Aggravating glitch with XP and the Internet

[This Guy]

This just started happening a few days ago. The only thing I can think of that changed was my doing the last Windows Updates, last week. I'm running XP Home, SP2.

When I try to browse the net, I keep getting this little window pop up that says I'm not connected to the internet, and ask if I want to work off line, or try again. I'm sure those that have been around awhile have seen it.
Every single time it has happened, I've known the connection is and has been up, because my other computer was doing some on-line stuff, and never faltered. I've hit "Try Again" every time, and what ever I was trying to do worked. Without fail.

Nothing on my connection has changed. I have High Speed connection via cable. I use a router with built in hub, and have two PCs setting within reach of each other both connected to the router. Both are running XP Home, SP2, and both did the updates last week, so I doubt that is the problem. The other PC has not developed this annoying glitch.

I tried a prolonged power off, thinking something got hosed in the CPUs internal cache or something. No change. While it doesn't happen every time I try to go to a new link, or update the page I'm on, it does happen quite often, and is getting very annoying. If I play an on-line game on the computer, it works with no noticeable issues. It only appears to be browser related (Internet Explorer 7).

Anyone else run across this? Have any suggestions for a cure?

[Wudang]

a) switch to Firefox or Opera
b) click on File and see if you have "Work offline" clicked

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/180946

[This Guy]

a) switch to Firefox or Opera
b) click on File and see if you have "Work offline" clicked

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/180946

a) Thought about this, and may yet. Just not quite ready yet.

b) Nope, not set. I set it, and unset it after checking to see if it was set. Maybe that will "wake it up" or something.

Checked the link! Looked promising! But the setting was already 0x00000000 (0)

We'll see if the set/unset work off line did anything, and report back.

Thanks for the fast reply! :)


ETA: Well, when I clicked the submit button on the OP I got the message. Did not get it when posting this. Really too early to tell, but I'm keeping my eyes crossed (crossing fingers is a silly superstition! ;)

[Rolfe]

I used to get something very similar on my old PC (the one that finally fried its hard disc at the weekend). It seemed to relate to IE having come to the conclusion that my dial-up was disconnected, probably because it had actually disconnected. Then when I connected again, IE didn't get the memo. All I had to do was to click on "connect" and it all returned to normal.

It only happened occasionally, but I got the impression that it was fairly logical when it did happen.

Rolfe.

[This Guy]

Well, it's still doing it. Did it when I opened IE to check the thread, and when I clicked "Reply" to post this.

I'm debating clearing out and re-setting up the net connection. But I've got assigned IP addresses on a very fickle setup that allows me to use both computers to play Asheron's Call at the same time. Took me hours to get it right, and it's worked fine for months. Still works, even with this new wrinkle. I hate to muck with it if I can avoid it.

Might try switching cables or something.

Think I'll finish waking up before I do anything though ;)

[Mongrel]

Try Control Panel > Internet Properties > Connections tab

Set it to "Never dial a connection", Apply and exit.

Try again

[Dancing David]

So many ways it can get goobered, so many ways it can fool itself.

Really FireFox is cool, I just switched myself. You can do what I did recently as well, prior to FireFox, install the 'recovery console' and uninstall IE7 and then reinstall. You will have IE6 when you uninstall IE7, or you are supposed to.

This can be even more fun and aggravating:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927177

But it fixed a number of glitches I had with IE7.

The problems with the MS UpDates are amazing (I still run them all the time), at work the stupid validation programs cause some of the machines to say the drivers for the sound cards are invalid , or even worse some of the drivers for the network adapters are invalid.

[casebro]

I get that error/connect messege, and I use Firefox. Seems to me, it only happens when the site is doing something, Java type prob maybe? I close the messege, and go about my business.

[This Guy]

Try Control Panel > Internet Properties > Connections tab

Set it to "Never dial a connection", Apply and exit.

Try again

Checked this. It's set to never dial a connection, and the options are grayed out (can't be changed anyway :).

Thanks for the suggestion though!

[LTC8K6]

Try clearing IE's temporary files? Close IE first.

[This Guy]

So many ways it can get goobered, so many ways it can fool itself.

Really FireFox is cool, I just switched myself. You can do what I did recently as well, prior to FireFox, install the 'recovery console' and uninstall IE7 and then reinstall. You will have IE6 when you uninstall IE7, or you are supposed to.

This can be even more fun and aggravating:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927177

But it fixed a number of glitches I had with IE7.

The problems with the MS UpDates are amazing (I still run them all the time), at work the stupid validation programs cause some of the machines to say the drivers for the sound cards are invalid , or even worse some of the drivers for the network adapters are invalid.


I may give this a shot. But not right away. Mainly because I'm lazy :) And also because I fear loosing something I don't want to loose in the process. I also just downloaded the Beta for Windows 7 and I'm a bit anxious to play with it ;)

Thanks much for the info though!

I have had some glitches from the MS UpDates, but they have been rare. The latest updates are the only thing I can think of that has happened between this not happening, and it starting though. I haven't installed any software, or changed any hardware. And I installed them on my second computer just a few days earlier and have not noticed any problem, though I do most my WWW stuff on this one.

I love Windows, but it has caused me to cuss more than anything, short of my ex-wife ;)

[This Guy]

Try clearing IE's temporary files? Close IE first.

