Vista loses IP config when undocking

[gizzzo]

I used to use ThinkVantage's Access Connections to manage my network connection profiles on my Thinkpad. I just recently uninstalled it because I decided to just rely on the Vista has natively. 

Since our office requires static IP, I set that up at the LAN properties. Everything works fine when I start from a clean boot. It's when I undock and redock to the docking station that problem starts. I lose the static IP configuration. Instead Vista assigns: 

IP: 169.254.77.37 (supposed to be 10.11.2.xxx) 
Subnet: 255.255.0.0 (supposed to be 255.255.254.0) 
Gateway: blank 
DNS: correct

I now find myself having to do a reboot everytime I just need to undock and go to a 30 minute meeting when I used to be able to undock and redock without any problems whatsoever. 

Why does Vista assign this random IP when it is hard configured? 

How can I solve this problem? 

Thanks.

[NPendrigh]

I do not have a direct Vista answer for you

The 'random' IP address is the standard one assigned by Windows when the computer is not connected to any network

I would return to using Access Connections - it is designed for just this type of situation

Alternatively, renewing the IP address once the PC is back in the DS may fix it without needing a reboot

Best wishes

Nigel

[gizzzo]

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NPendrigh wrote:

I do not have a direct Vista answer for you

The 'random' IP address is the standard one assigned by Windows when the computer is not connected to any network

I would return to using Access Connections - it is designed for just this type of situation

Alternatively, renewing the IP address once the PC is back in the DS may fix it without needing a reboot

Best wishes

Nigel

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How can Windows assign an IP when I have configured it to be static?

Also with renew or release. How would that work in static IP. I did try it tho and it didn't work.

Returning to Access Connections would be my last option since it doesnt make sense to me to have a 3rd party utility when i can do it natively in Windows. I just cannot understand how Windows Vista can screw up the handling of static IPs when all other versions had no problems with static IP. I mean static is static right?

[NPendrigh]

You are absolutely right with all your points, I am merely giving you some pragmatic suggestions

If you wish to limit your options by avoiding AC, then I wish you well in your quest to fix Vista

Nigel 

[gizzzo]

test

[gizzzo]

I finally gave up and reinstalled Thinkvantage Access Connections.

This time it no longer works. Same problem. Even when I created a named profile in AC, whenever I apply it after a redock, the same thing happens: Vista does not set the IP and subnet mask though everything else is ok. I still have to reboot to get my IP back.

very very annoying and unproductive.

Something is definitely wrong either with the registries, the OS itself or the adapter.

Please help.

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NPendrigh wrote:

You are absolutely right with all your points, I am merely giving you some pragmatic suggestions

If you wish to limit your options by avoiding AC, then I wish you well in your quest to fix Vista

Nigel 

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[NPendrigh]

I image my C drive before doing any OS or Program installations or removals so that I can trivially in about 15 minutes restore to a known good system (my data has previously been moved to another partition) using Acronis True Image Echo Workstation

Do you have a back up of a known good system?

If so restore from that. If not, you may be lucky enough to just uninstall and re-install the network driver software or swap the network adapter. Else, it would appear to be either live with what you have or

 - selectively reinstall/repair the OS and everything either with the installation CD's or using Rescue & Recovery

 - or format the disk and start again

While philosophically, I used to remove as many apparently surplus programs as possible, now I do not bother because in the past I have wasted far to much time being "right" instead of just using the system as a tool to Get Things Done!

Good Luck

Nigel

[gizzzo]

I have not been doing images or restores (although seriously considering it. thanks) because I could usually troubleshoot once I understand what's happening.

This time I really don't understand how a static IP assigned can get lost when undocking/redocking. It boggles me and I am lost. Too late for me to do a restore.

I have a temporary solution which is to set another IP address and when the problem appears I simply switch to the other one. It's a not a beautiful solution and I had to bribe our LAN admin to give me the extra IP but that's what I got now.

I am still searching for this annoying yet challenging problem. I hope it also challenges people in this forum.

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NPendrigh wrote:

I image my C drive before doing any OS or Program installations or removals so that I can trivially in about 15 minutes restore to a known good system (my data has previously been moved to another partition) using Acronis True Image Echo Workstation

Do you have a back up of a known good system?

If so restore from that. If not, you may be lucky enough to just uninstall and re-install the network driver software or swap the network adapter. Else, it would appear to be either live with what you have or

 - selectively reinstall/repair the OS and everything either with the installation CD's or using Rescue & Recovery

 - or format the disk and start again

While philosophically, I used to remove as many apparently surplus programs as possible, now I do not bother because in the past I have wasted far to much time being "right" instead of just using the system as a tool to Get Things Done!

Good Luck

Nigel

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