MAJOR PROBLEM accessing IW - PLEASE HELP!!!!

[Memnoch]

Anyone with a technical frame of mind who can help me would be appreciated!!

I have been unable to access www.ironworksforum.com and all the forums from my home PC since late Saturday night. I was able to access it previously, right when it came back online but somehow, without me doing ANYTHING, I now cannot access.

I initially thought it was a problem with my ADSL provider so I called them. They asked me to do a ping and a tracert on www.ironworksforum.com which did not work. They then gave me the IP address for www.ironworksforum.com and asked me to ping and tracert that and it worked. Apparently there was some problem with my browser recognizing the domain name www.ironworksforum.com. They have now asked me to speak to Microsoft.

HOW this happened I have no idea, but I have the following suspicion that Windows XP has somehow @#$% something up. I upgraded my WinME to WinXP last Wednesday and I have had problems with various peripherals since. Having said that, I was able to access www.ironworksforum.com on Friday night when it came back on so I don't know why it has all of a sudden stopped working.

The funny thing is, if I type in the IP address for www.ironworksforum.com into my IE browser it brings up the page, but if I type in the URL it doesn't. Somehow it's not recognizing the URL/domain name. The ADSL helpdesk person asked me to tweak a couple of the settings in Control Panel/Network but I got the impression that she didn't know what she was doing. She then asked me to reinstall my TCP/IP stack and when I did that I came up with a missing file error (framedll.dll). THAT was when she put me on hold for a few minutes (probably to speak to her boss) and then came back and told me it was a Microsoft problem and to speak to them. [img]graemlins/madhell.gif[/img]

I have tried using System Restore to no avail. Anyone can help by replying to this thread or by emailing me at memnoch.tgeweb.com would be greatly appreciated. I'm suffering here!!

[ 01-06-2002: Message edited by: Memnoch ]

[Neb]

"Format C:, reinstall Windows 98" But that's just my opinion.

[Nachtrafe]

Howdy Mems...That sucks. I have an idea or two though.

One question first. When you upgraded, do you mean, you literally upgraded ME to XP, or you uninstalled ME, then installed XP? The reason I ask is, AFAIK, if you upgrade XP from anything(Including NT/2000) you will get TONS of errors. I had Win2K, then upgraded to XP. I had nothing but nightmares for the next week. Something in XP doesn't like being upgraded. I have since wiped my hard drive and reinstalled XP clean, and have had no major problems yet.

There *have* been a few connectivity bugs, mostly with ICQ/MSN, so its possible that there is some sort of TCP/IP issue, or some bad domain recognition. Are you able to access other websites by typing in their URL's, or is the problem only with IW? Also, have you downloaded/installed all of the latest updates from MS? I seem to recall that I installed an update that fixed an open port error I was getting.

LOL..As to the 'Its an MS problem'...that's a standard tech support dodge. I used to give it when i did tech support too. Its almost policy. "If we cant figure it out...it must be a Microsoft problem". "But, I have a paper jam in my printer" "Nope, sorry ma'am...that's a microsoft driver issue...call them" LOL

Keep smiling Mems. I'll root around on the MS Knowledge base for awile and see what I can come up with.

Good luck
Nachtrafe

[Nachtrafe]

quote:

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Originally posted by Neb:
"Format C:, reinstall Windows 98" But that's just my opinion.

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BLECK BLECK ICK ICK ICK!!! *The sounds of retching are heard far and wide*

Windows 98 is to XP what Win 3.1 is to 98. There is NO comparison. XP is an AWESOME OS. But it does have some bugs. So did 98 when it first came out. Give XP 6 months before you start unilaterally bashing it. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Neb]

quote:

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Originally posted by Nachtrafe:


BLECK BLECK ICK ICK ICK!!! *The sounds of retching are heard far and wide*

Windows 98 is to XP what Win 3.1 is to 98. There is NO comparison. XP is an AWESOME OS. But it does have some bugs. So did 98 when it first came out. Give XP 6 months before you start unilaterally bashing it. [img]smile.gif[/img]

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Why should I? When I can just install 98 and not have any bugs? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Memnoch]

quote:

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Originally posted by Nachtrafe:
Howdy Mems...That sucks. I have an idea or two though.

