I'm usually able to solve most of my computer problems, being that I built it myself, but when I really need help, Microsoft cannot come through with technical support, so I came here.

I am experiencing a rather strange problem: One user cannot connect to the internet and one user account can.

OS: Windows XP Home Edition SP2

This computer has worked (flawless internet connection) for the past year, with multiple users. One day, however, someone who also uses this computer (on another Account) told me that he could not connect to the internet. I checked out his situation. Everything, Windows Firewall, Internet Connection Settings, and even router settings seemed fine. It seemed my account was the only account on the computer that could connect (all three other computers on my LAN are not having any trouble). I tried, to no avail, doing a System Restore; I even deleted the affected accounts and created new ones: the new ones could not connect either. I tried pinging my router on an affected account: I was connected to my LAN (the ping passed with 0% packet-loss), but when I tried pinging an external site, I was timed-out each time.

Like I said, this is my account, I can still connect to the internet. I don't know the series of events that led up to the problem on the affected accounts. Also, my account is an Administor account, though not THE Administrator, and the affect accounts are Limited User accounts. I tried creating a new Administrator account, but that account could not connect either.

This is about all the information I have on the problem, which has had me very frustrated for a few days. I was hoping someone here could help .

Thanks in advance,
Eric

I'll definitely look into the problem. But I have a question first. Can the original Administrator account connect to the Internet? Also, have you tried creating accounts with the original Administrator and seeing if those accounts can connect to the Internet? There might be some sort of silly setting in Windows XP Home Edition that is not allowing your secondary Administrator account to create working accounts with Internet access. Please get back to me on these questions.

This is pretty strange. I cannot start Windows in Safe-Mode, the only way I could log-in as the original administrator. Because of this, I cannot answer either of your questions. This is beginning to be such a nightmare I think I'm going to get out the old Installer Disk and reformat.

Here's a great guide on [url="http://www.osdiscussion.com/showthread.php?p=2885#post2885"]how to boot into safe mode[/url].

There's actually two different ways:

• The msconfig method; and
• The F8 method

Do neither work?

likwidn2, any luck curing your problem as I would be greatful for any advice as this similar issue is making me 'lose it' . I have 2 desktops, 1 notebook all accessing the web and sharing some files via a Microsoft broadband router. All pc's using XP. One day my main pc won't connect to the internet, connects to network, other pc can see it and share files, can 'ping' my ip, release and renew, but yet it refuses to connect to the internet.
TOTALLY CONFUSED AND FRUSTRATING TO SAY THE LEAST

If you are using a D-Link router, my suggestion would be to unplug the router for a day or so, and then plug it back in. Hardware resets on my D-Link rarely ever work, and I find this the only acceptable way to restore my internet connection to all of my PC's. As for the solution to my original problem, I ended up reformatting and re-installing - it was a good time for a fresh start anyway.