Scott Mueller's Upgrading and Repairing PCs Forum

Hi Scott,

Am experiencing an issue with my LAN. My server PC loads web pages very well, but the clients are not loading the pages you try type in. I've tried to ping either way and all the connectivity is OK. Something amazing, Google is working well on the clients PCs. If you are trying to find something using Google search engine, Google will find it, though the problem lies in trying to open any of the search results links Google has displayed. 3 things I have noted with the client PCs:

#1. When you try to access a certain web site from the Address bar such as www.msn.com, the loading progress icon on a status bar freezes 1/4 or 1/2 way and it states: "opening:http://www.msn.com", that can remain like that until cows come home.

#2. When you try to access other web sites like www.yahoo.com, the loading progress icon on a status bar again freezes 1/4 or 1/2 way and it states: "web site found: waiting for reply...', that can also freeze until cows come home.

#3. When you try to access other web sites, "page cannot be displayed" shows up.

Something amazing, all those sites in the 3 cases I've noted are loading very well on the server. And the other amazing thing, when I try to acces sites like: www.google.com, my ISP website on the client PCs, Gee! They are loading very well and you can easily interact with them. That's real amazing <g>

What is causing those 3 things I've noted and how can I fix them?

Thanks.

-- Kit

If you are using ICS (Internet Connection Sharing), then that is likely the cause of your problems. I recommend you set up your network using a router instead, which should eliminate those types of problems. Scott.

Kit,

I think you're using cell phone card for internet. In that case you should use something like this rather than ICS:

http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellit ... 3339789B01

Thanks.

It sounds though there is no fix to this glitch than replacing it with a Router. I've tried to walk through the Network troubleshooter of xp for Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). All the solutions did not apply to this glitch. At last, restoring the system to an earlier date on the host computer crossed my mind. I decided to do that and guess what! The client PCs were able to load all the websites that didn't load first. I did remember the kind of optimization I carried out few days ago using "TuneUp System Optimizer" for Tuneup Utilities 2007 under "Accelerate downloads and Internet surfing." which might have affected ICS.

I've taken the recommendation for an upgrade to a Router. Thanks.

-- Kit

In general you should AVOID those types of "utilities" like the plague, as they do far more to mess up a system than to optimize it, and then of course Microsoft and/or Windows gets blamed for all the user-inflicted damage. When I find that people have been using those sorts of things, the best advice I can give them is to do a fresh install. It is hard to beat a fresh install when it comes to optimization.

The advertisements for those sorts of utilities make me laugh! Here's what they usually claim:

Our TuneUp Utilities will:
1.) Solve problems
2.) Increase performance
3.) Free up disk space
4.) Customize Windows

Yeah, right. Allow me to translate:

Our TuneUp Utilities will:
1.) Create problems
2.) Decrease performance
3.) Take up disk space
4.) Hose up Windows (real good)

My advice: DON'T DO IT! - Unless of course you *like* creating unnecessary problems... <g>

Thanks Scott.

As matter of fact I need to uninstall this thing<g> The sad story in a fresh installation is re-downloading all the earlier windows updates. How about considering an in-place reinstallation?

-- Kit

Unfortunately an "in-place upgrade" (also called a repair reinstallation), also blows away all updates:

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

That is unless you do it from a disc that already has all of the updates integrated: http://www.forum.scottmueller.com/viewtopic.php?t=418

Scott.

So, in this case Windows Xp pro SP3, integrates all updates for SP2?

-- Kit

Yes, service packs are cumulative. When it is released, SP3 will include many new updates since SP2, plus all of the updates already in SP2. Likewise, SP2 included many updates since SP1, plus all of the updates already in SP1. Scott.

Wow! That's great! Thanks Scott <g>

-- Kit