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This is one for the books! (longish)

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  • #1

    This is one for the books! (longish)

    Not unsupportable but close enough, I'd post in general work chat but I don't think it would get a lot of exposure with the geeks (like me) on the forum.

    I was going to refresh two computers in a retail store - one of which was over 6 1/2 years old (wow - how did it miss the last refresh?).

    I had both new PCs in the office yesterday and threw the OS and a "loadset" (basically a set of applications that are commonly used with certain positions - this one is for a sales computer in a retail store). No errors pop up during the entire process. They completed early this morning so they were ready to be delivered.

    I get to the store and plug in the first one, all the local peripherals install flawlessly (receipt printer, scanner etc.). Then, I try to install the network printer that is in the back. Hmm, PC won't see it. Odd. I try a few more times and no dice. I confirm that I have the right IP address for the printer plus I send test pages from the computer I was using for the tickets - no issues there.

    OK, maybe it is a network printing issue? I map to some on the floor and they map fine - I can even send test pages. Odd

    I try a few more times - no dice. I can't even ping the printer from that computer but I can from others.

    OK, time to move to the other PC - I'll also know if it is the loadset, OS version or the model. Nope, this one is perfect, all printers install and I can send test pages to them all, including the one in the back room.

    Hmm...

    Just for poops and giggles, ipconfig /release and ipconfig /flushdns and ipconfig /renew. Nope, still not working. Check the mapping, I can ping the other IP locations in the store - even the IPs that are being used next to it (one below and two up - one up isn't being used). Hmm..

    Disconnect the VoIP phone and still won't see the printer. I even trace the cable back to the LAN and move it to a different port on the router. Still won't see it.

    Hmmm.....

    DNS lists check out fine, full network connectivity, I can browse the web etc..

    I call a friend and he remotes in. He checks the map of the printer and tries to ping the printer name - oddly, when he did a tracert it did pick up the right IP address but could not trace to it nor could he ping it.

    He checks NSconfig (I think that's it) and it sees the IP address but won't connect to the printer. He can see the printer from his computer (over 200 miles away) and can ping it from his PC.

    We double check IP, DNS, networking, and all is good, this damn thing won't even connect to the printer.

    We spent over 2 hours on this issue and to save time (yeah, too late) we decided it was best to just re-reload the OS and loadset, hopefully that'll fix it but due to the slower connections in the store I won't know until sometime late tomorrow or early Friday.
    Quote Dalesys:
    ... as in "Ifn thet dawg comes at me, Ima gonna shutz ma panz!"
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Just curious.
    If the PC that was replaced was over 6 years old...how old was the NIC inside it?

    I'm wondering if full duplex was on, for that port switch in the back (wherever the end of the ethernet cable is).

    otherwise, I'm coming up blank, dude. Makes no sense to me either. How many gremlins did you piss off that day?

    Cutenoob
    In my heart, in my soul, I'm a woman for rock & roll.
    She's as fast as slugs on barbituates.

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    • #3
      The NIC would be my suspect too, but that's not why I'm replying....
      I wanna see your new tech den Draggar! It's been long enough since you wrote about it, post some pics!

      Comment

      • #4
        No new tech den yet - that floor is still being remodeled.

        As for the nic card - it's integrated into the motherboard but this system is new and the issue I'm having now is NOT the one that replaced the 6 year old PC - that system is working fine.

        I have a hard time seeing it is the NIC - only blocking ONE IP address and that ONE address is the printer? It can print over IP since I can map to the two on the sales floor, just not the MFC in the back.

        Its not a driver issue because I can't get that far.

        After the OS reload it still won't see the IP printer. I've had 3 other people look at it - even one from our network support team (yeah, we have a team just for that) and she couldn't find anything odd.

        I've just pinged our local NetOps person who programs all of the routers and switches, maybe she'll find something that I'm missing.
        Quote Dalesys:
        ... as in "Ifn thet dawg comes at me, Ima gonna shutz ma panz!"

