The other day I ran scandisk and defrag in safe mode (since it seems to work better/faster in safe mode). When I restarted into normal mode, I could not connect to the internet. My computer had "lost" the information for my ethernet card in the network tab under control panel. I don't have any disks for my ethernet card, so I bought a new one and installed it, thinking it would fix the problem.

WRONG! It recognizes my card in the network settings tab, and I added the TCP/IP protocol for it, but when I run winipcfg, I see one of those "generic" IP addresses (when the computer cannot connect to the DHCP server), a subnet mask that says 255.255.255.0, and no gateway server. My modem and router work fine, and I have 3 other computers hooked up to the router. I don't want to mess with the router at all, because everything else works. The problem is simply somewhere in my bad computer. I have become so frustrated with this, I'm thinking of throwing down 100 bucks and buying WINXP in hopes that it would solve the problem...

ALSO! When I try to renew all or release all, it gives me a DHCP Error.

BTW, I have also gone into IE under the options tab and tried to run their "internet connection wizard," which fails.

Thanks!

i have something you can try, don't know if it will help you or not. did you ever try using system restore. go to your system restore calendar and try to restore your computer back to a date when it was working fine. this might work or it might not, its worth a try.

this is the funny thing about that, there are NO system restore points at all! Even though I have a moderate amount of space for it, it didn't automatically make them (like before, and trust me, I have used system restore a good 3 or 4 times to save myself in the past). I still haven't figured this out... Why can't the card just read the damn DHCP, like it did before!

Thanks again

I wouldn't think scandisk and/or defrag would knock out your internet connection...it *may* just be a coincidence. Is there anything else you were doing at the time? It sounds like you were "house cleaning".

"I don't have any disks for my ethernet card, so I bought a new one"

All you had to do was download the drivers from the manufacturer.

"I'm thinking of throwing down 100 bucks and buying WINXP"

Not a wise investment, especially considering your system specs. 256MB RAM will not run XP well.

I suggest you continue troubleshooting.

thats weird you had no restore points. i guess the system restore option is ruled out. maybe if you keep troubleshooting you might adventually get it solved. maybe you can find the drivers somewhere. if you can't get this problem solved, your last option would probably be to reinstall windows me back in the computer using your recovery cd or quick restore disks. don't use this option unless you really have to.

Only a wuss uses system restore anyway...lol.

When I got an ethernet card installed I was given a floppy disk with it and I had to use it twice since.

OK I just thought of something if you are using a HP computer try the following. . . . . . .

HOW TO CHECK IF ISP NUMBER IS CORRECT

1. CLICK ON START

2. CLICK ON RUN

3. TYPE WINIPCFG

4. CLICK ON RELEASE THEN RENEW

5. CLICK ON APPLY/OK