"Preparing Network Connections"

Probably a mangled network card driver. This is the step where the drivers for the network cards are loaded, and it gets the IP stack online and working, either from a static IP address or an IP from a DHCP server.
I would guess that your server is having network card driver problems if it hangs at this step.
Try removing the network cards, then turn it back on, so Win2K can detect that it no longer has the network card(s).
Then get new ones, install them, boot up and load those drivers.

hope this helps

Are you sure it is hanging? Sometimes, if the IP properties are not correct, it will take a very long time to get past this portion of the boot. Anyway, check your DNS server(s) to make sure the records are being properly registered. Also make sure that the computer's IP properties are using the correct DNS server(s).

Cheers!
~Sean

Hi,

Start by booting into safe mode without networking.
Then check the device manager if you dont have any problems in the devices, then check the eventviewer if you can find any related error messages there.
And finally check your tcp/ip settings, check if you have the correct ip adress and dns servers, if you dont have a dns server entry or enter a valid one or enter 127.0.0.1.

Leopold

Probably you DNS configuration. If you still have the . in DNS then your DNS config is trying to be a root domain and looking for DNS updates out on the internet. If you don't have a internet connection this could be the 'hang up' that you are talking about. If DNS is properly configured then check the NIC configuration. Set the media type from 'auto detect' to a manual setting try 100 / half duplex and then 10 / half if needed. Note that speed and duplex settings may be separate in the NIC's advanced properties.

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