Entire network drops when I load a new page, chrome freeze, only my computer. Lots of diags!

[Amantis]

I was playing an online video game 2 days ago when it overheated (fan now working great, never overheat) and crashed (forced shut off to de-powered state to prevent damage, not a bluescreen). When I brought it back up, I started having some really bad problems. The game I was playing wouldn't start citing "Memory at address 063eaff0 could not be written" After deleting the whole game and restarting the computer I got it re-installed, it works fine now, that's resolved, I guess.

I think this crash broke something though, because now my internet keeps cutting out at random intervals, and Chrome keeps freezing. The Chrome freezes always predict an internet drop. Not EVERY page I load triggers this, but its not specific pages triggering it, it can be any page. And after the network comes back up I can usually access pages for a few seconds to minutes.

So I booted into HP's system diagnostics and ran a memory test, it says I passed. Ran a full scan, hard disk passed, processor passed, WLAN passed, PCI Devices pass, battery pass.  Basically everything is passing.

Next step was wait for one of the outages and run windows network "Troubleshoot Problems" tool, it did it's thing and actually, miraculously, gave me some sort of real problem other than "Check that you're connected to the internet". What it told me was: "Your computer is trying to use a DNS server that is incorrect or doesn't exist."

My Chrome no connection error code is "DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET"

Please don't read this last line and tell me to change my DNS server with no further explanation. There are other computers in the house, and they are connected to the same wifi, and are having zero problems. Also DNS issues do not explain my chrome actually freezing. Also, we're using google's DNS servers.

I've tried "netsh winsock reset" and "ipconfig /flushdns" with restarts, but they didn't seem to fix anything, does it sometimes not work?

Attached is a rar with all the diagnostics I could get my hands on, and here is a contents list as well.

Directory of C:\Users\Amantis\Downloads\Computer Diagnostics

CPU_Z_DIAG_AMANTIS-LAPTOP.txt
DxDiag.txt
pingplotter.png
<DIR> Guild Wars 2 crash dump
Crash.dmp

<DIR> Windows Network Troubleshooting Diagnostics
<DIR> NetworkConfiguration_cab
ipconfig.all.txt
route.print.txt

19524D80-986F-4247-9921-55744935ED43.Diagnose.Admin.0.ETL

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8AHRhFp3eccajk0Z0JRS2w5OXc/view?usp=sharing   As a Google Drive link

[Malygris1]

Hi there @Amantis,

I understand that you have been having some intermittent freezes in Google Chrome, and then a drop of internet connection, that seem to happen close together. I am happy to help with this.

Have you tried a different browser, other than Google Chrome, and if so does it also freeze on you?

Did you try connecting to a different wireless network?

Has there been a noticeable preformance change over time other than the freezes?

These may be a place to start, addressing performance, and possibly malicious software as a cause.

HP PCs - Resolving Slow System Performance (Windows 7)
HP PCs - Windows 7 Stops Responding or Becomes Very Slow After Connecting to the Internet

HP Notebook PCs - Computer Locks Up or Freezes When Playing a Game

HP PCs - Resolving and Preventing Viruses on Your Computer (Windows 7, Vista, XP)
About Spyware, Adware, and Browser Hijacking Software

We know that your network was working with this system before the heat related crash. Maybe some other setting on your system was changed. I realize that you have already tried some of these things, but I include them all in order for completeness.

Troubleshooting Your Wireless Network and Internet Connection (Windows 7)

Also, you can look at the power management for your wireless adapter:
Disable the Power Off option for the adapter:
1. Open Device Manager. (Win Key+R > type devmgmt.msc > OK)
2. Expand the Network adapters.
3. Right click on the Ethernet/Wireless Adapter and click Properties.
4. Click the Power Management tab.
5. Remove the check mark beside Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
6. Click OK.
7. Test.

Forget the network: (Windows 7)
1. Press Start.
2. Type Manage wireless networks and click the application at the top of the start menu.
3. Right click on the network and click Remove network.
4. Confirm the warning by click OK.

Reset the TCP/IP settings on your PC:
1. Go to your start screen/menu and type CMD.
2. Right click on the command prompt icon and chose Run as administrator.
3. In the window that opens type "netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt" without quotes, and press enter.
4. Restart your PC and test.

It may also help to reset the winsock catalogue:
1. Go to your start screen/menu and type CMD.
2. Right click on the command prompt icon and chose Run as administrator.
3. In the window that opens type "netsh winsock reset" without quotes, and press enter.
4. Restart your PC and test.

