RPC Error trying to renew IP address

While working on a computer this weekend, I came across a problem I had not encountered before.  The computer would not connect to my local wireless network.  The machine had been infected with a virus/malware but had been cleaned prior to coming to my possession.

I finally got it to connect to my network (it was an adapter setting), but the computer would still get online.  I dropped to a command prompt and saw the machine was using a self-assigned IP address.  That's no good.

When I tried to renew the IP, I got an error: "The RPC server is unavailable."  After searching for a while, I came across several back-up related forum posts about the error.  None of those applied. Start again.

I searched around some more, changing the terms a bit, and came across a post with people having the same problem.  Okay, getting warmer.

One suggestion was to run sfc /scannow.  That usually cures system file issues, but it did nothing for this situation.  However, one of the comments to the article had exactly what I needed!

I looked in SERVICES and saw that DHCP Client was not started.  When I tried to start it, I got another error: 1075 Dependency is not loaded.  The fix is actually pretty easy:

"Just delete the registry entry and reboot the system. It should work just fine. it worked for me. 

• Click Start, 

• click Run, 

• type regedit in the Open box, 

• and then click OK. 

• In Registry Editor, locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dhcp 

• Right-click the DependOnService entry, 

• and then click delete. 

• Click OK enough times to get out. 

• Reboot the computer."

That worked!  Once I rebooted, the computer and it (eventually) found my network and connected. Whew!

Hope this helps someone else.