Question : Connect XP home to Domain based network

I have a Sony GRT916V running XP home SP1. It has built in Wireless, 1394 Net, and SiS 900-based PCI fast Ethernet. I have had it running on a network last week, but now due to a change of job I am trying to set it up on a new network. I am using X-Setup pro 6.6 auto login to access the network. It was all working fine, letting me access the network, print sharing internet access (via proxy) and all exchange server features, but then I decided it was time to have a clean up and did a system restore. Now I can't seem to re-connect. Problems as follows.

(I'm fairly new to networking - self taught so you may need to go easy with me at first)

Domain I wish to connect to: gardnerarts
Full domain name: gardnerarts.co.uk
**Ipconfig /all read out as follows**
Win IP
Host name: THCLAPTOP
Primary DNS suffix: gardnerarts.co.uk
Node type:unknown
IP routing:no
WINS:no

Ethernet
Connection DNS suffix:(blank)
Desc:SiS 900-Based PCI fast Ethernet adapter
Physical address:08-00-46-D2-FA-ED
Dhcp enabled:yes
Auto config enabled:yes
Auto adress: 169.254.69.102
Subnet:255.255.0.0
Gateway:(blank)

If I try and renew after a few minutes, I get the following message: "An error occured while renewing interface Local Area Connection : unable to contact you DCHP server. Request tmied out"

And I don't seem to be able to ping anything that I know exist on the network - reply: "destination host unreachable"

On the windows (XP home) end, I have set the workgroup to GARDNERARTS, but cannot see and of the workgroup computers.

I have tested the cable with anothe machin and it works fine.

I linked my laptop with another last night with a crossover cable and that all works fine, so I assume my ethernet port is okay.

I'm a little stuck, and frustrated that I had it working on a few days ago. Since the system restors I have been able to map one of the netword drives, but now I cannot even do that.

Having read some of the other forums, I thing it could be a NIC problem. But don't know what a NIC is! Can't find any setting to change my network card speed.

So I'm stuck, thankyou in advance for any help!

If you need more info, just ask. I have limited access to the server, but the server administrator seem to know less than me so if I need to check things at that end I can access!
 

Answer : Connect XP home to Domain based network

I can see from your TCP/IP config that you have been assigned an Auto-Config address in the 169.254 range. These are assigned when no DHCP server is available or cannot be contacted

Why did you do a System Restore? Have you tried restoring the laptop to the state it was in before you did the restore? (If you see what I mean)
If you do this and it works then you can rule out a hardware problem.

Alternatively try assigning the laptop a static IP address in the range that is being assigned by DHCP. You can check this by running IPCONFIG from another PC that is working and has network connectivity. You will need to assign it an IP address that is not in use or you will get an IP conflict.