Solved: Local Area Connection Message

[Cyberdude]

I hope this isn?t an inappropriate question, but I?m getting a LAN message that?s driving me crazy.
There are actually two messages:

1. Local area connection
A network cable is unplugged.
2. Local area connection is now connected.

Both messages appear in a bright yellow balloon at the bottom of my screen. The first message is visible barely long enough to read, then the second one pops up.
My LAN has been working just fine without problems for about 3 years now.

I?ve asked around and found a surprising number of people reporting the same nuisance messages. In fact my 39-year old son, who is also an electrical engineer, says he gets it too, and it started about 2 or 3 months ago. He thinks it began after he got a Win XP update, but isn?t sure.
We both have Dell computers, but his is newer than mine. We both have Win XP with all updates applied. His LAN setup is completely difference from mine.
Neither of us can detect any problems with our LAN operations.
Have any of you had a similar set of messages?

[Belch]

This might be related..
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/forums/index.cfm?action=showthread&threadid=303150&forumid=18

Sounds like resetting the router might work, but I'm guessing you have already tried that.

[Cyberdude]

Very good reference, belch! That guy said everything I would have said about my experience. It's still driving me crazy. Thanx again. :friends:

[tpoynton]

you might be able to address the symptoms, but not cure the problem by turning off balloon messages - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307729

tweakUI (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx) might also enable you to turn them off without going into the registry.

I have seen what you describe when the IP address is released and renewed, and it seems like, for some reason, that happens more frequently for you. could be the router. see if there are any firmware updates for your router, and if so, see if the update addresses your problem.

[Cyberdude]

Hi, Tpoyton! Thanx much for your reply. Now if I can just muster the courage to alter the registry, I'll give it a try. I have indeed changed the registry before, but it's still a scary thing to do.

It's surprising to me how many people have this problem, and still no one seems to have found a genuine solution. You'd think that Microsoft would have addressed this nuisance by now.

Thanks again, guy! :friends:

[tpoynton]

I'd be interested in hearing if it resolves your issue...it might not! if you havent already, back up the registry before modifying!

[Cyberdude]

:ole:

Hip, hip, hooray! Your reference did indeed stop the nuisance yellow balloons from occurring. It was so bad today that I mustered the courage to modify the registry. It was actually quite easy with the help of regedit ... took less than a minute. The cause of the balloons is still occurring, but doesn't seem to hurt anything. I'm a little uneasy that I've turned off ALL yellow balloons no matter what program initiates them. Especially the one that says "Run for your life . . . your PC is on fire!"

So thanks loads my friend, :friends:.
Regards,
Sid

P.S. For those who missed the reference, it's in the following reply.

[Cyberdude]

Here's the reference for stopping the yellow ballons:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307729