lost internet connection

having a problem with an old hp pavilion. have lost my internet connection: virginmedia cable modem. I have tried all the virgin troubleshooting tips to no avail, I know it's not a modem problem. Have spoke to those wiser in such matters and told I would need a setup CD, virgin no longer use CD for set up. And their tech team have not been overly helpful. I have treid renewing the connection and recieved the message cannot renew ip address, which are all zero's. I have tried reconfig command. and release/renew no help. even tried set up without a CD, nothing works. I do not have XP, operating system on CD. I am trying to live on benefits at the moment so I cannot affford to have someone fix problem or afford a new computer, so if anyone can come up with anything to help I will be most grateful.
Tel

Try turning the cable modem off, and leave it off overnight. Then try reconnecting the next day, that might clear any connection history that the modem or Virgin's network has. When you switch it back on, check the lights on the modem, are they the normal ones? If not, call Virgin again. If they are, perhaps the problem is between the modem and your PC. Go to a Command prompt ( Start/Run "cmd") and type "ipconfig" ( without the quotes). It should tell you your IP address.

Alan's right, sounds like the modem has simply got confused over the IP addressing.
Powering down both the modem and PC, then restarting the modem first, followed by the PC SHOULD sort things out. If it fails, you need to speak to Virgin again with a view to getting a new modem
Otherwise theres a chance the ethernet port has failed on the motherboard, but they usually only go after a lightening strike or similar - which also blows the modem or router

sorry should have been clearer with my message, Ihave already tried this. Tel

You could try risking a fiver on a new PCI Network Card. I've had trouble in the past with on-board Ethernet connections and solved them this way.

How do you know it is not a modem problem?

Re: "How do you know it is not a modem problem?"

Presumably this was checked at the outset of the problem when talking to the service provider?

I do not see how the service provider, or anybody else, can know with any certainty that the modem is not at fault UNLESS they have tested the modem with another computer connected to it. That's the first thing I would do if I were called in on the job! To run the test you would need to power-down the modem temporarily before connecting the other computer, by the way. So if the modem works with another computer then the problem could be the network interface on the computer or it could be a software problem. If the modem does not work with another computer then it IS the modem.

In which case Virgin should respond by sending either an engineer or a replacement modem to assist the customer. They don't seem to have done that so I have to assume that they were satisfied with diagnostic tests they ran remotely to test the modem.

Virgin can presumably test if they can connect to the modem. They might even be able to test if the modem is connected to the computer but if it is not connected, I don't see that they can possibly tell if it is the fault of the computer or the fault of the modem.

Well let's wait and see. It's all academic anyway unless Terry comes back with more info.

BTW this should settle it:
http://www.virginmedia.com/help/broadband/troubleshooting/cant-connect-lights.php
I believe they can diagnose the state of a cable modem if it's powered up and connected to their line, but if that diagnosis seems wrong to the customer or inconclusive then they should send an engineer.