sort of OT: Windows Security Update killed my Internet

[Jason Hayes]

Just thought that I would try to help people avoid the same problems that I 
had yesterday.

The Internet connections on two XP machines on my network just stopped working 
yesterday morning. I won't bother people with the details but I fought with 
the network settings for about an hour or more on those machines and my 
router. No matter what I did, I couldn't figure out why I had network 
connectivity but no Internet on two machines and fully functioning network 
and Internet on another two (one Linux and one XP).

It took the XP virtual machine on my main Linux box trying to apply a security 
update for me to figure out the problem. I allowed update and my Internet 
died. So I went back in and removed the update and the Internet was back. 
Same thing with the two non-functioning units. I pulled the updates and ta 
da, the Internet was back again.

So if your Internet on an XP machine dies suddenly, look for

Security Update for Windows XP KB951748
Update for Windows KB951978

I expect that you're maintaining other security precautions that will hold you 
over until M$ figures out the problem with these latest updates.

HTH
-- 
Jason Hayes