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From: Kat Rabun on 27 Mar 2010 11:00
In WinXP SP3 "Network Connections", I right click "Repair" the wired "Local
Area Connection" but always get an error. How do I clear the DNS cache?

Here is the error I always get (even after rebooting):

Repair Local Area Connection
Windows could not finish repairing the problem because the
following action cannot be completed:
Clearing the DNS cache
For assistance, contact the person who manages your network.

Unfortunately, I am the person who "manages" the home network.

How do I repair an Internet connection that won't release the dns cache?
(I have a similar problem with the wireless connection which it won't
release)
From: Kat Rabun on 27 Mar 2010 11:07
On Sat, 27 Mar 2010 15:00:54 +0000 (UTC), Kat Rabun wrote:

> In WinXP SP3 "Network Connections", I right click "Repair" the wired "Local
> Area Connection" but always get an error. How do I clear the DNS cache?

I did try "flushing" the dns cache but it gave a different error:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.
C:\Documents and Settings\kathleen>ipconfig /flushdns
Windows IP Configuration
Could not flush the DNS Resolver Cache: Function failed during execution.

I don't know what else to check to see what is locking the DNS cache.
What could be preventing the DNS cache from flushing?
From: Kat Rabun on 27 Mar 2010 11:33
On Sat, 27 Mar 2010 08:07:36 -0700, Kat Rabun wrote:

> What could be preventing the DNS cache from flushing?

I found the problem was the "DNS Client" service wasn't running.

I hadn't been running the DNS Client service ever since I set the DNS
CLient to "Manual" as per a web site months, or maybe even years ago, which
said to disable all unnecessary and unneeded Windows XP services.

Since the Internet connection has been working all that time (the router
automatically assigns the DNS to the computer in the home network), I
wonder what usful thing the DNS Client does???

What does the DNS Client actually do (besides preventing a network repair)?
From: Kat Rabun on 27 Mar 2010 11:47
On Sat, 27 Mar 2010 15:33:01 +0000 (UTC), Kat Rabun wrote:

> What does the DNS Client actually do (besides preventing a network repair)?

I just remembered WHY I set the DNS Client service to Manual.
I have a huge hosts file (with spam blocking).
I don't remember the problem but that is why I disabled the DNS Client
service.

So my question has morphed to ...

What does the DNS Client service actually do
(besides slowing down huge hosts files and prevening network repairs)?
From: Kat Rabun on 27 Mar 2010 12:02
On Sat, 27 Mar 2010 15:33:01 +0000 (UTC), Kat Rabun wrote:

> What does the DNS Client actually do (besides preventing a network repair)?

For my type of home network, the DNS Client service doesn't appear to do
anything useful! :(

I have a giant hosts file which I update daily as I run into web sites I
feel act suspiciously (malware, javaware, flashware, annoying popups,
etc.). I also remove duplicate entries programatically (unixutils "sort
-u").

In my home network, all the Windows XP SP3 DNS Client seems to (really) do
is just two bad things:
- The DNS Client prevent network repairs (by preventing DNS flushes)
- The DNS Client foul ups systems with large hosts files

Apparently the DNS Client service optimizes the performance of DNS name
resolution by storing previously resolved names in memory. If the DNS
Client service is turned off, the computer can still resolve DNS names by
using the upstream DNS servers.

One caveat: On recent Windows versions, the "DNS Client" service is also
used to register the computer's network connection in DNS (sends a dynamic
update creating a host record on the local DNS server).
http://www.simpledns.com/kb.aspx?kbid=1089

BTW, I did find out how to start and stop the DNS CLient manually:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318803
c:\> net stop dnscache
c:\> sc servername stop dnscache

REFERENCES:
http://www.theeldergeek.com/dns_client.htm
http://www.sturmnet.org/blog/2005/02/09/xp-dnsclient
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_DNS#The_effects_of_running_the_DNS_Client_service
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