Network connection on Win98SE machine keeps failing

Anthony Buckland · External Since: May 07, 2007 Posts: 10

I recently installed Telus High Speed (DSL). Our secondary machine
gets a working network connection on booting, every time, but within
about 15 minutes it fails. This is a Compaq 7AP190, 2000 vintage,
Win98SE, wired connection to ethernet port, single processor at 1GHz,
256 MBy RAM. Our primary machine, a 2006 VAIO with WinXP,
seems still to be able to ping the Compaq, but neither machine can
read the other's shared files after the failure.

I've tried the obvious things like unplugging and replugging the cable
plug, even backed out with Acronis True Image to a months-old
backup (TI replaces the entire partition contents). No joy. Since
a reboot always works for a while, it seems unlikely that hardware
is to blame.

Thanks for any suggestions and/or shared experiences.

Haggis · External Since: Jun 15, 2006 Posts: 306

"Anthony Buckland" <anthonybucklandnospam.DeleteThis@telus.net> wrote in message
news:%23Av131lkHHA.3452@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>I recently installed Telus High Speed (DSL). Our secondary machine
> gets a working network connection on booting, every time, but within
> about 15 minutes it fails. This is a Compaq 7AP190, 2000 vintage,
> Win98SE, wired connection to ethernet port, single processor at 1GHz,
> 256 MBy RAM. Our primary machine, a 2006 VAIO with WinXP,
> seems still to be able to ping the Compaq, but neither machine can
> read the other's shared files after the failure.
>
> I've tried the obvious things like unplugging and replugging the cable
> plug, even backed out with Acronis True Image to a months-old
> backup (TI replaces the entire partition contents). No joy. Since
> a reboot always works for a while, it seems unlikely that hardware
> is to blame.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions and/or shared experiences.
>

have you un-installed and re-installed your network card ? (drivers)

Anthony Buckland · External Since: May 07, 2007 Posts: 10

"Haggis" <zeddySP RemoveThis @Mnavnet.net> wrote in message
news:%23WX9a0xkHHA.3512@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>
>
>
>
> "Anthony Buckland" <anthonybucklandnospam RemoveThis @telus.net> wrote in message
> news:%23Av131lkHHA.3452@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>I recently installed Telus High Speed (DSL). Our secondary machine
>> gets a working network connection on booting, every time, but within
>> about 15 minutes it fails ,,,
>
> have you un-installed and re-installed your network card ? (drivers)
>
>

Yes, and it was a delightful experience since I don't have a Win98SE
CD-ROM (just the machine manufacturer's recovery CD's, great if
I get nostalgic for 2000, although I did use them as the first stage
in replacing the hard drive last year), plus the CAB arsenal. Thing
was, I actually had all the files the reinstall wanted, just in different
directories in \WINDOWS. But it asks before finishing opening
windows, so I had to let the install fail and use my scribbled notes
to find the files, then uninstall again, ...

But it didn't, regrettably, do any good. However, today I tried a
slightly tweaked resetup of the network settings, which _might_
have worked ...

Haggis · External Since: Jun 15, 2006 Posts: 306

"Anthony Buckland" <anthonybucklandnospam.RemoveThis@telus.net> wrote in message
news:ODIR7bClHHA.4552@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>
> "Haggis" <zeddySP.RemoveThis@Mnavnet.net> wrote in message
> news:%23WX9a0xkHHA.3512@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "Anthony Buckland" <anthonybucklandnospam.RemoveThis@telus.net> wrote in message
>> news:%23Av131lkHHA.3452@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>>I recently installed Telus High Speed (DSL). Our secondary machine
>>> gets a working network connection on booting, every time, but within
>>> about 15 minutes it fails ,,,
>>
>> have you un-installed and re-installed your network card ? (drivers)
>>
>>
>
> Yes, and it was a delightful experience since I don't have a Win98SE
> CD-ROM (just the machine manufacturer's recovery CD's, great if
> I get nostalgic for 2000, although I did use them as the first stage
> in replacing the hard drive last year), plus the CAB arsenal. Thing
> was, I actually had all the files the reinstall wanted, just in different
> directories in \WINDOWS. But it asks before finishing opening
> windows, so I had to let the install fail and use my scribbled notes
> to find the files, then uninstall again, ...
>
> But it didn't, regrettably, do any good. However, today I tried a
> slightly tweaked resetup of the network settings, which _might_
> have worked ...
>

once installed you can usually point the installer at \windows or
\windows\system to collect the win98 files ...but you still need the correct
drivers from the manufacturer ...

Anthony Buckland · External Since: May 07, 2007 Posts: 10

In a Win98SE manual, I ran across the idea that network cables
should stay away from fluorescent lights. My cable runs across
the basement ceiling and crosses right over, at a few inches
distance, a standard 2-tube fluorescent fixture. Could
interference from that fixture result in a network connection
going down after some unspecified time?

Anthony Buckland · External Since: May 07, 2007 Posts: 10

Today's experiment was to turn off completely power saving on
the Win98SE machine. Didn't do any good, but worth the
test.

