out now.

XP was pretty good at Networking things.
 
I don't use XP anymore but I still have the machine and my Dell Disks.
However, I remember that XP did have a tool to configure your networks
automatically. I suggest insert your XP disk in the DRIVE and go to the
second screen (I think it is more ... or something like that) and look
for Network or similar terms. It will do everything for you including
copying the settings on to Windows 98 by running the disk created by XP
on to Windows98 system

I will check it later today if nobody answers here. At present I am out
at University work so can't check it out now.

XP was pretty good at Networking things.
Click to expand...

Without even inserting the XP installer CD, the networking wizard gave
me the option to create a disk. (to use on the other computer). At
first I thought this was going to be a problem, since I dont have a
floppy drive on that computer. But then I found it could also use a USB
flash drive. I created that flash drive, it made one file called
something like "networking.exe". I then inserted that flash drive in
the other computer (XP laptop), and clicked on that .EXE file. I dont
know what it did, but it did NOT make the IP addresses the same. I did
that manually, but it still did not work.

I thought XP was good at networking too, which is why I used two XP
machines to test this out, before trying to blindly configure the Win98
machine. But it's not working.

I'm still asking if all these problems are because I'm just too old to
figure this shit out anymore, or is it because MS has made this stuff
too damn complicated???? Maybe it's BOTH!
What I do know is that I've spent well over a month trying to get XP to
connect to the internet (properly), and tried it many ways, with
different modems, computers, and methods, and I've not accomplished much
of anything. I'm still using Win98 to go online. This does not take
into acccount the last 4 or 5 years I have tried on and off to get
Windows 2000 to connect to the internet, and not succeeded.....
Guess why I've become very fruistrated!

In many ways, I've gotten to like XP, despite it's annoyances, but I
have several computers with XP, and none of them are doing me much good.
Maybe I'm just destined to stick with Win98 until they bury me, or I
just decide to say the hell with technology, and go for a walk in the
woods...... Maybe it's written in the stars..... :)
 
[email protected] said:
I picked up a network switch (not a router). It's a linksys (Cisco)
EZXS55W. I tried to hook it ot the XP computer and the Win98 one. The
switch leds appear to "see" the computers, but nothing is happening was
far as myself being able to see the 'other' computer. Honestly, I'm not
sure how or where the 'other' computer is supposed to show up......

I did notice that the wording in some of the folders in "My Documents"
changed to use the word "Shared". I dont normally put anything into
those folders, but to test it out, I copied some files to them, and then
proceeded to make a shortcut to "my computer" and just copy that
shortcut into one of those folders. (figuring that would allow access
to the entire harddrive from the 'other' computer.

Anyhow, I was not getting anything to work. I went to the company's
website, downloaded the manual (which is pretty useless), and then began
to follow their FAQs (which have much more info than the manual). I
found that everything on their site info is for XP, and Win7 and 8, and
nothing for Win98.

OK, rather than try to work with this blindly (on the Win98 end), I
connected my laptop (XP Pro) to my desktop (XP Home). I still did not
get any recognition of the 'other' computer (that I could see). I
disabled the firewall on both computers as suggested.

Then I went into the network settings on the desktop computer and
assigned a static IP address as suggested. Then I noticed that I guess
I need to do the same thing on the other computer. That';s when I got
real nervous, because trhis is dealing with the TCP/IP settings, and I
know that is used for the internet settings as well.
[Why the internet settings are part of the networking settings, i will
never understand.... I know both are networks, but I always thought each
had their own settings].

The last thing I wanted to do is screw up my laptop internet settings,
and thus making the computer unable to connect to WIFI. Somehow I
managed to do that to my older laptop (Win2000) and never could get it
to connect to the WIFI internet again. I was told at a computer shop
that it would cost at least $100 to fix it, so I just junked the
computer and bought this newer one with XP.

So, before making any modifications to the network settings on the
laptop computer, I did a complete backup.

THUS THIS QUESTION:

If when I get to a WIFI spot, if I cant connect, I can hopefully just
restore one of a few files from the backup, and be back in business.
The question is WHAT FILE(s) CONTAIN THESE SETTINGS? (for networking
and wifi use)?

I'm thinking it might be in the regisrtry, so I will need to go back to
an earlier version of it........ But maybe it's some other file?????

I really hate messing with that laptop computer, fearing I'll do the
same thing I did with the older one, because once the WIFI dont work,
the computer is worthless, and I dont want to spend $100 or more to get
it fixed.

