Microsoft KB Archive/812335

Knowledge Base

DHCP Client Initializes Improperly and Causes an Invalid IP Address

Article ID: 812335

Article Last Modified on 3/17/2005

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional

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IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you try to start Windows XP, you may not be able to connect to the Internet, and you note that the IP address is 0.0.0.0. You may also receive the following error message:

Dependency service does not exist or is marked for deletion

The System Event log shows the following Event ID message: Error 7003 DHCP service failed to start because dependency service SYMTDI will not start.

CAUSE

This issue may occur because the DCHP client does not initialize properly and leaves no IP address (the IP address appears to be 0.0.0.0). This behavior is known to occur when you remove Norton Antivirus software from the system and the removal process leaves a SYMTDI dependency.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. Locate the following Registry key:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\DHCP DependOnService

   Note The variable lists SYMTDI.
4. Edit the value to remove SYMTDI from the dependency list.
5. Restart the computer.

REFERENCES

For additional information about how to edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322756 HOW TO: Back Up, Edit, and Restore the Registry in Windows XP

Keywords: kbprb KB812335

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