Which leads me to a question about the state I'm in right now.
Our WinXP machine and our Win98SE machine can each ping
the other, by name or by number, but neither can see the other's
shared files, and the Win98SE machine can't access the net.
So what, exactly, does this mean? The wires are
presumably intact. But something [in software?] doesn't work.
There are only so many wires. The software is presumably (?)
intact, since rebooting the Win98SE machine cures all ills.
The Win98SE machine's Ethernet card is presumably prepared
to work if given a fresh start. Nothing seems to vary depending
on whether the fluorescent light that the cable passes near is
on or off. The new gateway device that came with my high speed
service seems to work, no better and no worse than the LAN hub
it replaces at keeping the Win98SE machine properly connected.
Nothing in the many MS documents I've investigated seems _quite_
relevant to my situation, and no hints in them, diligently applied,
leads to a solution.

Agh! Well, I have for some decades now regarded communications
as the most frustrating part of computer applications. Tout ne change
pas.

MEB · External Since: Jan 05, 2006 Posts: 952

"Anthony Buckland" <anthonybucklandnospam RemoveThis @telus.net> wrote in message
news:%23hNraNBnHHA.4552@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
| Today's experiment was to turn off completely power saving on
| the Win98SE machine. Didn't do any good, but worth the
| test.
|
| Which leads me to a question about the state I'm in right now.
| Our WinXP machine and our Win98SE machine can each ping
| the other, by name or by number, but neither can see the other's
| shared files, and the Win98SE machine can't access the net.
| So what, exactly, does this mean? The wires are
| presumably intact. But something [in software?] doesn't work.
| There are only so many wires. The software is presumably (?)
| intact, since rebooting the Win98SE machine cures all ills.
| The Win98SE machine's Ethernet card is presumably prepared
| to work if given a fresh start. Nothing seems to vary depending
| on whether the fluorescent light that the cable passes near is
| on or off. The new gateway device that came with my high speed
| service seems to work, no better and no worse than the LAN hub
| it replaces at keeping the Win98SE machine properly connected.
| Nothing in the many MS documents I've investigated seems _quite_
| relevant to my situation, and no hints in them, diligently applied,
| leads to a solution.
|
| Agh! Well, I have for some decades now regarded communications
| as the most frustrating part of computer applications. Tout ne change
| pas.
|
|

Might check your firewalls, share settings, lease length, and, well, here's
a page of info:

http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/ref/gen/security/NETWORKING.htm

--
MEB
http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/
BLOG - http://peoplescounsel.spaces.live.com/ Public Notice or the "real
world"
_______________

Anthony Buckland · External Since: May 07, 2007 Posts: 10

"MEB" <meb@not real.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eUeAhJEnHHA.4120@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> ...
> Might check your firewalls, share settings, lease length, and, well,
> here's
> a page of info:
>
> http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/ref/gen/security/NETWORKING.htm
>
> --
> MEB
> http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/
> BLOG - http://peoplescounsel.spaces.live.com/ Public Notice or the "real
> world"
> _______________
>
>

Wow, that's a full plate to digest. I'll thank you now, and get back later
after I try more stuff.

Anthony Buckland · External Since: May 07, 2007 Posts: 10

"[I] wrote in message news:eGAkQTjpHHA.5092@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>
> [I] wrote in message news:OdI7ffOnHHA.5068@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>
>> "MEB" <meb@not real.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:eUeAhJEnHHA.4120@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>> ...
>>> Might check your firewalls, share settings, lease length, and, well,
>>> here's
>>> a page of info:
>>>
>>> http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/ref/gen/security/NETWORKING.htm
>>>
>>> --
>>> MEB
>>> http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/
>>> BLOG - http://peoplescounsel.spaces.live.com/ Public Notice or the "real
>>> world"
>>> _______________
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Wow, that's a full plate to digest. I'll thank you now, and get back
>> later
>> after I try more stuff.
>>
>
> ________________________________________________________________
>
> I'm baaaack. Following up on that large collection of information took
> quite a while. First point -- I've pretty much eliminated the physical
> layer
> as the source of my problems. I now have a spare, longer Ethernet
> cable, which I'll keep against future changes in our machines and the
> rooms they're in. And I have replaced the adapter board in our Win98SE
> machine, a fairly miserable process considering Linksys' idea of
> installation instructions and an installation CD. All to no avail other
> than
> to chew up some dollars and a lot of my time.
>
> However, thanks to the many advice links, I have made some progress.
> ...

Finally, after spending some dollars and an inordinate amount of my
time, and having found no lasting solution despite the voluminous and
(where relevant) helpful advice available on the net, I gave up and,
despite having to give up a couple of venerable facilities such as my
tape drive, I installed WinXP Home Edition on the Win98 SE machine.
Conversion took a day of preparation (chasing down the WinXP tool's
list of incompatabilities and necessary new drivers, etc), a few hours
of installation, and another day of dealing with matters like reinstalling
software and tweaking the configuration. The machine joined the
network and has stayed connected and functional ever since. I was
lucky the machine had the resources to handle XP.

So long, and thanks for all the fish (ask a friend if that one seems
obscure). Smile