Depending on how old the computer is it may already be set to seek the CD first. Pop the CD in and reboot to confirm this perhaps. If not then enter the BIOS to set it as the first choice. Look along the top tabs in the BIOS, I forget the one you need but using your arrow keys on the keyboard you can move through the pages. Usually the instructions to move or alter settings are on the right side of your screen. Be sure to tap F10 to exit and save settings

all of mine are set that way by default, I use my linux live cd's that way. But yes as Owbist said you can change the order in the Bios.

Ok, Owbist and Ravencajun, I have a new hard drive I want to install but I am going to take out the 80GB hard drive and make the larger drive my C drive. After I install it is when I need to set it to boot from the CD. If the larger drive has already been formated by Windows will I have to wipe it clean using a information erasing program? Right now I haven't done any thing yet because my son wants me to wait till he gets here on Sun. He thinks my problem with connecting may be an incorrect setting somewhere. I haven't been able to connect even after installing a new Ethernet port card after I thought my Ethernet port on the motherboard had somehow gotten corrupted.

You say this is a new hard drive but further on wonder about it being formatted by Windows. Assuming it is new and has no data it does not matter really. As you start the install Windows will inspect the drive and make a recommendation and offer other options if appropriate. If the new drive has data I personally like to slave it to the current setup to wipe or format it so we start clean. Then swap the drives and proceed with the install. I do this because long ago I had a couple of incidents with MS and my stupidity so I avoid a repeat performance.

Regarding the start sequence just pop the Windows CD in and start. If it goes directly to the CD do a three finger salute - alt, ctrl, delete - then remove the CD. If it fails to recognise the CD first then you will need to adjust the BIOS.

But we seem to have a different problem. You had onboard LAN but replaced that with a separate LAN card? When you connect the CAT5 cable to either the old or new port on the back does the activity light on the LAN connection back there start blinking? Have you checked the Device manager?

To do so click Start/Control panel/System/Hardware/Device manager then click Network adaptors and try the troubleshooter

Owbist,
Yes you are correct about the LAN. ON both ports the light is steady, no blinking. I have checked the Device Manager and there are no red x's or yellow exclamation points. I do not know what is causing the problem. I had a Bright house tech come out and look into it and he says the modem is working since the other computers are able to connect via the router, one is wired to the router and the other two laptops are wireless. I am currently using the computer that is wired to access the internet. It is located in son's bedroom. If my son can not figure out what is causing the problem I will install the new drive and install Windows on it and then wipe the small hard drive clean and put Ubuntu on it so that if a problem pops up again , I will be able to access the internet by swapping the drives.

Between this forum and the PCQ&A forum I have learned so much and I really appreciate the help since I am on a very limited budget. A trip to a shop to get it repaired is out of the question since we can not afford extra bills like that would be.

DLD,
On the connection issues, have you tried a new ethernet cable since the new ethernet card isn't working? Maybe also try a different port on the router if the first suggestions are not working.

Pam

Daylily I do not think changing the drive or re-installing Windows is going to do anything for you on this issue. I think I might be checking both the router and the CAT5 cable connected to this computer. Presumably you have a 4 port router with wireless. Try moving the CAT5 cable to another port on the router. Obviously you have the incoming cable from the modem connected to the correct (WAN) port or you would not likely get a signal on the 2 laptops. If possible you might swap the 2 CAT5 cables over, this would possibly let you know if there was a bad cable because the laptops would not be able to connect to the net if the cable was bad.

You might even try connecting the offending computer directly to the modem bypassing the router. This will give you a clue as to whether the wired side of the router is working or not.

On the linux issue you can download SimplyMEPIS and have it run from the CD with no need to install at all. It is a 650 meg download or you can send for a CD for (I think) about $10. If downloading you would then need to burn it as an ISO. But as I noted earlier, in my opinion none of that will cure the connection problem.

I agree completely I do not see how putting a new drive or re-installing windows will help this connection problem.

I can not remember from the original thread and I could not find it right off if you tried plugging that pc into the router as some of us had suggested since you said it was the only one not plugged into the router? That thread should be linked to this one if anyone happens to find it so we can keep up.

Definitely check cables and connections and ports and try doing repair connection on the network settings. I think it has to be something in the settings that has gotten screwy if it is not a cable.

Have you tried in Safe mode? if not try that too. Open the case and check it for anything loose in connections after turning if off of course.

You can get Mepis8 the latest version of Mepis linux which is my much preferred distro here for just a couple of dollars if you do not want to burn your own ISO disc. As Owbist said you can simply put the cd in your cd drive and boot the pc to cd and choose to run from the cd and not even have to install it on the hard drive it will run from the cd.
MEPIS Linux

also when installed the new nic card did you disable the old one in device manager and are you certain you are using the new one, did you take the old one out or just add the new one in a different slot? do you see the new one as the one active listed in your network connections?

