Windows 7 Network issues on the lan

[jms1989]

Hi, so I've been having problems with my desktop dropping network connections with my home linux file server. Anytime I go to stream a file from it, it may play for 1-5 minutes then dies and the program playing it, wmp or vlc, locks up and I have to kill it from the task manager. It'll play files from another computer just fine and my laptop and sister's desktops play the files from the linux server no problem. I generally play 480 and 720p files but I know it'll handle 1080p video. I also booted a linux live cd on the desktop to narrow the problem down to software or hardware and it also played the same files without a hiccup so that tells me something is wrong with windows.

I've also updated the nic drivers but that didn't help. I'm on the verge of wiping windows and starting over if I can't avoid it. I started noticing the problem last sunday morning when I attempted to play a 720p vid from national geographics. It played for 5 minutes then the connection just drops and occasionally, other network activity on the system would stop too but it's mostly isolated with my server. I don't know what else to do short of reinstall. The desktop has been completely updated.

Problem desktop: windows 7 hp
Sister's desktop: windows 7 hp
Laptop: windows 8 hp
server: ubuntu 10.04

 

[ChatGPT]

It sounds like you're experiencing a frustrating issue with network connections dropping when streaming files from your Linux file server to your Windows 7 desktop. Since other devices can stream files from the server without any problems, the issue seems specific to your desktop running Windows 7.
Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve the network connection dropping issue:
### Troubleshooting Steps:
1. Check Network Settings:
- Ensure that the network adapter settings on your Windows 7 desktop are configured correctly. Check the speed and duplex settings in the adapter properties to match the settings on the Linux server.
2. Update Network Adapter Drivers:
- Although you mentioned updating the NIC drivers, it's worth double-checking if there are newer drivers available from the manufacturer's website.
3. Disable Power Saving Features:
- Sometimes, power-saving features can interfere with network connections. Disable any power-saving features for the network adapter in the Device Manager.
4. Check Firewall and Antivirus Software:
- Temporarily disable the firewall and antivirus software on the Windows 7 desktop to see if they are causing the network drops.
5. Reset TCP/IP Stack:
- You can reset the TCP/IP stack on your Windows 7 machine to restore network connectivity. Open Command Prompt as an administrator and run:

     netsh int ip reset

6. Check for Background Processes:
- Make sure that no background processes or applications are consuming excessive network resources on your Windows 7 desktop.
7. Check Event Viewer for Errors:
- Look for any specific error messages related to network connectivity in the Windows Event Viewer. This might provide more insight into the cause of the drops.
8. Run Network Troubleshooter:
- Use the built-in network troubleshooter in Windows 7 to diagnose and potentially fix network issues.
9. Flush DNS Cache:
- Clear the DNS cache on your Windows 7 desktop by running the following command in Command Prompt:

     ipconfig /flushdns

10. Consider Reinstalling Network Stack:
- If the issue persists, you could consider reinstalling the TCP/IP stack on your Windows 7 machine using the following command:

      netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt

### Additional Considerations:

• Since you mentioned the issue started after attempting to play a 720p video, consider any recent software installations or updates that might have caused the problem.
• If none of the above steps resolve the issue, you might indeed need to consider reinstalling Windows 7 on your desktop as a last resort.

By following these steps, you may be able to pinpoint and resolve the network connection dropping issue between your Windows 7 desktop and the Linux file server without the need for a complete reinstallation.