Actually, I'd like to just restore the backup now, and be done with it.
It's easier to do this at home than in some restaurant or the library,
but I dont know if the WIFI was wrecked or not. I've already decided
that I will not be using the laptop computer anymore for these tests. I
may put that older slow XP computer back together for these tests,
although I think I've run out of ideas about getting this networking to
work, and may as well just quit trying. While I can usually deal with
most hardware and software issues on a computer, I've determined that
when it comes to any sort of networking, only a professional computer
person can handle them. In fact the instructions for this networking
switch says (toward the end) "if this dont work, contact your network
admin". The problem is "I dont have one of them".....

But I have come to the conclusion that anything dealing with networking,
modems, and internet connecting, does require a professional compurer
technician, and I'm not willing to waste anymore time trying this stuff,
when I'm getting a zero percent success rate. I'm just going to replace
and upgrade my Win98 motherboard, change the dual boot to XP, and get
rid of all the other computers. No matter what I try, regarding
networking NEVER works, and I'm fed up with trying. I'll just continue
to use Win98 for the internet and hope to find a browser that dont
lockup every 10 minutes from script errors. At least I have a better
modem now, since the USR modems are always superior to other brands.

I'll follow my own advice....... If the computer starts to drive you
insane, there's always a typewriter, rotary phone, and the mailbox.
I lived without a computer for 2/3 of my life anyhow.......
Click to expand...

Use your network connections panel.

http://i57.tinypic.com/ic0co4.gif

Each interface should have its own characteristics.

If you do a couple of "Properties" as in that picture,
you'll notice (eventually) that a network connection needs two things.

1) IP address comes from somewhere ("automatic" by default)
2) DNS server ("automatic" by default)

A router has a DHCP server, which can automatically dish out IP addresses
from a set of numbers.

The router similarly, forwards DNS requests, and also has some
means of telling a connected computer, what the addresses of the
DNS servers as provided by the ISP are.

You need DNS for web surfing.

You need at least IP addresses if you expect file sharing to work.

*******

A switch has no DHCP server. A switch doesn't listen to or attempt
to resolve DNS probes. Those are things a router does.

You can add a router to your home setup, by using ICS on the Win98
machine. That would allow the WinXP machine to be plugged into the
switch, and at least get an IP address. ICS provides addresses in
the 192.168.0.x range.
Switch
___/ \___
/ \
Dualup_modem ----- Win98SE ---+ +--- WinXP
(Enable ICS (Set to Automatic
on the LAN and Automatic)
interface
instance)

When the Dialup_modem is hung up, there is no DNS server on
the left hand side of the picture. But neither can you surf the web.
But the ICS should still have served the IP address, su that the one
on the left is 192.168.0.1 and the one on the right is 192.168.0.2.
And the ICS is effectively a routing function. And should use NAT
before sending packets through the dialup modem (so the outside
world sees your "public" IP address 205.23.17.92 and not the
private addresses used on the right hand side of the picture.
The WinXP packets appear to be coming from 205.23.17.92, a routable
address.

Now, say you didn't use ICS. Without ICS, we might as well just
ignore the dialup modem, so I will. Here is the picture.

Switch
___/ \___
/ \
Win98SE ---+ +--- WinXP
(Set to Automatic
and Automatic)

Well, now the set to Automatic doesn't work. The WinXP machine
ends up with a 169.xxx APIPA (automatically assigned) address.
You can go to Command Prompt and try "ipconfig" to see the
current assignment.

At this point, would the two computers even be on the same
subnet ? Probably not.

You would then visit that panel in the picture above again
(Win98 will be different), and program in some IP addresses.
You could assign 192.168.0.1 to one and 192.168.0.2 to the other.

You can also attempt to do file sharing or network shares, with
IP addresses. I've had to do that a few times, when the regular
network protocols weren't working.

But for general, all-round convenience, I'd be enabling ICS on the
Win98 machine.

*******

When you connect your laptop to various networks, it uses the
settings for the interface that you're using. If you're back home
and there is no Wifi, and you run a network cable to the switch,
then something will need to supply that DHCP based IP address.
And if the Win98 computer is running, is dialed up, and running
ICS< the laptop may even be able to surf that way. I'm guessing
that the Win98SE will be smart enough to serve 192.168.0.3 to
the laptop, when it gets plugged into the switch after the WinXP box
got its address.

You probably can't mess things up too badly, while fooling
around with that stuff. Always remember the experimenters
creed, which is, "you can do anything you want, as long as
you have backups" :-)

Paul
Click to expand...

