I have a Dell P4, 1.2 Ghz, PC with two HDDs. One is formatted with NTFS and the other with Linux Ext3. The machine dual boots Windows XP/Linux. When I boot to Windows, as soon as the OS starts, the NIC is disabled. When Windows finishes loading, I see "Network Cable unplugged" when looking at Network Connections properties. When I boot to Linux, the NIC works properly without errors.
I have done the following without success: 1. Changed the NIC 2. Removed the CMOS battery for 10-15 minutes, then replaced and re-flashed the BIOS (BIOS floppy was created on another "uninfected" PC.) 3. Disconnected the LIINUX drive, booted from clean, write-protected DOS floppy, ran FDISK, deleted ALL partitions on the Windows disk. 4. Did a "clean" install of Windows XP from a licensed Windows XP CDR. 5. Booted to Windows, and 6. Watched the NIC light go out as soon as Windows began loading.
I have also scanned the drive with the trial version of Rhino and a licensed copy of BITDefender, but neither found a virus. I suspect the virus is in the BIOS, but, other than the symptoms mentioned above, Windows works fine. No blue screens, no slow response, no other problems other than the NIC. And the really puzzling part is that Linux works flawlessly.
I know there are numerous sites on the Net that have downloadable virus removal tools. However, these all require that one knows which virus he wants removed and I have no idea.
Except for the need to use Windows for work purposes, I would just as soon give up on Windblows and use Linux. But I can't, so if anyone has experienced similar symptoms and knows what virus this might be, I'd appreciate a heads up. I don't really want to download all the removal tools for all known viruses in the universe.
Thanks!
OK, guys, I appreciate all the input. But this is important - the NIC works with Linux but not with Windows. If it was disabled in the BIOS, then it wouldn't work in Linux. If the PCI slot was bad, it woudn't work in Linux. And, if the NIC was bad, it wouldn't work in Linux.
Thanks!
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Have you checked to see if the NIC was disabled in the bios? When windows loads and you go into network places can you Right-click on the network connection? It seems like the Nic is just getting disabled.
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Another Windows virus?
I have done the following without success:
1. Changed the NIC
2. Removed the CMOS battery for 10-15 minutes, then replaced and re-flashed the BIOS (BIOS floppy was created on another "uninfected" PC.)
3. Disconnected the LIINUX drive, booted from clean, write-protected DOS floppy, ran FDISK, deleted ALL partitions on the Windows disk.
4. Did a "clean" install of Windows XP from a licensed Windows XP CDR.
5. Booted to Windows, and
6. Watched the NIC light go out as soon as Windows began loading.
I have also scanned the drive with the trial version of Rhino and a licensed copy of BITDefender, but neither found a virus. I suspect the virus is in the BIOS, but, other than the symptoms mentioned above, Windows works fine. No blue screens, no slow response, no other problems other than the NIC. And the really puzzling part is that Linux works flawlessly.
I know there are numerous sites on the Net that have downloadable virus removal tools. However, these all require that one knows which virus he wants removed and I have no idea.
Except for the need to use Windows for work purposes, I would just as soon give up on Windblows and use Linux. But I can't, so if anyone has experienced similar symptoms and knows what virus this might be, I'd appreciate a heads up. I don't really want to download all the removal tools for all known viruses in the universe.
Thanks!
OK, guys, I appreciate all the input. But this is important - the NIC works with Linux but not with Windows. If it was disabled in the BIOS, then it wouldn't work in Linux. If the PCI slot was bad, it woudn't work in Linux. And, if the NIC was bad, it wouldn't work in Linux.
Thanks!