Winsock/Networking broke after in-place upgrade

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ron Weldy
  • Start date Start date
R

Ron Weldy

I have built a new computer based on the ABIT NF7 motherboard with built in
networking, moved my harddrive from my old computer and performed an in
place upgrade. When I first started, Windows would not start without
activation, and could not connect to the internet through my DSL router. I
figured it was due to the drivers needed for the built in ethernet, so I put
my old nic in the machine. Still could not connect so I phone activated,
then installed all the MB drivers. I still cannot connect to the internet or
get a IP address from my DHCP router.

Now I have 2 nics in my machine, the built in one and the card. If I try to
remove the card, windows wants to be re-activated (this is why I don't like
activation), which I cannot do because I don't have an internet connection.
If I try a IPCONFIG /renew I get the 'An Operation Was Attempted on
Something That Is Not a Socket" message.

I have seen KB articles 817571, etc. and have deleted the winsock and
winsock2 registry keys and run netsh to reset TCP/IP but to no avail, it
still gives me the same error when running IPCONFIG. I have removed and
reinstalled the network adapters from device manger, and now I am on
connection 7 and 8!

What now? How can I completely clear my network components and start over? I
don't think I really need to remove the other card and reactivate at this
point as it should work with both nics.
 
Okay... after a search of this newsgroup using the keyword 'winsock', I came
across a posting reply from XPUSER that solved my problem.

He basically recommended removing the registry keys as outlined in KB
article 817571, but he suggested rebooting the machine right afterward.
Then, instead of running NETSH to reset TCP/IP, he suggested reinstalling
TCP/IP over the existing installation using this technique:

A) Open the properties window of the network connection (Local Area
Connection)
B) Click Install
C) Click Protocol, then Add
D) Click Have Disk
E) Type the path to the \%systemroot%\inf folder (usually C:\Windows\inf)
and click OK
(if you try to click Browse, then browse to the \inf folder,
it may not show up in the list)
F) You should now see "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" in the list of available
protocols. Select it and click OK.
G) Restart the computer

Presto! My machine works now. Now I will attempt to remove my xtra net
adapter and deal with the activation issue.

Here are my suggestions to the KB keepers at Microsoft.

1) Modify KB 817571 to add this method of reinstalling TCP/IP if NETSH does
not work.
2) You may want to recommend the reboot after the deletion of the keys.

In addition, here is my commentary on Activation. It made this process a lot
harder that it should have been. There should at least be a grace period in
having to reactivate, as I had no chance to fix my configuration. It simply
demanded that I reactivate. This is not good customer service.
 
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