XP: No DNS Setting in IPCONFIG
 

Running Windows XP SP3 on HP7900 PC. Not apart of a domain (WORKGROUP) and is
only intended for access to the Internet only and serve apps that are
installed. I have 7 - 8 lab PCs that specifically do not list DNS servers in
IPCONFIG and their OS network settings are set to 'Obtain DNS server address
automatically'. Same for DHCP settings (automatic). Network Admins have been
notified but they point to local PC being issue. I can ping the DNS server IP
Addresses listing on a neighboring known working PC and I can ping 127.0.0.1,
but I can't ping IP Address nor name of basic websites like yahoo.com and
google.com.

This is what I've done thus far...

1. On all PCs reported no longer showing DNS settings in IPCONFIG, they have
a FIVE minute DHCP lease window as opposed to known working student lab PCs
who's leases expire every seven days.

2. NSLOOKUP results on reported faulty lab PCs is 'Default servers are not
available'.

3. Cross-checked faulty PCs HOST file with known working lab PCs HOST file
and all is in order.

4. Cross-checked faulty PCs browser Internet Options with known working lab
PC. They both mirror one another.

5. Swapped a reported faulty lab PCs CAT5 from wall jack and plugged into an
adjacent known working lab PC's wall jack (RJ-45). The faulty lab PC still
would not resolve website names after reboot. Still no DNS settings in
IPCONFIG. Plugged known working student lab PCs CAT5 into faulty PCs old wall
jack and the known working lab PC still successfully resolves website names
in IE8 and DNS settings promptly list in IPCONFIG.

Same results on 2 - 3 other reported faulty lab PCs that do not have DNS
settings.

Isolated issue to local PC(s).

6. Issue was prevalent since late last week. I ran System Restore from a
week or more ago. After reboot, still no DNS.

7. Ran Malwarebytes full virus scan overnight. Found and removed six
viruses. Reboot and issue still exists.

8. Reset IP stack as well as uninstalled/reinstalled NIC...no results either.

9. Safe Mode with Networking yields same results.

10. Ran Winsock and LSP Fix. Neither results corrected issue. LSP app
actually listed files that it generated as 'No Problems Found'. Still no
result after reboot.

11. Attempted to manually enter DNS IP addresses statically into OS...still
did not take. Reboot, no success.

Network connectivity icon in lower right of monitor on faulty PCs always
display 'Speed: 100.0 Mbps'/'Status: Connected'

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!