Current configuration:

Softwa Dual boot option with Windows XP (SP2) & Windows Vista (5728)
Hardwa Onboard NIC in Asus P4C800-E Deluxe motherboard
classified as Intel PRO/1000 CT
Connection: Verizon Online DSL 3.0/768 PPPOE ethernet with a
Westell 6100 (tested also with a Westell 327W)
Router firewall disabled

Windows XP (SP2):
Ping and tracert commands functioning fine with software firewall
enabled/disabled.
No problems accessing the internet, view web sites, file transfers, etc.

Windows Vista (5536/5600/5728):
I have disabled the Windows Firewall.
I am able to access the internet, view web sites, file transfers, etc.
The only functions I am unable to use are Ping and Tracert on IP address/web
sites.
All I get is a "Request timed out."

Is this a known problem with the INTEL PRO/1000 CT NIC in Vista? Or is
there a slight configuration change I have to do in Vista to be able to use
Ping and Tracert?
I'd greatly appreciate any help and advice in this matter.
Besides this slight, annoying problem, every other hardware I have is
functioning fine in Vista (5728).

This sound VERY similar to a problem I just fixed:

Windows onecare basically has settings to block ICMPv4 inbound activity:

To open your machine up if its not pinging or opening on the network is to:

-open windows onecare live window from the taskbar icon
-click change onecare settings
-goto firewall tab
-click advanced settings button
-goto ports and protocols tab
-tick the ICMPv4 inbound tickbox (i guess ICMPv6 inbound too if you can use
this)

And in my case and yours if you want file sharing to work, I also needed to:
-goto the sharing tab
-change "do not share files and printers" to "only share them with computers
on my local network (subnet) or if more freedom wanted the "share them with
all computers, even those on the internet"!

-Click apply, ok all the way out as necessary

Hope that helps

Hi!

Thank you very much for giving to me some of your time and advice. I truly
appreciate it.

In my situation, I never installed/used Windows Live OneCare with my Windows
Vista configuration. Only the default Windows Vista firewall was activated.
Even with the Windows Vista firewall on or off, I was unable to ping/tracert.

I reported this bug to Windows Vista Support.

For an update, using exactly the same hardware configuration (as my previous
post), I have since installed and tested Windows Vista (build 5744 & up).
Ping/tracert commands are functioning properly now with no problems at all
with these Windows Vista builds.

Whatever was changed, in the more recent Windows Vista builds, it fixed the
ping/tracert problems with my specific hardware configuration. Thank you
Windows Vista team.

Congratulations Windows Vista team for reaching RTM. I'll be looking
forward to purchasing and using Windows Vista (as my main OS) upon retail
release.