Have you tried a full power down of all components involved which would include the pc disconnected from all power sources and everything connected to the pc must be also disconnected from all power sources (including printer etc), the router must be disconnected from all power sources as well as the modem, all power off to every thing, flip the toggle switch on the back of your pc to off, let it all set with out power for at least 10 minutes, then plug in the modem and power it up and the router, do not connect the other computers lets just deal with this one, connect the power to that pc and lastly once all is connected flip the toggle switch on the back to on and boot the pc, see if that helps at all, this should allow that pc to make the original connection rather than one of the other computers.
Often times this type of full power down from all components allows any weird power loops to be broken and surprisingly fixes things. Definitely leave all the other computers out of this scenario just have this one pc in the mix for now.

I found the original thread here is the link to it

Computer conneted to modem, cannot connect to internet

Ravencajun, Owbist,
I have tried everything you have suggest including powering down the computer for more than an hour, modem unplugged from power , router unplugged from power then replugged them all back up and powered back on the computer, my computer was the only one connected, still could not get on the internet. I have used new cables , no go, switch port positions trying all 4 , still no connection.
I have booted into Safe Mode and tried last known Good Figurations , Safe Mode with networking and any other Safe Mode that would boot up. Still not able to connect. I have opened the case to remove dust and checked every connections to make sure I had not knocked something loose, Had nothing loose.
Disabled the onboard ethernet port before trying the new add on card. Even the new ethernet card could not connect. Made a new connection with Wizard to try to get out and still cannot get on the internet. The only thing I haven't done was to toggle the on/off switch on the computer. So I guess we will try that when my son gets here on tomorrow. If that does not correct it. I may switch the motherboard to a new one.

The peanut gallery has a oouple of questions.

1. When you disabled the original ethernet port, did you do it in device manager or in the bios? If you only did it in device manager there's a possibility it will still conflict with the new ethernet adapter's IRQ causing it not to function correctly.

2. You said there were no problems with the driver in device manager. Did you remove the original ethernet card's driver and let Windows reinstall it? Sometimes, but not often, Windows will show a driver as good in device manager, when in fact the driver is corrupt.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Terry

xp will have no problem with 2 or more installed ethernet cards.

Daylily what is the make and model of the motherboard?

Is this the latest computer you and your son built not too long ago? When was that? Seems if you can decide the mobo has failed it might still be under warranty and you can RMA the board.

Since a new hard drive has been purchased, I would install Windows on the new drive. I would also remove the network card and see if the on-board card works with the new installation.

You can change the boot sequence to look at the CD drive first by entering your BIOS setup. When you turn on the PC you should see a message on the screen saying PRESS XX FOR SETUP where XX will most likely be the DEL, F1 - F10, or ESC key. If no message appears you will have to try all of the keys mentioned until you enter the BIOS Setup screen.

Once in the setup, look for a BOOT menu and change the 1st Boot device to CDROM. If your Setup doesn't have a BOOT menu, look under the Advanced BIOS Features menu.

I would swap the old hard drive with the new one and then install Windows. You can always swap them back and loose nothing.

I have a feeling your network card will work after re-installing Windows. I've seen it happen before.

Best of luck.

To answer the peanut gallery question,Terry, yes I had disabled it by going into the BIOS and Setup changing it both to disable.

I have deleted the ethernet driver and reinstalled from the motherboard's setup disc. Even the reinstall did not work.

Owbist this computer is a year and 4 months old. It was built at Christmas of 2007. I do not know if the motherboard has failed but I will try to find out. The motherboard brand is Elitegroup and the model is GeForce 6100PM-M2. Chipset isNV MCP61P.

The current ethernet port is on the motherboard John. The new ethernet port is a PCI card.
I was planning to uninstall the current hard drive and install the new one, putting Windows XP Pro in a clean install. I will not transfer Windows with a cable link.

If all this fails to work, I will uninstall the motherboard and install a new one. I have one available that is not being used and it was purchased shortly after my computer was built.
I will not be able to work on it this week since I have company, my son and his family arrived today. My daughter-in-law wants to spend some time with me . Her mother abandoned her family when she was a young girl. So I try to help her realize that all mothers are not like hers was.

"The current Ethernet port is on the motherboard John."

That's why I called it an on-board card, as in embedded on the motherboard.

LOL replacing most of the components and the hard drive should fix the problem. I prefer to isolate individual issues.

Windows activation may not like the motherboard being replaced. If you are going to replace the motherboard, I would wait until the new board is installed before loading the operating system.

That is the way I am going to do it. I am going to treat it as a new build but using the same case, RAM, CPU and Fan.I will clean the CPU before installing on the new motherboard I have all the necessary items I need to do it that way. My son made sure I knew what I was doing when we built the computer at Christmas of 2007.
All cables have been replace with new ones and the problem still exists. I will suffer thru the week till my son and his family leave, grandson leaves for his dad's for the weekend.So I will have no interruptions.

Good luck daylily, you can do this. Just remember the Arctic Silver. Do you have the CD for the motherboard you intend to use? I believe this is a mobo you already had that is why I ask because you will need that for some of your drivers.

If MS gives you any static because you are moving the operating system (they probably will accept it but....)- to another computer in their eyes do not take no for an answer. You will/may be given a phone number if you wish to phone and argue the point. Phone and it will be passed. Been there and done that.

