DHCP Client Initializes Improperly and Causes an Invalid IP Address

When you try to start Windows XP, you may not be able to connect to the Internet, and you note that the IP address is 0.0.0.0. You may also receive the following error message: The System Event log shows the following Event ID message:

Error 7003 DHCP service failed to start because dependency service SYMTDI will not start.

This issue may occur because the DCHP client does not initialize properly and leaves no IP address (the IP address appears to be 0.0.0.0). This behavior is known to occur when you remove Norton Antivirus software from the system and the removal process leaves a SYMTDI dependency.

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. Locate the following Registry key:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\DHCP DependOnService
   Note The variable lists SYMTDI.
4. Edit the value to remove SYMTDI from the dependency list.
5. Restart the computer.

For additional information about how to edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: