Missing Network Connections

[Andy]

Anyone:

I have been suffering from a curious issue for a few months (amazing how
much you do to get things done). Unsure how or when, but I've lost
visibility to Network Connections.

Symptoms:
Start -> Control Panel -> Network Connections; None show
Start -> Run ... -> devmgmt.msc; Nothing shows
1. Cannot add new network connections though existing DSL and wireless work
after booting. When I click to "Add New Network Connection" the Network
Setup Wizard tells me that it "...cannot find your network hardware.".
2. Seeming sporadic drop of Internet Connection . Especially when
downloading or upgrading things like Norton, etc. Unsure if type of service
or lengthy download - the network connection does not restart and I must
power cycle the DSL Router and sometimes the wireless (for a laptop).

I must be missing or have a corrupt utility that makes the network and
device specifications visible? Must I "re-install" my network and device
hardware? Unsure how to do that with everything already "installed".

Specs:
Windows XP: V5.1 SP3
Computer: HP Pavilion 763n
DSL Router: Actiontec DSL Gateway R1524SU
Wireless: Linksys WRT 55AG

I did search the topic and:
Services:
Network Access Protection Agent; NOT STARTED
Network Connections; STARTED
Network DDE; NOT STARTED
Network DDE DSDM; NOT STARTED
Network Location Awareness (NLA); STARTED
Network Provisioning Service; NOT STARTED

 

[Michael Jennings]

I take it that there is nothing shown in Network Connections - that you
can get to it, but it's blank - not even one device. That would be normal
if you had no NIC - no network interface card. Have you tried HP?
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/product?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=90823

I suppose the HP NIC is built in, but a replacement NIC card should
be recognized. You might want to put one in (~$10) to fix it, if it's a
hardware problem. Windows Help for Device Manager says:
1.. Click Start on the taskbar.
2.. Click Control Panel.
3.. Click Performance and Maintenance, if it is present.
4.. Double-click the System icon and select the Hardware tab.
5.. Click the Device Manager button.
Get there, also Search "Device Manager" in Windows Help and Support.
If the NIC shows there, you could right click it and select "uninstall".
Windows ought to find it when you reboot and reinstall it.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Device Manager and Network Connections may be blank after you install
Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953791

Device Manager may not show any devices and Network Connections may not show
any network connections after you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953979

...Seeming sporadic drop of Internet Connection . Especially when
downloading or upgrading things like Norton, etc.

Was your Norton application running in the background when you installed
WinXP SP3?

Is Automatic Updates enabled and is the machine fully patched at Windows
Update?

 

[Andy]

Pa Bear:

This fixed the issue! I don't recall the SP3 upgrade and if Norton was on /
off. It must have been off as the instructions in the reference below
resolved my problem. I can now install the HP Networked printer!

THANK YOU for the reference and will look in the future to those notices as
a first stop.

How about a point system for rewarding / designating posts that solve the
asked questions?

- Andy

 

[Andy]

Michael:

Thank you for the response. I had run 'devmgmt.msc' and that showed blank
as well. PA Bear nailed my issue with the reference to the SP3 issue and
Norton.

- Andy

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

YW & thanks for your feedback, Andy. What was "your" fix, please?

How about a point system for rewarding / designating posts that solve the
asked questions?

You've already done so by marking my reply as Helpful and the Answer to your
question. <wink>

 

[Andy]

I ran through the Microsoft instructions pointed out in the bulletin
reference you provided:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953791

My Network Connections and Device Manager reflect the devices. Unsure yet
if I have fixed the network availability volatility problem. If not, will
troll the discussions for symptoms.

- Andy

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Thank you, Andy.

I ran through the Microsoft instructions pointed out in the bulletin
reference you provided:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953791

My Network Connections and Device Manager reflect the devices. Unsure yet
if I have fixed the network availability volatility problem. If not, will
troll the discussions for symptoms.