Thanks Paul,

I will probably try this stuff at a later date. I'm putting all the
computers away except my normal Win98 machine for now, because this is
getting on my nerves. They might be put away for a few days or a few
months.......

The one thing you did not answer is which files do I need to restore
from my backup to my laptop, if it wont connect to WIFI? I'll be taking
my USB portable HDD along when I go to a WIFI, but need to know what
files I might have screwed up (if I did). Restoring the whole backup
could get messy. On my Win98 machine, when I want to restore a backup,
I just boot to Win2000, or vice versa. On the laptop, there is no
second OS to run, unless I try something like booting Puppy Linux from a
flash drive (if it will), or something like that. But it makes little
sense to restore the whole backup if all I need do is replace a file or
three....

When I do decide to get back to this, I wont be using the laptop
anymore. I dont want to risk it, and dont have a XP Pro Cd to reinstall
or fix it either. I have that other XP laptop (the slow one), which is
what I'll use. The only reason I did nto use that today is because I
have it ripped apart, because I was trying to install linux on it, and
stole some of the parts for another machine.

BTW: Linux wont connect ot the internet either....

Thanks
 
I picked up a network switch (not a router). It's a linksys (Cisco)
EZXS55W. I tried to hook it ot the XP computer and the Win98 one. The
switch leds appear to "see" the computers, but nothing is happening was
far as myself being able to see the 'other' computer. Honestly, I'm not
sure how or where the 'other' computer is supposed to show up......

I did notice that the wording in some of the folders in "My Documents"
changed to use the word "Shared". I dont normally put anything into
those folders, but to test it out, I copied some files to them, and then
proceeded to make a shortcut to "my computer" and just copy that
shortcut into one of those folders. (figuring that would allow access
to the entire harddrive from the 'other' computer.

Anyhow, I was not getting anything to work. I went to the company's
website, downloaded the manual (which is pretty useless), and then began
to follow their FAQs (which have much more info than the manual). I
found that everything on their site info is for XP, and Win7 and 8, and
nothing for Win98.

OK, rather than try to work with this blindly (on the Win98 end), I
connected my laptop (XP Pro) to my desktop (XP Home). I still did not
get any recognition of the 'other' computer (that I could see). I
disabled the firewall on both computers as suggested.

Then I went into the network settings on the desktop computer and
assigned a static IP address as suggested. Then I noticed that I guess
I need to do the same thing on the other computer. That';s when I got
real nervous, because trhis is dealing with the TCP/IP settings, and I
know that is used for the internet settings as well.
[Why the internet settings are part of the networking settings, i will
never understand.... I know both are networks, but I always thought each
had their own settings].

The last thing I wanted to do is screw up my laptop internet settings,
and thus making the computer unable to connect to WIFI. Somehow I
managed to do that to my older laptop (Win2000) and never could get it
to connect to the WIFI internet again. I was told at a computer shop
that it would cost at least $100 to fix it, so I just junked the
computer and bought this newer one with XP.

So, before making any modifications to the network settings on the
laptop computer, I did a complete backup.

THUS THIS QUESTION:

If when I get to a WIFI spot, if I cant connect, I can hopefully just
restore one of a few files from the backup, and be back in business.
The question is WHAT FILE(s) CONTAIN THESE SETTINGS? (for networking
and wifi use)?

I'm thinking it might be in the regisrtry, so I will need to go back to
an earlier version of it........ But maybe it's some other file?????

I really hate messing with that laptop computer, fearing I'll do the
same thing I did with the older one, because once the WIFI dont work,
the computer is worthless, and I dont want to spend $100 or more to get
it fixed.

Actually, I'd like to just restore the backup now, and be done with it.
It's easier to do this at home than in some restaurant or the library,
but I dont know if the WIFI was wrecked or not. I've already decided
that I will not be using the laptop computer anymore for these tests. I
may put that older slow XP computer back together for these tests,
although I think I've run out of ideas about getting this networking to
work, and may as well just quit trying. While I can usually deal with
most hardware and software issues on a computer, I've determined that
when it comes to any sort of networking, only a professional computer
person can handle them. In fact the instructions for this networking
switch says (toward the end) "if this dont work, contact your network
admin". The problem is "I dont have one of them".....

But I have come to the conclusion that anything dealing with networking,
modems, and internet connecting, does require a professional compurer
technician, and I'm not willing to waste anymore time trying this stuff,
when I'm getting a zero percent success rate. I'm just going to replace
and upgrade my Win98 motherboard, change the dual boot to XP, and get
rid of all the other computers. No matter what I try, regarding
networking NEVER works, and I'm fed up with trying. I'll just continue
to use Win98 for the internet and hope to find a browser that dont
lockup every 10 minutes from script errors. At least I have a better
modem now, since the USR modems are always superior to other brands.

