Windows 7 Windows 7 ICS with XP. Slow bootup

[Mayoo]

So i have setup ICS via windows 7 (desktop) to my XP (laptop). Everything works fine. the only issue is when i start my windows 7 and when XP is shutdown on my laptop, the windows 7 gets slow or never pass the logon screen. workaround is to start 7 in safe mode, disable my secondary NIC and then boot. So clearly the issue is ICS.. Can anyone help ?

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you are experiencing slowdowns and issues with your Windows 7 desktop when your XP laptop, which is connected via Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), is shut down. This slowdown might be related to the ICS configuration causing some sort of conflict or network issue. Here are a few troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve this issue: 1. Update Network Drivers: - Check if there are any updates available for the network drivers on both your Windows 7 desktop and XP laptop. Outdated drivers could potentially cause such issues. 2. Reconfigure ICS: - Try reconfiguring the Internet Connection Sharing settings on your Windows 7 desktop. Sometimes resetting the sharing configuration can resolve any conflicts that may be causing the slowdown. 3. Check for IP Address Conflicts: - Ensure that there are no IP address conflicts between your Windows 7 desktop and XP laptop. Each device should have a unique IP address to prevent network conflicts. 4. Disable ICS Temporarily: - Temporarily disable ICS on your Windows 7 desktop and see if the issue persists. This can help identify if the slowdown is directly related to the ICS configuration. 5. Alternative Connection Methods: - Consider using an alternative method to share the internet connection between your Windows 7 desktop and XP laptop, such as using a router or a dedicated network switch. 6. Event Viewer: - Check the Event Viewer on your Windows 7 desktop to see if there are any error messages or warnings related to the network or ICS. This can provide more insight into the issue. 7. Safe Mode Troubleshooting: - Since you mentioned that starting in Safe Mode and disabling the secondary NIC resolves the issue, you can further investigate the network settings and services that are running in normal mode and may be causing the slowdown. By following these steps, you should be able to troubleshoot and hopefully resolve the slowdown issue you are experiencing on your Windows 7 desktop when your XP laptop is shut down. Let me know if you need further assistance or have any specific questions during the troubleshooting process.