Sl servers VS Comcast?

I'm with you Tigro on that. But, it's not my computer so who am I to say? As it appears now it is some sort of hardware issue..........possibly the router and/or modem. The 100% CPU usage is not so unusual for many people and it seldom causes SL to fail to run anyway..........I can see where that may have suddenly showed up after the reinstallation of Windows since all settings were reverted back to Window's default and unless the particular setting for CPU usage was reset back to the same as before the reinstallation it very well could be at the 100% level. It's best to find the problem and fix only that problem........the tossing nukes at a problem when a BB gun is the weapon that should be used almost always screws things up royally until all those little tweaks that were made over the years are finally gotten back to where the user wanted them or had them.

I had next to nothing on the drive, so formatting it was quick. I store most everything on external drives.

Either way, the CPU thing stopped, I'm running at 50% of both cores now, give or take.

The lag thing is still acting up, though. So I think I'll give Comcast a call and see if there's any kind of latency between myself and the SL servers.

So weird, too. Trace route (10 hops) looks good, and my ping to SL is 100ms average with 0% loss. It just... Cuts out every few hours, but only to SL, not to any other services.

The basic method of troubleshooting is to analyze your problem thoroughly. Note all the little problems that lead to the big problem you have. Note what you've done between the time the problem did not exist and when it did exist. Figure out what is happening......in this case loosing connections to the servers of LL. Check the obvious first. Try known methods of solving the problem.........one step at a time. Keep it simple..........don't assume huge problems when, in fact, the evidence points to small problems. Don't complicate the process by jumping to conclusions.....you have to keep it simple or you wind up doing so many things that have nothing to do with the issue you are totally lost.......and probably created a whole new set of issues to deal with that only complicates the orginal problem. That's where you are now....sorry to say.

What you discribed above is the "R&R" (remove and replace) method of trouble shooting. That method of troubleshooting works but it's often expensive because for it to work you must replace with a know good replacement device. And you should only R&R items or devices that are reasonably suspect of the root of the problem. Eventually, you will stumble on the solution if you stick with that method though you can easily spend a lot of unnecessary time and money doing it. And you get situaltions like "new problems" cropping up (the 100% CPU usage thing).

Well, I fixed one of the two issues, so I'm happy.

so, if the problem now is again, network related, aparently, one thing you could do to rule out a potential source of the problem, the suggestion about pluging your computer directly into your modem (depending on how your connection is like, you might need a dialer program on your computer, and in some cases, the username and password used to log into the service)

if the problem goes away, check if the cables you're notusing are still good, then if you can get a higher end router borrowed and see if it still causes issues, if it does, perhaps somthing in your computer, or less likellly in the modem, is reacting differently when there is a router of any kind is in the equation, otherwise you should look further into why your router is causing issues

So you didn't wipe your drive. You simply formated. That answers my question.

I don't think the problem is in my network. If my connection were dropping, everything would get disconnected, not just SL.

The other issue with getting rid of the router is I can't. I don't have enough money for a new router, and this problem is so sporadic, I can't have my other devices and other people in the house diconnected for the potential hours it would take to see if that even solves the problem.

Unless I do it and stay up one night all night to see if I get disconnected.

However, I can say I put my computer in the router's DMZ, enabled all port forwarding anyway, and shut off my own firewall to troubleshoot.

I think conundrum is the word I want.

It just blows my mind that my ping can be absolutely in the green for three hours, then blink off just long enough to disconnect me, forcing me to quit SL, boot it up again, and log right back in. Hell, I even have had a second instance running on the second screen, so the second I get logged out I hit the button and immediately reconnect.

Loosing the connection to SL and not apparently having connection problems with other systems is not unusual. SL requires a hell of a lot more data exchange than your browser, steaming video from Youtube, listening to internet radio, playing WoW or most any other system you want to compare it too. Your router/modem/network interface card can hiccup all day long and you probably would never notice........not so with SL.

Since you can't reasonably bypass or replace your router you might give Comcast a call.......if you rent your modem from them have them replace it for you. Modems are not normally prone to causing your problem but they certainly can.........worth the effort and time anyway. It's easy to do as Tigro suggested.........check all your CAT5 RJ45 connectors for being fully seated in the recepticals. Check for damage to the cable.......maybe it's pinched somewhere behind your computer or somewhere along it's route from your computer to the router. If you have it stapled anywhere check for staples penetrating the jacket (it does not necessarily have to be sticking into the cable...just scraping the side of one of those tiny 22 gauge wires is enough to cause problems). If you have animals, check for chew marks. If, heaven forbid, you have the cable on the floor across a door way check to see if the cable is crushed by stepping on it. Keep it simple, check the obvious, you'll likely find your problem.

Yeah, I'm going to go down the list and try all that. Thanks for all the help, everybody.

I'd like to add, just to make it more interesting- Every now and then I run two accounts, side by side, on this computer.

One account will get disconnected, but the other one won't.