One question first. When you upgraded, do you mean, you literally upgraded ME to XP, or you uninstalled ME, then installed XP?

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Yes.

quote:

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The reason I ask is, AFAIK, if you upgrade XP from anything(Including NT/2000) you will get TONS of errors. I had Win2K, then upgraded to XP. I had nothing but nightmares for the next week. Something in XP doesn't like being upgraded.

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You're not wrong!!

quote:

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I have since wiped my hard drive and reinstalled XP clean, and have had no major problems yet.

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I am seriously thinking of doing this...do I need to uninstall XP first or do I just format my HD and do it again? How hard is this?

quote:

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There *have* been a few connectivity bugs, mostly with ICQ/MSN, so its possible that there is some sort of TCP/IP issue, or some bad domain recognition. Are you able to access other websites by typing in their URL's, or is the problem only with IW?

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So far the only problem is with www.ironworksforum.com.

quote:

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Also, have you downloaded/installed all of the latest updates from MS? I seem to recall that I installed an update that fixed an open port error I was getting.

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Yep, did this...didn't do much good.

quote:

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LOL..As to the 'Its an MS problem'...that's a standard tech support dodge. I used to give it when i did tech support too. Its almost policy. "If we cant figure it out...it must be a Microsoft problem". "But, I have a paper jam in my printer" "Nope, sorry ma'am...that's a microsoft driver issue...call them" LOL

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I won't repeat what I said to her here.

quote:

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Keep smiling Mems. I'll root around on the MS Knowledge base for awile and see what I can come up with.

Good luck
Nachtrafe

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Thanks mate, I need it! [img]graemlins/wow.gif[/img]

[Larry_OHF]

I have a friend that was a microsoft Tech Support as a contracted employee for a while. If it's broken, he can fix it. I will ask him tomorrow,and send him your message.

[Nachtrafe]

quote:

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Originally posted by Neb:


Why should I? When I can just install 98 and not have any bugs? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

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HAH!!! 98 has more than its fair share of bugs. There are just patches to fix most of them.

But, if I have a choice between lack of any real network support, constant 'lack of resources'(i.e. Illegal Operation) crashes, blue screens of death, and lack of true stability vs putting up with the occasional bug that will soon be fixed...I'll take XP any day.

[Vaskez]

Mem, have you changed your DNS server settings? IIRC it is the DNS that maps URL/domain names to IP addresses so it would seem you have a DNS problem. Go into your connection properties in Network and Dialup connections (or whatever the equivalent is in XP) and go into TCP/IP protocol properties for the conection that you use and check your DNS settings. If they are not already, try setting them to automatic (if you have set addresses typed in then copy them down first). This might fix it, by allowing your service provider to set the addresses automatically. Although, I could be remembering completely wrong and could be talking crap [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 01-07-2002: Message edited by: Vaskez ]

[Memnoch]

OK, an update.

I just had a HUGE fight with a Helpdesk person with my ADSL provider yesterday (the SAME person who "helped" me on Sunday night - what an unfortunate coincidence to have to speak to her again!) but she finally conceded that *maybe* it was a DNS problem that they were having. I know of at least one other person who uses ADSL in Australia to access - this is too coincidental! She has agreed to escalate my complaint to their server people and see if their DNS data has been updated recently. So I guess this is progress of a sort. And all this AFTER she spent THIRTY minutes on Sunday night buggering up all my settings and once they were all buggered up, saying that is was a "Microsoft problem".

What a bunch of jokers!!! [img]graemlins/madhell.gif[/img]

So my access will still be limited to when I can find time to check here at work. In the meantime if you have troll alerts or other moderator stuff you need done, try one of the other mods (sorry guys!).

I hope to have FULL access soon.