Can't get IP on Windows 7 after extensive troubleshooting

Question

My Windows 7 system is not able to pull an IP from my router's DHCP. This just started a few days ago, and I've done quite a bit of troubleshooting. Here's what I've tried in roughly chronological order:

1. Renewing the IP
2. Disabling/re-enabling the adapter
3. Resetting winsock (netsh winsock reset)
4. Disabling Windows Firewall
5. Uninstalling/reinstalling NIC drivers
6. Swapping ports on the router with another system on the network that does work
7. Re-crimping a connector that appeared to have been slightly damaged
8. Swapping cables with another system on the network that does work
9. Update: Restarting DHCP and DNS services
10. Uninstalling Citrix Receiver (This was the most recently installed app although the problem began a few weeks after installation.)
11. Installing a brand new Intel Gigabit NIC

After running through all the software steps and swapping things around with my working Windows 8 system, I determined the problem must be hardware which is why I purchased and installed the new NIC. Now that I've done that, I can only assume the problem must be software although I suppose it's remotely possible my new NIC is defective.

Are there any other troubleshooting steps I can try?

Update: Answering a few questions posed in the comments. I'm not aware of any software installations or configuration changes that took place immediately before the problem. I also tried a system restore to about a week back. It was successful but did not fix the problem.

IPCONFIG shows a 169.254.x.x IP for my new NIC. The other NIC, as you might guess, says Media disconnected. :-) I have two other computers on the network: a Windows 8 system on a wire and a Mac on wireless. I'm typing this on the Mac and my Windows 8 system is also working flawlessly. The latter is the computer I swapped cables and ports with when trying to troubleshoot initially.

I have reset the router several times. I just gave it another shot, and everything is as it was before. Win 7 system has a private self-assigned IP. Other systems came back on without a hitch.

I just tried assigning a static IP, but that doesn't seem to work either. I cannot ping the router after assigning the new IP.

Thanks for all your help. Keep 'em coming!

Update 2: I was running a scan with MSSE to see if I had contracted spyware. While the scan was running, I got a message that my video drivers had crashed. I was afraid the problem might be more serious. I tested the PSU with a multimeter and found all the rails are showing good voltage. I'm now thinking the problem might be the motherboard. I guess it could also be some type of OS problem. I'm going to try a live CD next and see what that does. Any tips for testing the motherboard?

Final Update: I wish I could instead post an answer, but the resolution here doesn't really answer anything.

I was attempting to perform the TCP/IP stack reset suggested by @Tom. When I started the computer, everything was working perfectly. I switched back to my original NIC, and that seems to work too. I feel like perhaps my motherboard is failing, but only time will tell.

Thank you all for your help!

Solution 1

Had nearly forgotten about this question until this got revived by a comment. The issue turned out to be a power supply. I don't understand why this could affect only the NIC, but replacing it made everything work. Probably should have gone there first since I've been consistently burned by weird issues caused by failing PSUs.

Thanks for the help, everyone!

Solution 2

It sounds to me like you have a corrupted TCP/IP stack. You might try resetting it per the instructions at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299357.

Comments

[Dave]

Do you know what caused this? Have you installed any new software or did you configure any thing?

[raddevon]

@DaveRook Nothing was installed immediately prior to the problem, to my knowledge and no configuration changes were made. We turned the computer on one day, and it was like this.

[Dave]

What happens if you do IPCONFIG and IPCONFIG /ALL? Do other devices get their IP from the router?

[Ramhound]

The only thing I see you didn't try was hitting the reset button on the router.

[Mostafa Hamed]

Not sure Why this hasn't been mentioned yet, can you get access if you assign a static Ip address?

[raddevon]

@DaveRook Updated the question with your answer.

[raddevon]

@Ramhound Updated the question with your answer.

[raddevon]

@50-3 Updated the question with your answer.

[Admin]

Can you swap the cable you crimped with one that you have on a working system?

[raddevon]

@Moses Yes, I have that in my list of things I've tried. I've used the cable from the working system with the non-working system. It still can't pull an IP from DHCP. I've also tried the non-working system's cable in the port the working system is connected to with the same result.

[MDMoore313]

Do you have any free IP addresses? How long is the lease time for addresses?

[raddevon]

@MDMoore313 DHCP ranges from .2 to .254, and I'm only using 7 addresses. The lease time is 86400.

[MDMoore313]

@raddevon have you taken the machine to a different LAN to see if it pulls an address there?

[raddevon]

@MDMoore313 I have not tried that. Unfortunately, I don't have a good way to do that right now. I could try that later this week though. Thanks for the suggestion.

[MDMoore313]

@raddevon do you have an additional router you could setup? or $40 to 'rent' one from your closest tech store?

[prateek61]

Have you tried a live version Linux to see if the problem exists? That will further isolate hardware vs software.

[raddevon]

@prateek61 That's a good call. I will try that. Thank you!

[Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007]

This question appears to be off-topic because it is unanswerable/untestable; OP (re)booted and problem went away.

[raddevon]

I booted up the system to try this, and everything seems to be working even with my original NIC. I'm bracing for a major hardware failure of some sort in the coming weeks or months, but, for now, everything seems to be working well. Ugh.