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  1. Member
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    Does anybody know why a computer (running Windows XP, and bought before 2005) would suddenly have problems connecting to the Internet after replacing the power supply?

    Everything that was connected from the old power supply is connected from the new power supply, too. And it makes no difference whether I tweak the BIOS or just 'Load Default Values'. Everything else seems to work, but the Ethernet port.
    I did not delete anything, nor do I have any viruses.
    I just changed the power supply.

    The error is that the Local Connection icon keeps alternating between the computers with the red 'X' (- no connection -) and the computers with the yellow moving circle (- connecting -).
    Most of the time, it's on "no connection", but in between it seems to want to be connecting.

    The only issue I can think of is that the previous power supply was up to 350W, and this new one is up to 250W, but the PC should work even with a 250W supply.

    Thank you.
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    No computer specs ... and seriously anything below 400watts is going to lead to funny business with modern systems that'll leave the best techs frustrated ... get a 400watt or better supply and see what happens ... it just sounds like there's not enough power for the system to manage properly.
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    But would it just affect the Internet capabilities??...

    And it's not a modern system. It was bought in 2001.

    Specs: 1.6 GHz, 256 MB RAM, XP SP3; I don't know a lot more.
    (What would the connoisseurs want to know, anyway?)

    Any ideas on what the problem could be, based on what I've already said?

    Thanks.
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  4. Have you checked the network connection and verified that the SAME CABLE is in fact functional on another PC?

    250W is an absolute minimum power level, since the previous, factory installed PSU was 350W, installing a 250W unit is quite likely a source of the problem. They rarely install more power than needed from the factory.

    256MB on SP3 is Below recommended minimums.

    Why dd you change the power supply? Possible the old one took out the Ethernet when it failed. Possible the ethernet just happened to fail at approximately the same time. Brand name would help, failure of mobo-based ethernet port is quite common on Dells, for instance.
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  5. Member ranchhand's Avatar
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    Long shot... reset your BIOS back to factory default, reboot. Probably won't work. Trying to resurrect old hardware is taking your chances, I have done a lot of it.
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    Originally Posted by Nelson37 View Post
    Have you checked the network connection and verified that the SAME CABLE is in fact functional on another PC?
    Yes, I did.
    Originally Posted by Nelson37 View Post
    They rarely install more power than needed from the factory.
    Actually, I had put the 350W supply in there, previously, too. I don't remember what it had, when it was purchased from the factory outlet.
    Originally Posted by Nelson37 View Post
    Brand name would help, failure of mobo-based ethernet port is quite common on Dells, for instance.
    This is not a Dell. It was bought from a local, small retailer. Also, the previous power supply did not totally fail. It kept freezing the computer, and causing shutdowns. Sometimes, it would appear to restart, but it wouldn't give enough power to make the monitor show stuff on the screen. So, I knew the old power supply was a piece of crap. (Although, maybe the problem could have lied elsewhere, as I'm not an expert.) However, with the new power supply, everything works, but the Ethernet connection, which acts badly.
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  7. Mod Neophyte Super Moderator redwudz's Avatar
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    I would probably just install a PCI Ethernet card and see what happens. That would be cheaper than changing out the PS again.

    A 250W PS wouldn't be my choice, but if it's a name brand PS, not some no-name PS that's overrated and underpowered, should probably be OK. Simple check, look at the voltages and temps with a program like HWMonitor and see if the voltages are correct. http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html Also check how much heat the present PS is putting out under load. If it's hair dryer hot, it's probably overloaded.

    I would probably also up the RAM as 256MB is marginal for XP and that should also improve the performance of the PC. But you can always do that at a later date. If you use the PC for only net surfing and word processing, probably OK with 256MB as that's what you've been using with apparently no problems.
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    Originally Posted by redwudz View Post
    I would probably just install a PCI Ethernet card and see what happens. That would be cheaper than changing out the PS again.

    A 250W PS wouldn't be my choice, but if it's a name brand PS, not some no-name PS that's overrated and underpowered, should probably be OK. Simple check, look at the voltages and temps with a program like HWMonitor and see if the voltages are correct. http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html Also check how much heat the present PS is putting out under load. If it's hair dryer hot, it's probably overloaded.

    I would probably also up the RAM as 256MB is marginal for XP and that should also improve the performance of the PC. But you can always do that at a later date. If you use the PC for only net surfing and word processing, probably OK with 256MB as that's what you've been using with apparently no problems.
    Oh, man, I have no idea how to install a PCI Ethernet card... I don't even know how much one would cost. Changing the power supply is really easy for me, and a 250W power supply at Newegg is under 20 bucks, with shipping and everything.

    I really am not looking for solutions that involve buying and installing other stuff. (I think I would only try installing a new power supply, or just toss that bloody computer in the trash.)

    Besides, if I put the old power supply, which keeps resetting the computer, back in, the Ethernet port works again. So, I don't see why I should mess with the Ethernet card/configuration.

    Thanks, though.
    Last edited by jeanpave; 23rd Oct 2011 at 20:06.
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  9. Member
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    Thank you to everybody who replied, but I don't think I can get a really useful reply here. So, I'm not going to check back again.

    But I do appreciate the effort and time put into the responses. I guess it's just not the kind of inquiry that can be solved like this.

    (I tried, at least, though.)
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  10. Oh, good. So you waited until the tail end to supply the most important piece of diagnostic information, then bail.

    I guess it would do no good to suggest that you have answered your own question, or to supply additional procedures to nail down the problem.

    Or to state that installing a PCI ethernet card is both easier and cheaper than buying a new power supply.
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  11. Member ranchhand's Avatar
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    You just confirmed my post and the correctness of all the replies here. Re-read carefully and take it to heart. Wish you the best.
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  12. Member
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    Originally Posted by Nelson37 View Post
    So you waited until the tail end to supply the most important piece of diagnostic information, then bail..
    What? What do you mean, dude?
    What, exactly, in my last post, is the "most important piece of diagnostic information", 'cause I had no idea I was withholding important information that you wanted?...

    And I didn't bail; I was just trying to say to the nice people to waste their breath, because I'm not interested anymore. I was trying not to waste any more of people's time.

    I guess you took that as a cue to bad-mouth me behind my back, because I said I wouldn't check this again.
    Last edited by jeanpave; 25th Oct 2011 at 22:53.
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