I ran an optimizing program yesterday that should have done that, but I just did it again to be sure.

We'll see.

Thanks for the suggestion!

[Gagglegnash]

Hi

1) Who's your ISP? (If it's COMCAST, they've probably done something.)
2) How old is your cable modem? (Older modems may have been manufactured with one of a flood of capacitors that wear out very quickly.)
3) Have you cycled power on your cable modem?
4) Are you using a router/bridge/hub on your side of the cable modem?
if yes, then 4.1) As above, how old, and have you cycled power on it?
5) Are you getting a good picture on your cable tv?
6) Are you using a cable splitter (http://www.yourbroadbandstore.com/category.php?product=Splitters&cat=MN) on the cable that goes to your cable modem? (cable splitters go sour occasionally.)
7) Are you doing anything with elbow couplings on the cable? (Take 'em off. Impedance changes and resulting mismatch can be a signal killer.)

Looking forward to some answers or some good news. :)

[This Guy]

I'm afraid to say this, but since I deleted the temp files, the problem has not reappeared. I'm gonna continue monitoring for awhile, until it either happens again, or I go a day or two with no occurrence.

[This Guy]

Well, the problem seems to be gone! Thanks for all the tips/tricks. Looks like the one from LTC8K6 did the trick! I have to admit that I had strong doubts about it, but it worked, and I'm good with that ;)

Thanks again to all that offered suggestions!

[H3LL]

A few days ago my ISP had a problem with, could you believe it, processing URLs and I got similar problems. IP addresses worked (a bit) but gone are the days when I hold IP addresses in my head. They fixed it eventually.

Last night again I had only some Internet access but the problem is gone this morning.

Could it have been your ISP and not your XP?



I have made a note of a few popular IP addresses should it happen again. 66.102.9.147 is Google. It doesn't help much but was a useful test that it's them and not me.

[This Guy]

Don't think it was ISP.

There are two computers connected to the same net connection, separated only by patch cable and hub ports. And never saw the problem on the second computer. Though, as I said, I don't do much WWW browsing on the second computer. This one does most of that. Everything else worked fine on the Internet, was just IE that seemed to be confused, and that was sporadic.

It certainly appears that deleting the temp files did the trick. The problem has not occurred since I did that anyway.

[H3LL]

Not that then. All four PCs here were useless on the Internet in all types of browser.

[Wudang]

You on talktalk h3ll? Their DNS servers are notoriously crap. I can't really complain as I effectively have free broadband but you (like me) may wish to google on
talktalk dns
Just a suggestion

[H3LL]

No, I'm with Orange and have had no issue with them until this recent glitch. Speed and reliability had been of a high standard and I like my free phone calls worldwide (very useful).

[a_unique_person]

The problems with the MS UpDates are amazing (I still run them all the time), at work the stupid validation programs cause some of the machines to say the drivers for the sound cards are invalid , or even worse some of the drivers for the network adapters are invalid.

I never update the drivers. Everything else is ok, but not the drivers.

[skepticsfriend]

It sounds to me like your modem could use to redownload everything. Give the reset button a push. (Often this button is hidden somewhat and needs pused with a pen.) Also, a reset is not the same as a powercycle. Then turn off your computer for a minute, and see what happens. You could even get your ISP to force a reset too. Sometimes this will work when your very own reset will fail.

There are many other things you could do too. If this doesn't work, give me a hollar if you like. :)

_______________________________________


Yesterdays fiction is today's science. Keep an open mind, but be careful not to get your head stuck too deep in the rabbit hole. With a positive attitude you will never want for anything.

[Rolfe]

Welcome to my ignore list. At least, until I'm informed that default font is being used.

Suggesting something other than Janet-and-John 1.01 platitudes would be good too.

Rolfe.

[skepticsfriend]

Welcome to my ignore list. At least, until I'm informed that default font is being used.

Suggesting something other than Janet-and-John 1.01 platitudes would be good too.

Rolfe.


Oh you poor thing. I feel so bad for you, having such a miserable existence. I hope putting me down has really improved your day. I will light a candle for you and sing kum bi ya.



_______________________________________


Yesterdays fiction is today's science. Keep an open mind, but be careful not to get your head stuck too deep in the rabbit hole. With a positive attitude you will never want for anything.

[Wudang]

Who was it who said something about writing in green ink is a sure sign of a diseased mind?

[skepticsfriend]

Who was it who said something about writing in green ink is a sure sign of a diseased mind?

Hmm.. Someone really needs to keep a better eye on their charges. Irregardless, has your day improved now too? I better run out and buy some more candles.




_______________________________________


Yesterdays fiction is today's science. Keep an open mind, but be careful not to get your head stuck too deep in the rabbit hole. With a positive attitude you will never want for anything.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Have any suggestions for a cure?

Get a Mac.

[Skeptic Ginger]

I found the answer to one of my questions on the WindowsXP forum if you don't get one here.

Also, the problems I've had losing connections were fixed by resetting the modem, but your problem sounds different.

I just upgraded XP and lost the ability to save a file to the CD drive. But nothing else happened. I haven't spent any time fixing the CD issue yet. I'm going to let my son do it because he can find the problem faster.

[This Guy]

Get a Mac.

:D