Windows Vista x64 Cannot Resolve Domain Name Addresses
Windows Vista x64 on a LAN connected to Internet via Router. Everything was fine. Possibly a Windows Update, or PC Tools Anti-Virus removal immediately preceded the following problem. The system can access the LAN, shared folders and printers, has a valid IP (192.168.1.xxx), and others can access its shares so network is fine. According to the Network and Sharing Centre it can connect to the Internet. But it cannot access the Internet (google.com, microsoft, com, etc.). I cannot tracert to the name but was able to intermittently and occasionally resolve by IP address. However, this may be because I had just done so via another system on the LAN. I have removed the drivers for the network and reinstalled them, disabled/enabled the network card, run repair and diagnose, etc. etc. Nothing changes the situation. Ideas?
March 8th, 2010 4:14am

Hi, Thank you for posting here. Firstly, may I know if this computer is in a domain or workgroup? Based on my research, I would like to suggest the following: 1. Run “ipconfig /all” in a command prompt and check if the IP Address, DNS and other settings are correct. 2. Boot the computer to Safe Mode with networking and check if it works. 3. Ensure that the computer is using the correct DNS server for name resolutions. Please run the following command in a command prompt: >nslookup >www.microsoft.com (You can also try other URLs.) Will the correct IP address be returned? 4. Reset IE settings How to reset Internet Explorer settings Hope this helps. Thanks. Nicholas Li TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com.Nicholas Li - MSFT
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March 8th, 2010 1:34pm

The computer is in a workgroup. NSLOOKUP produces the correct IP addresses as far as I know. I have noticed a difference in this system and others systems on the network. Maybe this gives a clue: On the problem system 192.168.1.1. (the router) is referred to as "WL.domain.com". On other systems it is referred to as "BELKIN". On the problem system, NSLOOKUP shows the Default Server as "WL.domain.com". On the other systems it shows it as the ISP's Primary DNS Server.
March 8th, 2010 8:13pm

Hi, Thank you for your update. Please double check your DNS setting on this computer. In addition, please try the following: 1. Go to “Network and sharing Center – Change adapter settings”. 2. Right-click the connection that you want to configure, and then click Properties. 3. Click Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4), click Properties, and check if the settings are proper. 4. You can configure the NIC settings to obtain the IP address and DNS automatically to see if it works. Hope this helps. Thanks. Nicholas Li TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com.Nicholas Li - MSFT
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March 9th, 2010 1:02pm

Hi, Nicolas. I appreciate you trying to help, but you keep giving me basic network troubleshooting tips. All of which I've done. Resetting IE settings cannot resolve this problem (but I did it anyway). Telling me to check if the settings or the IP or DNS are correct without telling what you mean by "correct" is ambiguous. :-) The problem is very obviously a problem with the way this system handled DNS. For some inexplicable reason this system cannot resolve names when all other systems on the network can. This system regards "WL.domain.com" (192.168.1.1) as it's Primary DNS. If I change the NIC's TCP/IPv4 setitngs to not get DNS automatically and enter the Primary and Secondary DNS of the ISP, this system still cannot resolve names -- most obviously when any browser is used. I have given it a Static IP and there is no change. This system has two NICs and the problem is identical using eithe rone of them (or both). This system can tracert to a name (e.g. microsoft.com, google, com, google.ca) and still get Windows Updates. It cannot flush the DNS cache when "ipconfig /flushdns" is used but it can display the cache ("ipconfig /displaydns"). Even if known names and associated IPs are included in the HOSTS file, it cannot resolve names. Now some ideas/questions: Is it the way that Vista defines a "Private Network"? Is it the WIndows Firewall even though all browsers have been added to the Exceptions List? Please note that the irewall has also been disabled with no change in the problem. Is it possible that the MTU may be the problem? The ISP has some old documentation on their site that suggest using an MTU of 1362 (no reason given that makes any sense). However, no other system uses an MTU of 1362 and they are fine. But all the other systems are Windows XP (The Server is 2008).
March 9th, 2010 5:12pm

Hi, I noticed that you have two NICs, are they active simultaneously, are they connecting to the same network? Do both of them have default gateway? At this time, please also collect the MPS Report for our further research: 1. Download the MPS Report Tool. 2. After the download is complete, double-click this "MPSRPT_PFE.EXE" file. When you are prompted "Include the MSINFO32 report?", please input Y to continue. After a while, a CAB file will be generated. 3. Open My Computer, browse to the "%systemroot%\MPSReports\PFE\CAB" folder. You can find the CAB file above. For your convenience, I have created a workspace for you. You can upload the package via the following link: (Please choose "Send Files to Microsoft") https://sftasia.one.microsoft.com/choosetransfer.aspx?key=a4fbd1e7-d13f-4cc5-92ad-040b008ad7e5 Password is “4e@y{B[mbFah” (without quotations). Thanks. Nicholas Li TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com.Nicholas Li - MSFT
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March 10th, 2010 10:06am

The system was formatted and the OS was reinstalled and the ability to troubleshoot this mystery is gone. Enough time was wasted and this seemed the only option. Along the way I learned some useful things about DNS, HOSTS files, and the way in which Windows resolves names. Please close this thread and delete it. Thank you.
March 10th, 2010 5:36pm

Hi, I am sorry that you have reinstalled Windows Vista. I am sorry for the convenience and the troubleshooting is time consuming. Hope the information and what you experienced will benefit many other users; we really value having you as a Microsoft customer. In the future, if you experience any issues regarding our products, you are welcome to post a new thread in our forum. It is always our pleasure to be of assistance. Thanks again. Nicholas Li TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com.Nicholas Li - MSFT
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
March 11th, 2010 6:12am

No need for such sorrow :-) If it helps anyone, one useful suggestion was to change the Network Connection's DNS to 4.2.2.2 and 4.2.2.3. These are public DNS IPs. The theory is that they ALWAYS work and thus can be used to resolve to when doubt exists about the DNS supplied when using DHCP. That the ISPs DNS was added and could be tracert-ed and names could be resolved to IPs using tracert but not a browser tells me the problem was not with the DNS as such.
March 13th, 2010 10:29pm

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