Unable to obtain IP address on Vista machine - Here are steps to debug

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1. Verify output of ipconfig command that it showing at least one interface wired or wireless connected to your machine. 

2. Verify output of ipconfig/all showing DHCP is enabled on that interface.

DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

3. Verify DHCP client service is running on your machine. Run command 'sc queryex dhcp` on command prompt.

SERVICE_NAME: dhcp
TYPE : 20 WIN32_SHARE_PROCESS
STATE : 4 RUNNING
(STOPPABLE, NOT_PAUSABLE, ACCEPTS_SHUTDOWN)
WIN32_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)
SERVICE_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)
CHECKPOINT : 0x0
WAIT_HINT : 0x0
PID : 980
FLAGS :

4. Check output of ipconfig /renew. Does it say "Unable to connect to DHCP Server"? If duplicate address is detected, DHCP client will automatically try to get new ip address.

5. Make sure DHCP server is running in network and reachable. If you know IP address of dhcp server, ping it from some other machine in network. Check other machines on same network are getting ip address from DHCP server.

6. Disable and enable your network adapotor. Goto ncpa.cpl and disableenable adaptor.

7. Remove cable from this machine and connect to other good machine where you are already getting ip address from DHCP server to ensure that this is not cable or driver issue.

8. Stop firewall on your machine and try ipconfig /renew. Does it solve your problem? It might be firewall who is blocking you to communicate with DHCP server. Contact your firewall software provider.

9. Is it issue with your router? Try resetting your router and see if it solves your issue.

10. Assign static ip address and gateway to interface  and check if you are able to ping other machines in the network. If NOT, this might be cable or dirver issue of interface. Try using another cable or NIC card. Refer instructions at https://support.microsoft.com/kb/555992 for static ip address assignement.

11. Verify that you are not facing this issue https://support.microsoft.com/kb/928233 (Windows Vista cannot obtain an IP address from certain routers or from certain non-Microsoft DHCP servers)

12. Verify that you are not facing issue https://support.microsoft.com/kb/933340 (You cannot use a remote access server to apply Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) options to a Windows Vista-based computer. Therefore, the Windows Vista-based computer loses some TCP/IP configurations.)

13. Install netmon and verify that DHCP communication with server is happening..you can send us the NETMON capture of DHCP Transactions and DHCP Server configurations for analysis..NETMON 3 is available at https://www.microsoft.com/downloads

14. You can also capture dhcp client tracing for further analysis

1. Output of ipconfig /all

2. Enable DHCP tracking (netsh dhcpclient trace enable)

3. ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew

4. output ipconfig /all (when in quarantine and firewall is disabled)

5. Pls send the route information (route print -4)

6 . Please provide the %windir%system32logfilesWMIdhcpcsvc.etl, dhcpcsvc6.etl, dhcpqec.etl files.

7. Share build information (share value of You can find the full build string in the registry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindows NTCurrent Version in the BuildLabEx value or output of winver command.)

8. Also pls provide the system event logs ( run "eventvwr" on command line and go to Windows Logs -> System)

Share above information at https://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=716&SiteID=17 

Hope this helps in solving your problem,

Govind [MSFT]