Problems installing network card (ethernet 10/100 NIC PCI)

[Bazzer Smith]

I bough a cheap network card 10/100 NIC PCI ethernet card
and a cross over cable with the intent of conecting 2 PC's.

Anyway I had some problem's installing it with the supplied
installation disk. At some point during the installation disk it
would say 'insert your windows98SE CDROM', I have
just windows98 not 98SE but I stuck that disk in anyway.
Then it tries to copy a pile of files off that disk but it says
it can't find them, so basically it fails to install. I have had
a 'browse' of my windows98 disk (and disk which came
with the card, but I could not seem to find the files either).

The files concerned (probably over 40 of em) were named
such as - dhcpcsvc.dll, icmp.dll Routetab.dll etc....
I noticed some of these files were already on my machine
in the system folder (probably quite a lot of em), I also know
I can download mising dll's from the net, however some
of the files were called 'networks' and 'protocol' (try googling
on those words for a file to download and you can see that
you will have problems cos you will get millions of irrelevant
things returned).

Anyway I tried to connect up the computers with a crossover cable
but it didn't seem to work.I also tried to connect to my cable modem
via the ethernet card but that didn't work either.

So I am not sure where I am or how to proceed, any ideas?
The computer I put the card in is an old one,Cryix MII 300,
maybe it can't use ethernet (I am out of my depth here!!).

Is there a 'standard' instalation I can download from somewhere?
I have never installed one of these cards before so I have nothing
to go on really so I would appreciate any help from anyone
who is familliar with these cards and their installation etc..


TIA.

 

[Bazzer Smith]

Prehaps I should add that I connected the computer I put the
card in to my new computer which already had an ethernet
card in it (Win XP) and it detected the connection but then timed
out cos I don't think it was getting any response.
Thanks once again!!

 

[Dave]

I bough a cheap network card 10/100 NIC PCI ethernet card
and a cross over cable with the intent of conecting 2 PC's.

Anyway I had some problem's installing it with the supplied
installation disk. At some point during the installation disk it
would say 'insert your windows98SE CDROM', I have
just windows98 not 98SE but I stuck that disk in anyway.
Then it tries to copy a pile of files off that disk but it says
it can't find them, so basically it fails to install. I have had
a 'browse' of my windows98 disk (and disk which came
with the card, but I could not seem to find the files either).

The files concerned (probably over 40 of em) were named
such as - dhcpcsvc.dll, icmp.dll Routetab.dll etc....
I noticed some of these files were already on my machine
in the system folder (probably quite a lot of em), I also know
I can download mising dll's from the net, however some
of the files were called 'networks' and 'protocol' (try googling
on those words for a file to download and you can see that
you will have problems cos you will get millions of irrelevant
things returned).

Anyway I tried to connect up the computers with a crossover cable
but it didn't seem to work.I also tried to connect to my cable modem
via the ethernet card but that didn't work either.

So I am not sure where I am or how to proceed, any ideas?
The computer I put the card in is an old one,Cryix MII 300,
maybe it can't use ethernet (I am out of my depth here!!).

Is there a 'standard' instalation I can download from somewhere?
I have never installed one of these cards before so I have nothing
to go on really so I would appreciate any help from anyone
who is familliar with these cards and their installation etc..


TIA.

You can certainly have ethernet on a PC of this age and with Win 98 even Win
95. The issue is whether the drivers for this particular card require Win
98SE or not. What does the documentation give in terms of operating system
requirements? (98SE was quite a big step from 98 despite the similar
marketing names.)

Dave

 

[kony]

I bough a cheap network card 10/100 NIC PCI ethernet card
and a cross over cable with the intent of conecting 2 PC's.

It might help to identify this card, the chipset it uses.
Look on the card at the markings on the main (big) chip. If
there is a sticker over it, write down what is on that
sticker, for preservation purposes, then take off the
sticker and read off what is on the chip.

The point of this is that some NICs have you do entirely
unnecessary things that have no good use.

A typical PCI nic for Win98 has a driver with about 2 files.
Taking Realtek 8139 for example (is on a ton of
motherboards, and cheap generic network cards), the driver
for Win98 is comprised of (the file names may vary slightly
but follow this general theme):


netrtl4.inf
rtlnic4.sys

These two files are about 11K and 80K respectively.