I'll follow my own advice....... If the computer starts to drive you
insane, there's always a typewriter, rotary phone, and the mailbox.
I lived without a computer for 2/3 of my life anyhow.......
Click to expand...

Use your network connections panel.

http://i57.tinypic.com/ic0co4.gif

Each interface should have its own characteristics.

If you do a couple of "Properties" as in that picture,
you'll notice (eventually) that a network connection needs two things.

1) IP address comes from somewhere ("automatic" by default)
2) DNS server ("automatic" by default)

A router has a DHCP server, which can automatically dish out IP addresses
from a set of numbers.

The router similarly, forwards DNS requests, and also has some
means of telling a connected computer, what the addresses of the
DNS servers as provided by the ISP are.

You need DNS for web surfing.

You need at least IP addresses if you expect file sharing to work.

*******

A switch has no DHCP server. A switch doesn't listen to or attempt
to resolve DNS probes. Those are things a router does.

You can add a router to your home setup, by using ICS on the Win98
machine. That would allow the WinXP machine to be plugged into the
switch, and at least get an IP address. ICS provides addresses in
the 192.168.0.x range.
Switch
___/ \___
/ \
Dualup_modem ----- Win98SE ---+ +--- WinXP
(Enable ICS (Set to Automatic
on the LAN and Automatic)
interface
instance)

When the Dialup_modem is hung up, there is no DNS server on
the left hand side of the picture. But neither can you surf the web.
But the ICS should still have served the IP address, su that the one
on the left is 192.168.0.1 and the one on the right is 192.168.0.2.
And the ICS is effectively a routing function. And should use NAT
before sending packets through the dialup modem (so the outside
world sees your "public" IP address 205.23.17.92 and not the
private addresses used on the right hand side of the picture.
The WinXP packets appear to be coming from 205.23.17.92, a routable
address.

Now, say you didn't use ICS. Without ICS, we might as well just
ignore the dialup modem, so I will. Here is the picture.

Switch
___/ \___
/ \
Win98SE ---+ +--- WinXP
(Set to Automatic
and Automatic)

Well, now the set to Automatic doesn't work. The WinXP machine
ends up with a 169.xxx APIPA (automatically assigned) address.
You can go to Command Prompt and try "ipconfig" to see the
current assignment.

At this point, would the two computers even be on the same
subnet ? Probably not.

You would then visit that panel in the picture above again
(Win98 will be different), and program in some IP addresses.
You could assign 192.168.0.1 to one and 192.168.0.2 to the other.

You can also attempt to do file sharing or network shares, with
IP addresses. I've had to do that a few times, when the regular
network protocols weren't working.

But for general, all-round convenience, I'd be enabling ICS on the
Win98 machine.

*******

When you connect your laptop to various networks, it uses the
settings for the interface that you're using. If you're back home
and there is no Wifi, and you run a network cable to the switch,
then something will need to supply that DHCP based IP address.
And if the Win98 computer is running, is dialed up, and running
ICS< the laptop may even be able to surf that way. I'm guessing
that the Win98SE will be smart enough to serve 192.168.0.3 to
the laptop, when it gets plugged into the switch after the WinXP box
got its address.

You probably can't mess things up too badly, while fooling
around with that stuff. Always remember the experimenters
creed, which is, "you can do anything you want, as long as
you have backups" :-)

Paul
 
Thanks Paul,

I will probably try this stuff at a later date. I'm putting all the
computers away except my normal Win98 machine for now, because this is
getting on my nerves. They might be put away for a few days or a few
months.......

The one thing you did not answer is which files do I need to restore
from my backup to my laptop, if it wont connect to WIFI? I'll be taking
my USB portable HDD along when I go to a WIFI, but need to know what
files I might have screwed up (if I did). Restoring the whole backup
could get messy. On my Win98 machine, when I want to restore a backup,
I just boot to Win2000, or vice versa. On the laptop, there is no
second OS to run, unless I try something like booting Puppy Linux from a
flash drive (if it will), or something like that. But it makes little
sense to restore the whole backup if all I need do is replace a file or
three....