        Comment

        • #5
          Just for testing's sake, disable the onboard NIC and throw in a spare NIC to see if it will connect. It would be wierd that the onboard NIC would fail on just one (or a few) IPs, but God knows I've seen computers (and their components) do some wierd shit.

          If the NIC did fail like that, you're moving up high on my list of strange computer failures.
          The Rich keep getting richer because they keep doing what it was that made them rich. Ditto the Poor.
          "Hy kan tell dey is schmot qvestions, dey is makink my head hurt."
          Hoc spatio locantur.

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          • #6
            My only option would be to order another motherboard - no spare NICs.

            I know a good way to test it - reload another PC with the same SW and connect it in the same place.
            Quote Dalesys:
            ... as in "Ifn thet dawg comes at me, Ima gonna shutz ma panz!"

            Comment

            • #7
              This is messed. up. The hell. The absolute most bizarre thing would be if you threw a different computer on there and it did work. Well, I wish ya luck on it.
              Ba'al: I'm a god. Gods are all-knowing.

              http://unrelatedcaptions.com/45147

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              • #8
                Only thing I can thing of is restarting switch and double checking for any odd configurations. And making sure that there are no odd DHCP reservations.

                But yea I think this requires a sacrifice to the computer gods.



                Just a thought, if the printer is using a HP direct jet 3 or better make sure wins is turned off.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Quoth Broomjockey View Post
                  This is messed. up. The hell. The absolute most bizarre thing would be if you threw a different computer on there and it did work. Well, I wish ya luck on it.
                  This is what I'm doing now - I have a PC in my office (same model) and I'm throwing the OS and programs on it to see if it's any different. The other one (of the same model) is working fine (well, far better than the 6 1/2 year old computer they had was).

                  I'm starting to think it's something in the BIOS.
                  Quote Dalesys:
                  ... as in "Ifn thet dawg comes at me, Ima gonna shutz ma panz!"

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Could it be a windows firewall issue?
                    Fixing problems... one broken customer at a time.

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                    • #11
                      Also, although doubtful since it's a newly loaded PC, check the Hosts file.


                      Eric the Grey
                      In memory of Dena - Don't Drink and Drive

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                      • #12
                        Quoth Blade_Raver View Post
                        Could it be a windows firewall issue?
                        Nope, customized for our work environment (Windows enterprise)

                        Quoth Eric the Grey View Post
                        Also, although doubtful since it's a newly loaded PC, check the Hosts file.


                        Eric the Grey
                        I can see a bad load here but after 3 reloads it still didn't work.

                        I swapped the PC and the new one is working perfectly so it's not something on the network. When I get it back to the office I'll see if I can get it to connect to printers in other stores and see if it was just blocking that one IP.
                        Quote Dalesys:
                        ... as in "Ifn thet dawg comes at me, Ima gonna shutz ma panz!"

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Someone else mentioned hosts file...thinking about that, could you use that to explicitly map that one printer? Seems like that *should* work, of course as long as the printer's IP never changes.
                          "English is the result of Norman men-at-arms attempting to pick up Saxon barmaids and is no more legitimate than any of the other results."
                          - H. Beam Piper

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                          • #14
                            If it's not something in the machine's hosts file, then it's almost certainly bad routing. Network switches can get that way. Try swapping ports on the local switch.

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                            • #15
                              Quoth TheSHAD0W View Post
                              If it's not something in the machine's hosts file, then it's almost certainly bad routing. Network switches can get that way. Try swapping ports on the local switch.
                              It was actually plugged directly into the router (well, the 16 port "switch" built into the router) - not one of the "external" switches.

                              The previous PC was working fine but I did do this when I was there with no luck.

                              Eh, I swapped the PC and the new one is working fine.
                              Quote Dalesys:
                              ... as in "Ifn thet dawg comes at me, Ima gonna shutz ma panz!"

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