I might buy a cheap usb nic before replacing a motherboard.

Owbist, I do have the Arctic Silver thermal material remover and the Thermal Surface Purifier as well as the Arctic Silver that goes on the CPU.
I will not have to call MS since I have the disc for a clean install. If I do have to call MS I will just say my hard drive crashed. Did that once before when I had my HP Pavilion computer,

Mikie, buying a USB NIC may be the next thing I buy.

Yes I do have the new motherboard disc. I kept everything in its original box and I can get to it easily. I studied a CD program I have on building a computer to get familiar with the steps and also studied a book I found that illustrated each piece of hardware and defined its use before I even bought a single part. I did a lot of research on the internet before picking out the parts I needed in 2007.

Ravencajun, Owbist and the others that have tried to help solve this problem, I have tried every thing you all have suggested. It hasn't solved it. So as my last attempt to solve this I am going to remove the battery and let it sit for 30-60 minutes. Then I will reinstall the battery and hook everything back up and try it again. If this doesn't solve it, I will unhook everything from the motherboard and remove that motherboard and install the Gigabite board I currently have waiting to be used. I will post the result of this test in this thread.

OK, discharging the battery and a call to Netgear for support for the router did not solve the problem. So I will be swapping out the motherboard on the first weekend I have free of the grandson. Next weekend I am gone on the Sat. all day to my daylily club's annual flower show.So maybe next Sunday I will be back up and running on my own computer.

I just thought about doing this: Unhook everything from the back of computer ,Toggle the on/off switch. Remove case cover and disconnect power to internal items such as DVD drive, hard drives and to motherboard. Then remove battery, let every thing sit for 15-30 minutes. Then reinstall battery, re hook power to power to everything, Put cover back on and hook everything back up on the back, toggle the on/off switch and see if I can boot up. If boot up is sucessful, then try to connect to internet. If this does not correct the problem, then I will swap the motherboard out.

I have ordered a new hard drive and when it gets here I am going to uninstall everything from the motherboard that has the problem connecting. I am going to rebuild the computer using the other motherboard I have. Everything will be reused . Then if that works, I am going to throw away that motherboard that I am having the problem connecting with.

Broadcom AC131 PHY 10/100Mbps LAN On board

Is that your on board LAN above. (Broadcom AC131)

Can you show me where you got the driver for that.

The other thing on the other thread mikie mentioned winsoc have you tried to repair the winsoc files? You never followed up on that.

Give it a shot,

Reset WINSOCK entries
Reset TCP/IP stack

Go Start > Run (Start search in Vista) then type in: cmd

Click OK (in Vista, while holding CTRL, and SHIFT, press Enter).

At the Command Prompt, type in:

netsh winsock reset catalog

On the keyboard press Enter.

Do that again and type in:

netsh int ip reset reset.log

Press Enter.

Restart the computer.

Note: Resetting the Winsock using netsh winsock reset catalog command in SP2 removes all the third-party LSPs and restores Winsock to factory default setting. Existing programs that uses their own LSPs need to be reinstalled again. Example: Google Desktop Search.

----------

Go Start > Run (Start search in Vista) and type in: cmd

Click OK (in Vista, while holding CTRL, and SHIFT, press Enter).

In the Command Prompt window type in following commands, and press Enter after each one:

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

Note the space before the forward slash /

Restart the computer.

OK Zep,
I am looking in the manual for the motherboard for information about the LAN and this is what I found: 10 BASE-T/100BASE-TX IEEE 802.3u fast Ethernrt transceiver, low power mode, Mill and 7-wire interface. That is all it says about the LAN.
The motherboard I am currently using is by EliteGroup and the Model is GeForce6100PM-M2 There is nothing in the manual about Broadcom AC131 PHY 10/100Mbps LAN On board being a part of the motherboard. I do not think it is part of it..
I am going to give the steps you outlined a try right now. I will post back my results.

Results of the CMD command prompts are as follows
Winsock entries and TCP/IP stack success in resetting on both steps but the Ipconfig steps were unsuccessful .
ALL of the steps were performed but it was not successful in connecting to the internet.

If I'm right in the link below is the Your Motherboard and if you scroll down to specifications and look at LAN you will see this: Broadcom AC131 PHY 10/100Mbps

Im not sure what's going on with the "Ipconfig steps were unsuccessful" ????????????

http://www.bioticaindia.com/broadcom-ac131-10-100-lan-phy.html

Here is a link that might be useful: GeForce6100PM-M2

My new hard drive will be here this afternoon, so I will be rebuilding the computer tomorrow while grandson is in school.

Zep I went to the site for the Broadcom but I couldn't get the site to accept my sign in name and password after I registered so I could download the driver. I then asked for a link to download via my email and never got the email to the link . So that was my last attempt to solve it. By tomorrow afternoon I will have it rebuilt.

Good luck, and thanks for following up!!!!!!!!!

My new hard drive arrived before 7:00 pm so I will be busy tonight dismantling everything from my computer and getting ready to rebuild it.

What's going on???? Did you get it going?