NETWORK ADAPTERS WON'T INSTALL

  • Thread starter Thread starter Joanne Bailey
  • Start date Start date
J

Joanne Bailey

Dell 4600 Running WinXP-Pro

My Network Adapter "disappeared" (no idea how except possibly a virus)
Plug N Play finds the hardware, goes through the install routine but the end
result after re-boot is the same: The network adapter is listed as an
unknown device (w/yellow exclamation point.)

I've installed he drivers from the default, from the Dell drivers folder and
from the CD-ROM. I've also tried installing in "Safe Mode" to no avail.

Thoughts: Registry has been boinked? Hardware is actually defective?

Possible easy solution: Install new network card (under $30?) I'm close to
trying this but not sure what card to buy. 10/100 10/100/1000 ??? (I'm
not a network person so this doesn't compute. I believe I've got a 10/100
now. I have 3G cable modem speeds so my only concern is the effect the
network card would have. (guessing none...)

thanking any and all responders in advance,

Joanne

(e-mail address removed)
 
If your network card is a pci slot card, check and make
sure it is in the 2nd pci slot. First pull the card, and
then delete every bit of the driver, or card reference you
can find. Reboot, and let the system stabalize, and then
shut down and replace the card in the 2nd slot. Boot
up, and the PC should detect the card. Install default
drivers .. or Dell drivers. I think SP2 can generate
a resources conflit if the NIC is in a shared slot like 4 or
5. Most mobos have the NIC integrated now, so not
many techs are seeing this problem. I am once in a
while.

johns
 
johns said:
If your network card is a pci slot card, check and make
sure it is in the 2nd pci slot.

johns
Click to expand...
Do you mean second PCI slot if the video is using the first PCI slot? Or even
if there's onboard or AGP slot video?
 
Joanne said:
Dell 4600 Running WinXP-Pro

My Network Adapter "disappeared" (no idea how except possibly a
virus) Plug N Play finds the hardware, goes through the install
routine but the end result after re-boot is the same: The network
adapter is listed as an unknown device (w/yellow exclamation point.)
Click to expand...

Unplug the unit from AC power. Fully reseat the NIC if it happens to be the
PCI variety. Check the Device Manager.
I've installed he drivers from the default, from the Dell drivers
folder and from the CD-ROM. I've also tried installing in "Safe Mode"
to no avail.

Thoughts: Registry has been boinked? Hardware is actually defective?

Possible easy solution: Install new network card (under $30?) I'm
close to trying this but not sure what card to buy. 10/100
10/100/1000 ??? (I'm not a network person so this doesn't compute. I
believe I've got a 10/100 now. I have 3G cable modem speeds so my
only concern is the effect the network card would have. (guessing
none...)
Click to expand...

10/100 cards can be had for $15 in many cases. SMC, D-Link, Netgear, 3Com
and Intel are all fine.

3G speeds eh ? Sweet. Glad I don't have your bill.

I think you're actually looking at 3-6Mb/sec downstream, with 4Mb/sec being
typical.
 
Thanks for the response. My initial "Windows Veteran" response was to pull
the card, reboot without it then put it back and and expect all to be will.
But, much to my surprise, there IS NO CARD! This is apparently just a
connector hard-wired to the motherboard; that's why I'm seriously thinking
the easiest solution is to stick in a new card.

<By the way, my mistake, it's 3Mb downstream. :)

Thanks
 
Thanks for your response: Unfortunately, I discovered I don't have a typical
NIC; it's just a plug hard-wired to the mother board.

I gather there's some way of disabling Plug N Play but I'm not sure what
that might accomplish. The machine finds the hardware it just can't/won't
install the drivers.

thanks again...
 
Do you have the mobo drivers installed?


--
Tumppi
Reply to group
=================================================
Most learned on nntp://news.mircosoft.com
Helsinki, Finland (remove _NOSPAM)
(translations from FI/SE not always accurate)
=================================================
 
This is unfamiliar territory to me...sounds like it could have unexpected
consequences. ???

Any thoughts regarding just installing a NIC in one of the PCI slots? I'm
wondering about conflicts or IRQ feuds.

thanks for your reply.

JB
 
Joanne said:
This is unfamiliar territory to me...sounds like it could have
unexpected consequences. ???

Any thoughts regarding just installing a NIC in one of the PCI slots?
I'm wondering about conflicts or IRQ feuds.
Click to expand...


Pretty much a thing of the past with APIC and WinXP. Install the NIC into
any PCI slot other than the one closest to the AGP slot, assuming you have
an AGP slot. Install the driver. Check the Device Manager to see it has been
installed.
 
Back
Top