HP Pavilion a330n - No Network Connectivity

masterasia

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Got an old computer from a client to fix up this past weekend.
OS: Windows XP Home SP1 (I updated it to SP3)

Original Problem: The Code Purple error on boot:
I did the Code Purple hack and got it to boot to a desktop.

Now the problem I'm having is that it seems I'm not connected to my network.
It's getting an IP address, Gateway, and DNS from DHCP server.
I even tried it with a static IP address.
I went through the Windows XP network configuration like 100 times and tried
every possible combination, but still no network or Internet. The stupid network wizard wanted
to connect to my network through the fire fire port, so I disabled it in the BIOS so it only shows
the LAN.

I updated the BIOS, I updated the NIC drivers (nForce MCP network controller).

I downloaded Service Pack 3 from another computer and updated the computer to that to.

When I try to ping from it, it can't find anything.
My DHCP server sees the computer, but I can't access or ping it from any other computers on my network.

Firewall is disabled.

The Network Status is reporting packets sent but ZERO packets received.

The computer was just restored to factory settings and everything so there are no viruses or trojans just a bunch of stupid bloatware that I uninstalled.

My new theory is that either HP's branded OS is not letting me connect to a network because the OS's that caused the Code Purple error in the first place was FUBAR'd or the NIC is bad.

Just wondering if anyone has every encountered anything like this before?
It would save me a lot of time if I didn't have to re-format the stupid thing with Windows XP Pro,
which was what I should have done first, but the DVD/CD rom doesn't work in the damn thing
and I don't have a spare IDE DVD/CD rom and don't want to purchase one just to fix up this stupid
outdated computer.

I have a spare Wireless NIC somewhere that I can not find at the moment, but will try that as soon as I find it.
 

masterasia

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Lights are flashing.
Can a NIC be bad even though it's getting an IP address and everything?
 

HPrometheus

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99.9% of the problems are in the wiring usually. Maybe look at security settings? Sounds like what you'd get if the password was wrong on a wireless network...

Still getting an IP means you're on the local network, are you pinging another computer ont eh network?
 

masterasia

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This computer is on my build bench. The wiring is good because it works on every other computer and laptop on my build bench. I can't ping out or to this computer. Very bizarre. If this is a symptom of a bad NIC then it's the first time in my 15 years of fixing and building computers that I've come across this.
 

masterasia

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I figured out the problem. It was a bad NIC. Told the client the bad news and now he doesn't want to fix it anymore. The thing was a piece of *** anyways, good thing I don't have to deal with that old computer anymore. It wasted almost a day of my life.