Upgraded "Home" to SP2, lost all connectivity.

[Rob00GT]

OK, so I agreed to help out my neighbor by updating his PC with all the latest MS patches, including SP2. He bought a system from Gateway that came with XP Home edition but has been without internet service for a while, and I've got DSL so.... Anyway, everything is going fine, using the Windows Update web site to download and install everything. When SP2 install completes, I no longer have any internet connectivity. Here are some of the symptoms:

* When it boots, it aquires a valid IP address from my router. However, if I disable the LAN connection and then enable it again, it cannot get an address from the router.

* When I try to ping a server on my network from the command prompt I get the following error message:

PING: transmit failed, error code 65.

The computer is a Gateway 500S model that came as a package with 15in. flat panel monitor, speakers, etc. It's an Intel 2GHz processor with 256MB of memory. I had a spare NIC laying around so I installed it just to make sure there wasn't a hardware failure in the onboard NIC, it didn't work either. Everything points to a problem caused by the SP2 upgrade, I just can't find any references to what it could be. Everything I've ever worked on was for XP Pro, I'm starting to really think this Home edition sucks.

Your advice is greatly appreciated.

[horsecharles]

Hey, Rob00GT... you're not the only one.

I fixed mine(with ISP tech support) by uninstalling my firewall and spyblockers(assume you've got xp firewall disabled too), then installing isp software again(disabling firewall & spy apps & installing connection software wasn't enough).

Others have fixed it with an app like this: edit-- this is probably easiest & most-likely fix

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfix.html

And here's MS article(have patience, ms site loading slowly during changeover): http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=842242

Good Luck!

[Rob00GT]

Thanks for the help, unfortunately it didn't work. After doing everything I could think of, I went into Add/Remove Programs and removed SP2. Once it was gone full network connectivity returned. I tried installing it a second time from the Windows Update web site but that too caused a network failure.

Guess this is one computer that will just have to live without SP2.

[horsecharles]

some more thoughts, if you're still at it:

PCHell-- How to Troubleshoot and Fix Limited or No Connectivity Error Message After installing Windows XP Service Pack 2 among other things mentions this MS patch for such problems: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...&DisplayLang=en

at MSMVP MICHNA Windows XP Service Pack 2 Troubleshooter scroll down to: The Service Pack 2 firewall, Networking problems after installing Service Pack 2, etc., etc......

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/bo...message.id=4588

List of fixes included in Windows XP Service Pack 2 (applicable network items highlighted)

Good Luck, happy sloughing through all that while next to the fireplace & with a spiked eggnog in hand...............

[prathapml]

Well, "upgrading" is known to cause problems.

Its not to be blamed on MS either, because doing a ServicePack is almost like a whole new OS, more so with SP2.

Slip-stream SP2 into your XP-disk, install it clean, and absolutely zero problems.

[jpatto]

Did you try and reset your router?

Have you ran spyware cleaner tools?

have you run the following commands at the command prompt: (Start > Run type in cmd press ok):

Ipconfig /release -E

Ipconfig /flushdns -E

netsh int ip reset logfile.txt -E

netsh winsock reset -E

restart pc

where -E is you pressing enter

[Rob00GT]

Well, the story ends with a format of the hard drive and a reload with XP Professional. I've never had trouble with SP2 on Pro, this was my first experience with XP Home Edition. Never again!

Luckily last October (thanks to the great how-to's on this site) I created an unattended install DVD of XP Pro SP2 and Office 2003 SP1 so the windows/office reload only took an hour while I watched TV.