Network connection on server shows connected, but cannot access any network resource

Last night we applied serveral Microsoft patches. After the reboot the server is no longer accessible from the network, even though the network status in "Network Connections" shows "Connected."

I have also confirmed that the switch has a link light to the server. I have swapped cables, updated the NIC drivers, and I have uninstalled all Microsoft updates. The server is still not able to access anything on the network.

I have even gone so far as setting the IP address to a private IP address with no gateway, and connected my laptop to the server with a cross-over cable with another private IP. The two system can not ping each other.

As a last ditch effort I have installed another NIC. The behavior is the same - Windows and the switch all have link status, but the results are the same. The server can not access anything on the network.

I am at my wits end with this server. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to get this system back to working?

Server is running Windows 2003 64-bit.

Thanks!

EDIT -- I have found the following in the event log:

“Event ID: 4292 – The IPSec driver has entered Block mode. IPSec will discard all inbound and outbound TCP/IP network traffic that is not permitted by boot-time IPSec Policy exemptions”.

However I cannot figure out how to get the IPSec Service started -- it times out when I try to mannually start the service (it is set to auto start up but it is failing).

From serverfault Richard West

• http://support.microsoft.com/kb/912023 ?

  Richard West : Worked perfectly.
  From TessellatingHeckler