Ping Lookback Address to test TCP/IP when having Network Connectivity Problems

When you are having network connectivity issues and you have ruled out problems with physical connections such as with your cables and network adapters, or your Windows Troubleshooter in the Windows Help and Support Center pointed to a TCP/IP address problem, you can use the Ping command. TCP/IP  is a network protocol used in the Windows environment.  TCP/IP automatically installs itself when it detects a network adapter.  The Ping command allows you to check for connectivity between devices on your network.

You should Ping the loopback address first.  The loopback address is 127.0.0.1.  IP addresses that have 127 in the first octet are called loopback addresses.  If this check fails, the TCP/IP configuration for your computer is incorrect.  To ping the loopback address:

1. Go to the Start menu.  Point to All Programs/Accessories/select Command Prompt.  Another method is to go to the Start menu, select Run, and type cmd in the selection box.
2. Type ping 127.0.0.1 at the command prompt.  If pinging the loopback address fails, check the TCP/IP configuration.
3. Open Network Connections.  Go to Start/Control Panel/Network Connections.  Right-click on the connection, and choose Properties.
4. Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and click Properties.  Review your configuration.  Do you need a static IP address?  If so, select Use The Following IP Address and enter the address, subnet mask, and gateway to use.  Most home users will need to select Obtain An IP Address Automatically.  If your configuration is correct, you might have to reset TCP/IP.  For instructions on how to reset TCP/IP, see article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299357
5. Click OK and reboot the computer if prompted.

For further information on TCP/IP troubleshooting tools, see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314067

Need a Windows XP tune up?

Defrag your hard drive


The more you use your computer, the more the files become fragmented and spread around your hard drive in bits and pieces.  The more fragmented your hard drive is, the slower the performance.  Defragging your hard drive consolidates the pieces into single contiguous sections or blocks for faster access.

Windows has a free Disk Defragmenter.  You might want to run the defragmenter before you go to bed as it takes a long time to complete.  You should be logged on as an Administrator.

Go to START, then ALL PROGRAMS, ACCESSORIES, SYSTEM TOOLS, DISK DEFRAGMENTER.  Highlight the hard drive you want to Defrag, usually the C: drive.   If you have more than one drive, you can defrag them all, but only one at a time.   Press the Analyze button and Defrag will tell you whether or not the drive needs to be defragged.  Click on the Defrag button to begin the  Defrag process.

You should do this at least once a month.  More, if you are a heavy pc user.

For alternate methods of using Disk Defragmenter, check the Microsoft Knowledge Base below:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848

Check your hard drive for errors

It is smart to do a thorough check of your hard drives once in a while.   Click on My Computer.  Next, right click on your drive (probably the C: drive).  Click Properties.  Then, click on Error-Checking.  Next, Click the Check Now button.

You must be logged in as an Administrator.  All files must be closed, so you might receive a message from XP stating that the chkdsk will run the next time Windows starts.

Chkdsk could take a long time to run depending on how large your hard drive is, so it is best to schedule it accordingly, like before you go to bed.

For more information on Chkdsk, see the following link:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265

Your Computer Suddenly Loses Its Internet Connection

Most home pcs connect to the Internet through a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.  This means its IP address is automatically assigned by the server (most likely your router).  IP addresses are automatically assigned (leased) for a time determined by your ISP.  The time varies, depending on the ISP.  When your lease expires you will lose your internet connection.  The easiest way to avoid having your IP address expire and losing your internet connection is to turn off your computer at night, so that when you turn it back on the next day, the IP address is automatically renewed.

Another way to restore your internet connection in Windows XP, is to click START, RUN, type cmd and press Enter.  This will take you into MS-DOS.  At the command prompt, type ipconfig /release and press Enter.  Then type ipconfig /renew and press Enter.  Be sure to hit the space bar after you type the ipconfig command.

For a more detailed explanation, see the following informative link:

http://www.whatismyip.com/faq/what-is-an-ip-address.asp

Touchpad not working on Lenovo laptop.

Last night my daughter asked me if she could borrow my laptop to check her Facebook for five minutes.  She suddenly started complaining about the mouse being frozen.  I was not surprised because the Synaptics Alps touchpad on this lenovo notebook has always been a problem.  The problem is more with the sensitivity.  No matter how I adjust the settings, the pointer is too sensitive and ends up being somewhere else on the page from where I am typing.

That was not the problem my daughter was currently having, so after surfing the net for a few minutes, I found the solution.  If you have a similiar problem, try this before you spin your wheels looking for another driver or something more time consuming. It worked for me, like a charm.

There is a small touchad on the laptop right above the Pause/Break key on the top right hand side (right above Backspace key).  This touchpad turns the main mouse pad on and off.  It is to the right of the N 500 logo and the touchpads for the volume controls.  Push that and voila!  You now have an activated mouse!

I found this solution at this link:

http://www.fixya.com/support/t2621356-touchpad_not_wirking

Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 System File Checker (Sfc.exe)

System File Checker is a very useful tool when the Windows operating system is having problems. The utility replaces corrupt or missing system files. It retrieves the correct version of the file from the hidden cache folder contained in the %Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache or the Windows installation source files and replaces the problem file, if it finds one.

Sometimes you are able to fix your system problems very quickly without much effort, just by running the sfc.exe scan utility. I highly recommend you try this before resorting to a Windows reinstall or other drastic measures. Click on the link below for detail instructions on how to use System File Checker. 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/222471

Another link that explains the sfc.exe utility in even greater detail and lists problems and questions in a user friendly format is the link listed below:

http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

Repair and Reset Windows Vista TCP/IP Winsock Catalog Corruption

This solution applies to Windows Vista:

Recently, I installed some free anti-virus software on a friend's laptop (the operating system was Vista).  After the installation, I encountered one problem after another.  Windows Firewall connection turned off and became disabled.  I was unable to connect to the internet even though my wireless connection was showing as enabled.  Internet Explorer was showing a "Page cannot be displayed" error.

I started surfing the net on my other pc for anyone who might have encountered a similar problem.  

Lo and behold, I found this link!  It was easy and solved the problem, five short steps.  Be sure to click on the link for an explanation as to what caused the Winsock corruption.  This fix could save you a lot of potential headache.  

1.  Click on the Start button.

2.  Type Cmd in the Start Search text box.

3.  Press Ctrl-Shift-Enter keyboard shortcut to run Command Prompt as Administrator.  Allow elevation request.

4.  Type netsh winsock reset in the Command Prompt shell, and then  press the Enter key.

5.  Restart the computer.

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/06/18/repair-and-reset-windows-vista-tcpip-winsock-catalog-corruption/

How to Troubleshoot TCP/IP connectivity with Windows XP

This link contains some useful tools to determine the cause of your Internet and Network connectivity problems for Windows XP.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314067

Troubleshooting Microsoft Windows XP

When you start the computer, it now takes 20 minutes to complete the logon process. Once the computer is started, you cannot use any hardware connected to the computer. You discover the Plug and Play service is stopped, but you cannot get it started.

Explanation:

The Plug and Play service is the basis of all Windows services and must be running to have a stable system. However, once Windows is started, the service cannot be started.

First, you should start the computer from a bootable Windows XP Professional CD-ROM. Enter the Recovery Console before Windows starts. Enter R to repair the installation when the Welcome to Setup screen appears.

Choose the Windows installation to repair and enter the Administrator password.

You will be taken to the command prompt. At the prompt, type ENABLE PlugPlay SERVICE_AUTO_START. This command configures the registry to start the Plug and Play service automatically right after Windows starts but before the logon process. You should then restart the computer by typing EXIT.