No Domain is available...

[jepeters]

Last Sept our school bought 10 HP Pavillion 6465 computers. 9 worked fine, but one would NEVER connect to the internet through our LAN. I would connect to our NT network server with no problem--but not once did it connect to any web site. I checked all the TCP/IP settings over and over and they're ok. I've exchanged cat5 cables with the computers sitting next to it and that wasn't the problem either.

So, today I tried using a different brand of NIC. Made no difference. I put the original NIC back in, and now I can't even get logged on to the Domain. Again, I've checked all the settings over and over. I tried an ISA NIC, 3 different PCI NICS, and I still get only the 'No Domain was avaialbe...' message.

Any suggestions?

[jepeters]

btw, everything looks fine in Device Manager. I even re-installed everything useing the factory restore CD and still get the same error.

[glc]

Too bad HP doesn't support a Pavilion on a network. That is a home computer, not a network workstation. Be happy that 9 out of 10 work. My sister went through this - she was the IS person at her company and the comptroller went to Computer City and bought Pavilions against her recommendation. She had nothing but problems trying to get these machines to work on the network - and when she called HP, they told her tough - not supported - should have bought Vectras, Brios, or Kayaks.

Not what you wanted to hear, I'm sure - sorry about that, but that's the way it is.

[jepeters]

miracle of miracles--it's working. I don't know what made the difference--maybe it was re-installing the factory CD. Last night I had forgot to re-enter the IP numbers after putting the network card back in. When I put them in this morning, it logged on to the network and the internet. But I KNOW the IP numbers were exactly the same as I had been using during the entire school year.

[Dave22]

I'm going w/ glc on this one. Those Pavillions are nothing but trouble on a network. Their architecture is not made for it (even HP says so). I have a few of those things on the network that I'm currently working on and I'm trying to get them phased out.

[jepeters]

With the one exception that I just got working, we've had no trouble getting HPs to work on our network. We've had 11 Pavillions in all, with a few more on order. They work for us, and you can get them refurbished at various auction sites at a very good price (although I sometimes wonder why they have so many refurbs! )

[Dave22]

Well, if they work for you, then great. I could get into a whole tirade concerning used equipment, but some places unfortunately have to do it. (Don't mind me, I'm just bitter because the place I'm at now has mostly "bargain" PCs and it's a mess!)

Hmmm... now I just remembered why I have a job! lol

[jepeters]

Before the 'refurb' business really got going the last couple of years, our school only bought new Gateways, and in the few cases where money is not an issue, we still do.

For a high school, buying a new computer these days means you're buying way more power than you'll need. Today's Best Buy ad has an HP for $1700. I got virtually the same thing refurbed for around $950. For small school with financial problems, that difference adds up if you need 5 or 10 or 20 machines.

I won't say I don't worry a little when I recommend these. HP refurbs have only a 90-day warranty. But so far, nothing has gone bad after 90 days. On the other hand, we bought a dozen Compaq 4550 machines with a 1-year warranty that have really caused problems--both before and after the warranty expired. Even so, I feel we're still well ahead by buying refurbs.

[glc]

The most economical way to buy network workstations that will *work* is "white box" clones, not the proprietary name brand "home" computers that are sold in the big retail stores.