Dual boot causes connection issues

Hi, I have installed a 2nd OS on my system. Originally the PC came with XP Home Edition but as I became a little more interested in computing I wanted to move to Pro.

Instead of upgrading I decided to create another partition on the HDD and install XP Pro. I did this because I did not want to risk losing any files or data. Fine no problems there. I configured a dual boot system and all is well generally.

The only down side is that it appears that the Pro system is operating as a system on the network rather than the home environment so to speak. When I went to set up a home network it will not allow me to select the option where the computer is directly connected to the internet. I apologise if I am not using the correct technical jargon but I am not a techie so it is in laymans terms. I hope I have explained it sufficiently.

Could somebody please explain how I can get the Pro OS to boot as if it were the sole OS and assume direct connection? Is it simply a matter of installing the connection software that was supplied by my ISP along with the wireless modem/router in this OS too?

 

No, as I had a network already set up on my original OS I wanted to make sure I set it up within the new system in order to give the whole family access to shared files. That is when I discovered that it was not directly connected to the net.
I was aware that software needed to be installed in each operating system but when I had internet access immediately on boot up of the 2nd OS I figured it was not required as there is only one network adapter. Perhaps a bit nieve I guess.

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.

 

OK, so I installed the software provided by my ISP but my 2nd OS still behaves in the same manner. Any ideas?

 

Well actually no. It is slightly different now, in that I can select a different way to connect then choose "This computer connects directly to the internet ". Then when I click next it says "Other computers on your network cannot connect to this computer. Network wizard closed ". What is this all about? Do I have to remove an existing network first? If so how is this done?

 

What device are you using to connect to the network?

Do you have a modem, router or other device?

Can you please post the make and model of the device?

 

Hi ReggieB, as stated in my initial post I have a wireless modem/router. The make is Netgear, model is DG834GT if that helps.

 

That's a standard router. The fact that you are dual booting shouldn't make a difference to it. I recommend you ignore the fact that you are dual booting and work on this in the same way as if it was a standalone XP Pro PC.

I am not sure what you mean by "the computer is directly connected to the internet ". What services do you get from being "directly connected to the internet" rather than just connected to the internet?

You should not need to install ISP software on the PC to get internet access through a router. The router has the configuration data to connect to internet, and that will remain the same whether you are booting from XP Home or XP Pro.

All you should need to do is:

1. go into network connections from the control panel, right click on your Local Area Connection and select "Properties ".
2. Scroll to the bottom of the items list and select "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) ". With this item highlighted click on the Properties button.
3. Make sure that both "Obtain an IP address automatically" and "Obtain DNS server address automatically" are selected. Then click on OK.
4. Click on OK to close the Local Area Connection Properties window.

You should now be able to access the internet. To test this:

1. Open a command window by entering CMD in the run entry box (on the Start menu)
2. At the command prompt enter ping 64.233.183.104 and success will be demonstrated by you getting replies. That tells us you've got a basic connection.
3. Then enter ping www.windowsbbs.com and again you should get replies. If you don't then there is a problem with name resolution.
4. Finally open up a browser window and try to access www.windowsbbs.com. If this doesn't work there is a problem with your browser setting (e.g. proxy settings).

 

Hmm, I am not explaining myself very well it seems. I have connectivity and have had right from the get go but in my original OS, (Home Edition which I will call OS 1) when setting up a network it connects directly to the internet and other PC's in my home connect through it.

In my XP Pro, (OS 2 which I will go over to fully as soon as this is resolved) when I go through the same network setup it says no computers can connect to the internet through this computer. From that I read that it is not directly connected to the internet/or base computer and it can only be part of an existing network.

Now it may be that I have some conflict between the 2 OS's or the files they share (if they do) but that is beyond my knowledge. Hence this thread.

Another symptom is that in OS 1 I can stream video to my digibox which is linked via ethernet. In OS 2 I cannot.

I hope that is making more sense now.

 

Ah!!! so you are using the XP Home PC as a gateway for the other PCs on your network, so that they can access the internet. All other PCs connect to the internet through your XP home!

Well there is a simple solution to that - don't use the PC as a gateway for the other PCs.

Internet connection sharing (the system you are using on XP Home to allow it to act as a gateway) was designed to allow the internet connect that only one PC could use, to be share with other PCs. That is in the days when you had a simple connection and a modem, it was the simplest method to share that single connection.

With a router, you don't need to use internet connection sharing as the router itself provides all the gateway services and does the work of sharing the internet connection with all the client systems. It also has the advantage that you don't have to keep a PC on for other PCs to access the internet. Routers are also far more reliable that XP internet connection sharing. So win win.

Connect the other PCs directly to the router and reset them all to automatically detect their TCP/IP settings. Reboot them and they all should pick up their settings from the router and start working.

 

Gateway no, but it is the base computer for my home network.

By connect directly to the router do you mean by cable. They are all connected to the router via wireless adapter currently so what is the difference?

With the setup you suggest how do you share files? For that matter how do you setup a home network?

Hmm, you would think that in the network setup wizard it would ask if you have a router!!

Edit: thinking about it, perhaps my mistake was in the setup of the other computers. Oh! I am not sure at all how to set up a network with all PC's sharing. I think I need to delete the network I have and start again.

 

This is probably the best place to start:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/default.mspx

The section "Using and maintaining your network" includes a lot of information on setting up shares.

 

Ah, they look like just the thing I need.

Thank you very much for all your help and patience.

I can see there is much to learn on this forum. I will enjoy being a member here and hope that I can offer help to others in the future.

 

A pleasure to have another Brit on board

 

Hi TonyT,
Yet again the knowledge on this forum comes up with more information to learn from. I had indeed kept the same computer name, wrongly assuming that it was the correct thing to do.

Thank you very much.