Reinstall the network adapter drivers:
1. Download the drivers from here but do not run them yet.
2. Go to your start screen/menu and type Device Manager.
3. Expand Network adapters.
4. Right click on the wireless adapter and choose Uninstall.
5. Run the downloaded drivers from step 1.
6. Restart your PC and test.

Test an ethernet connection:
Self explanatory. Test if the issue persists on a wired connection to rule out the wireless adapter hardware so troubleshooting can be directed towards the right areas.

Test another connection:
Many people rule out their home network as an issue if another device is working on the same network. Networking is not that simple. Each device interacts differently with your router or modem and it is impossible to rule out settings in that device until the notebook has been tested on another network.

[Amantis]

I have done everything on this list and it seems to still be happening. I say seems because I'm still getting the internet dropouts but I haven't had my chrome program actually stop responding during one since.

 I don't have an ethernet cable and haven't had a chance to test it at another wifi, but it is so hit or miss it might take me a half hour to verify whether or not its actually happening still at another place.

Also, I neglected to mention that on bootup I get a screen with my drive info on it, and one of them says raid0 cache 128kb 21.8gb disabled - bootable no

Is this my SSD? Is it supposed to be disabled? I can boot fine so I guess my OS isn't on it. 

[Amantis]

I've confirmed that it doesn't happen on other WiFi's, just my home one, at least it seems so.  

We're using Google's DNS servers 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4  I'm still getting the internet drops that effect my whole laptop but Chrome has gotten a lot better about freezing during these drops, its still doing it, but its resolved so fast that I can't tell 99% of the time, I only catch it if I'm typing something on Chrome and the internet drops and my keystrokes wont appear for a second.

I've got the newest WiFi driver and did a full HP System scan and turned up no errors.  I did bluescreen a few days ago but it hasn't happened since I don't know if its related at all. (I have the dmp file of anyone wants that)

[Amantis]

It seems my last post never went though, probably a blackout.

I've tried other WiFi's and it doesn't happen on those, just this one.  And it happens on every browser. I've tried Chrome, Firefox, and even Steam's in app browser.

[Malygris1]

@Amantis,

Ok sorry for the delay with this. As it is working on other networks without problems and only occurs on this one, it would seem to be something more related to your network hardware. Maybe some incompatibility with your wireless router.

Is it a network you had setup yourself or is it a router from your service provider?

If you have access to one, it may be worth testing a different router as part of your network, to see if there is any difference. You have already verified your system elsewhere, so it is going to be some difference based on your network environment.

The router, wireless signal strength, interference from other wireless networks or WiFi devices.

[Amantis]

Alright. Yeah its a Netgear and we have charter.  I don't really understand how the problem is just between my laptop and this specific router, but I do believe you cause that's the only thing that makes sense.  I've heard netgear is kinda bad anyways.

It is a " NETGEAR Smart WiFi Router AC1750 Dual Band Gigabit (R6300v2)" or at least the amazon page for that model is identical to what I'm looking at.

Its stats are (2.4GHz b/g/n), "Auto" Channel, and "Up to 145 Mbps" Mode.  Security is WPA2-PSK [AES]

It also broadcasts a second signal, a (5GHz a/n/ac),  "153" Channel, "Up to 1300 Mbps" Mode. Security is WPA2-PSK [AES] 

But I can't see the 5GHz one in my wifi list so I assume I can't use it.

I'll look into buying a new router I just need to find one within my pretty small budget thats not terrible. The $150 price of the current one is now way outside of my price range and I'd need to find one that was lik $50 max

[Amantis]

=There was a reply just above mine, don't accidentally skip it=

Hey actually, would it be reasonable of me to buy a USB network adapter? Do you think that would fix the issue and save me from having to replace my $150 router with a $70 one?

[Malygris1]

@Amantis,

Thanks for that additional information about your router. As your router is dual 2.4/5GHZ, it is likely that your disconnects would be because the one device is Dual and the other is only 2.4GHz, so if the router is switching, you get a disconnect.

It would not be a bad idea to test this, and maybe a dual band USB wireless adapter would be a the best choice for you.

You could also talk to the router manufacturer, as they probably have a setting that can be adjusted in the router that could fix the issue, probably related to how it switches or polls the frequency bands for signals.

[Amantis]

I get the feeling it just broadcasts two different ones, not switching. They have different names and I've never seen the 5GHz one come up in my wifi's list