When I do decide to get back to this, I wont be using the laptop
anymore. I dont want to risk it, and dont have a XP Pro Cd to reinstall
or fix it either. I have that other XP laptop (the slow one), which is
what I'll use. The only reason I did nto use that today is because I
have it ripped apart, because I was trying to install linux on it, and
stole some of the parts for another machine.

BTW: Linux wont connect ot the internet either....

Thanks
Click to expand...

Try System Restore to an earlier date - to a date
before your networking experiments. System Restore
restores the Registry, but it will also put back
other files. You can check now, and see what
dates have a restore point.

Paul
 
Try System Restore to an earlier date - to a date
before your networking experiments. System Restore
restores the Registry, but it will also put back
other files. You can check now, and see what
dates have a restore point.

Paul
Click to expand...

Ok, Not a problem. I have not used that computer in a few weeks, so
nothing was changed till today. I kind of thought it was in the
registry. I had to look up on the web how to do it. On Win98 it's a
dos command, and I never did it on XP. This site helped.
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000589.htm

The most recent restore point was March 29, which is probably the last
time I used this computer. It said after I clicked on it, that it would
change my network settings, but nothing more was listed. It was
successful, so now i feel better knowing it's back to normal. Thanks

PS. before I found the website above, I found another site with
completely incorrect info as far as doing the restore. No wonder some
of this stuff gets so screwed up, when sites post stuff incorrectly.
 
In message <[email protected]>,
The last thing I wanted to do is screw up my laptop internet settings,
and thus making the computer unable to connect to WIFI. Somehow I
Click to expand...

I share your fear - such things can be the devil to fix, in 98, XP, and
Vista (and probably later too, I haven't had the [dis]pleasure).
(Although network and wifi aren't _quite_ the same thing, you're right
that screwing up one can affect usability of the other - I think,
anyway.)
managed to do that to my older laptop (Win2000) and never could get it
to connect to the WIFI internet again. I was told at a computer shop
that it would cost at least $100 to fix it, so I just junked the
computer and bought this newer one with XP.
Click to expand...

I don't have a lot of respect for that computer shop. Changing the
settings is highly unlikely to have done any damage to hardware. I
suspect that he just wasn't willing to do the research (as he probably
didn't _know_) as to how to fix/restore networking (and/or wifi)
settings in W2000, and gave you that figure to put you off. (Or do they
have a minimum service charge. Whatever.) Junking the computer is rather
drastic though!
[]
I'm thinking it might be in the regisrtry, so I will need to go back to
an earlier version of it........ But maybe it's some other file?????
Click to expand...

Almost certainly! XP (and, to a lesser extent, '9x) put)s( far too much
in the registry, IMO; this might be one case where it's actually
justifiable to do so. (For backing up and restoring just the registry
and a bit more, System Restore is the way to go: I find the quickest way
to get to that [for both make-a-restore-point and
restore-an-earlier-one] is Start, Help and Support [I have the Start
menu set to classic of course]; System Restore is on the right, under
Pick a task. [Although it says Undo, the same route is OK for make a new
one.] It's also there under Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools,
System Restore - I just find the help route easier to remember. For a
different sort of backup, and also one where the backups _won't
disappear after a while_ but will stay as long as you keep them, get
ERUNT from
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/, whose name is based
on ERU/ERD from Windows 95 [also works in 98], which got me out of a
hole more than once.)
I really hate messing with that laptop computer, fearing I'll do the
same thing I did with the older one, because once the WIFI dont work,
the computer is worthless, and I dont want to spend $100 or more to get
it fixed.
Click to expand...

You need to find an alternative "computer shop" rather urgently (-:!
[]
switch says (toward the end) "if this dont work, contact your network
admin". The problem is "I dont have one of them".....
Click to expand...

You do, but you're it (-:!
[]
networking NEVER works, and I'm fed up with trying. I'll just continue
to use Win98 for the internet and hope to find a browser that dont
lockup every 10 minutes from script errors. At least I have a better
Click to expand...

Good luck, I doubt you'll find one though!
[]
I'll follow my own advice....... If the computer starts to drive you
insane, there's always a typewriter, rotary phone, and the mailbox.
Click to expand...

For now. I doubt you can easily get parts for the first two, and I can
see the mail service declining (it certainly has in UK where we used to
- apparently - get four deliveries a day in some places, though that
decline predated electronic communications by some way).
I lived without a computer for 2/3 of my life anyhow.......
Click to expand...
You also lived without modern medicine (including the drugs) ... (-:
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

.... current law enforcement approaches to stem the flow of drugs only manage
to seize about one per cent of the drug imports... - Professor David Nutt (31
July-6 August 2010)
 
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