Networks not Connecting, Services Won't Start

clarknova · 20 Mar 2017

Dell Inspiron N4010
Windows 7 SP1 x64

I cleaned a lot of junk software out of this machine and I'm satisfied it's clean now. However it still won't connect properly to a wired or wireless network.

When I connect an ethernet cable from a switch Windows shows limited connectivity. It reports it is connected at 100 Mbps (It's a FE adapter), but no valid IP information (169.254 address). It show some packets sent and some received.

The dhcp service is set to automatic but is not running. After confirming its dependencies are running, I tried starting the dhcp service from an admin prompt and got error 5, access denied.

I assigned IP addressing info to the adapter manually, but still no connectivity to the network. Not even arp resolution happening.

I ran 'netsh int ip reset log.txt' and rebooted, no change.

I ran 'netsh winsock reset catalog' and rebooted, no change.

I tried to edit HKLM/System/CurrentControlSet/Services/Dhcp/Permissions, but it does not exist.

I ran 'sfc /scannow' but it found no problem.

I downloaded the wireless driver from Dell's site and installed it, no change. There is no ethernet driver on Dell's site for this laptop.

I performed a clean boot, no change.

I ran the network troubleshooter and it reports that the Diagnostics Policy Service is not running.

I tried starting the service from admin prompt, and got error 5 access denied.

I booted the laptop into Parted Magic from USB, and it connected to the network just fine by ethernet, but won't connect to wireless. So there may be an issue with the wireless hardware, but this doesn't explain Windows' refusal to connect by ethernet, or why some services won't start.

I'm out of ideas. Any suggestions?

ICIT2LOL · 21 Mar 2017

Hello ?Clark mate is this what you need Support for Inspiron 14R N4010 | Dell Australia

Now according to that link there are a few wifi drivers and the best way to find which wifi device the machine is using is to use my little ditty here
Using HW Info
PART A:
You can test the volts on the PSU with HW Info HWiNFO - Download < download the right bit version and close the right hand window select Sensors and scroll down to the power section where you will see what the volts are doing see my pic. In my pic the section (Nuvoton) with VBATT as a dead give away you are in the section for the rail voltages. There are other section titles and one that pops up often is ITE (sometimes the usual one for Gigabyte boards)
Now the voltage on the different rails have to be within 5% =+/- of what is required or the machine will not work properly if at all.
Limits +/- (minimum - correct - maximum)
12v1 = 11.4 - 12 - 12.6v
12v2 = 11.4 - 12- 12.6v
5v = 4.75 – 5 - 5.25v
3.3v = 3.135 – 3 – 3.465v
-12v = -10.80 - -12 - -13.20v
+5VSB = 4.75 – 5 - 5.25v
The Power good signal voltage at pin 8 on the 24 pin plug (grey cable) should be the same as the 5v rail reading/s
See this for the rail voltage info
PSUs 101: A Detailed Look Into Power Supplies (Section 2.)
The original right hand window shows the machine running and is handy for that but for looking at the components in some detail close it and use the main left hand side panel
FOR OTHER COMPONENTS
PART B:
Open each small square with + in it on the section the components are in and then click on the individual component/s (it will highlight in blue) - in the right hand side will appear all sorts of details including brands speeds and other essential info that particular device. See pic for example.

Use PART B: and if necessary run it from a stick my pic shows what you are looking for

clarknova · 23 Mar 2017

Thank you for the detailed info. In this case I'm working on a laptop, so I don't see the application.

ICIT2LOL · 23 Mar 2017

Ok Clark now I linked that stuff purely so that you could find the brand of network adaptors in that machine to be able to get the manufacturers driver updates as I was going to go on and suggest you update the LAN and WLAN drivers for your machine - even though you have done the Dell site one for the wifi.

I do this for any of my machines or fixes I am on because the Windows driver update/check feature is not in my mind terribly good at updating any software such as drivers. As it happens this is a pic of my laptop's network adaptors so it would be the same type of readout for your machine. The laptop is an Asus model and I still like to find out just exactly what is inside the machine even though Asus support has links for a driver, and you can see from my pic the laptop has Realtek adaptors installed and having found the model of adaptor I can go to the Realtek site and get it from there if I needed to.

Anyway it is your choice as to what to do but at least you would see if the machine has an Ethernet adaptor installed, and know what brand and model it is because I cannot believe that Dell has not put an adaptor for Ethernet in that machine unless the wifi one covers both but form mu experience so far that is very odd.

Now you have done a sfc so I would at very least run this as well.

Disk Check < if necessary include the /f switch and if this does not make any improvement then just run this switch instead /r in the command line as per Option2

NB something else I always add to the sfc tutorial link because amongst the forum members there quite a number who think this as I do.
Run these in safe mode and the sfc often best run for two to three runs – you can leave out the /r switch in ckdsk if you feel it not necessary