So on Realtek's website, there might be (I haven't checked
on Win98 "FE" (first edition) recently) two or more version
of the file... a small version, maybe a few dozen KB in size
and the overbloated version of several hundred KB if not
over 1MB.

You only need the smaller file and it is a better option.
It might be a zip file, so you'd just unzip to a folder then
uninstall any/all other things you had previously for the
card. Perhaps in add/remove programs. The next time
windows boots (reboot the system), if windows prompts for
the driver you browse to the location of the folder you
unzipped the files to. If windows automatically finds a
driver instead, then go into Device Manager, the properties
for this network adapter, and there you change the driver by
browsing to that new folder with the very few files in it.

Anyway I had some problem's installing it with the supplied
installation disk. At some point during the installation disk it
would say 'insert your windows98SE CDROM', I have
just windows98 not 98SE but I stuck that disk in anyway.

Usually a Win9x (win95, 98, 98SE, or ME) driver will work on
98. If in doubt, choose an older driver, for example since
you have 98 and if there were only a Win95 and Win98SE or ME
driver available, choose the Win95 driver.

Then it tries to copy a pile of files off that disk but it says
it can't find them, so basically it fails to install. I have had
a 'browse' of my windows98 disk (and disk which came
with the card, but I could not seem to find the files either).

IN an attempt to follow Microsoft's lead and dumb-down
everything, doing simple things is becoming ever more
complex and subject to human errors (by those creating these
driver packages). The method I described above is almost
always the best way, to do it even the first time, never
trying the driver installer package at all.

The files concerned (probably over 40 of em) were named
such as - dhcpcsvc.dll, icmp.dll Routetab.dll etc....

Those are probably just Windows files, not that came with
the network card CD. If they're already in the system
folder, sometimes you can just point (browse to) that
location when it is looking for them. However, what it
wants is either the original windows CD or the folder on the
hard drive where (you or an OEM, typically) had put the
windows installation files, those named *.cab)... so it's
really looking for a *.cab file, which it decompressed to
find the files within. If you did a Find->Files and
searched for files named *.cab, containing text
"dhcpcsvc.dll", etc, it would take a while but probably find
the cab file that particular "dhcpcsvc.dll" file was in.

If I recall correctly, this happens with any network adapter
driver installation so even using the small driver above,
you will need the windows CD or to browse to where those
files are on your hard drive. I had thought when you
browsed to them, it showed something like the cab file name,
then a comma, and then the internal file name, in the field
at the bottom of the browse-to window.

I noticed some of these files were already on my machine
in the system folder (probably quite a lot of em), I also know
I can download mising dll's from the net, however some
of the files were called 'networks' and 'protocol' (try googling
on those words for a file to download and you can see that
you will have problems cos you will get millions of irrelevant
things returned).

ALL the files you will need are either on your Windows CD or
in the small network adapter file mentioned initially. If
your system is an OEM with only a restore disc, not a full
windows CD, those files will be in a folder on the hard
drive somewhere... do a find->files for *.cab and the folder
would be the one that has most of them in it... several
dozen MB worth.

Anyway I tried to connect up the computers with a crossover cable
but it didn't seem to work.I also tried to connect to my cable modem
via the ethernet card but that didn't work either.

Until the driver and files are installed, there's no point
in trying the cable connection. After they're installed,
Device Manager should show the device working properly, and
if you clicked [Start] button, "Run", (and then type)
"Winipcfg" {hit enter key}, it should show the IP
configuration utility which lists the network adapters and
their configuration, and this new adapter would show up
there if properly installed and configured.

So I am not sure where I am or how to proceed, any ideas?
The computer I put the card in is an old one,Cryix MII 300,
maybe it can't use ethernet (I am out of my depth here!!).

Well I don't know if it having a Cyrix MII CPU could be a
compatibility issue or not, but I'd get a driver from the
network adapter chipset manufacturer, just ignoring the
included CD altogether. I've _never_ had to use the
included CD or floppy to install a network adapter and I
never do it, I just throw those away as they are useless, in
my option. Not that they can't work but are never any
better than the other alternative.

Is there a 'standard' instalation I can download from somewhere?
I have never installed one of these cards before so I have nothing
to go on really so I would appreciate any help from anyone
who is familliar with these cards and their installation etc..

Yes, I probably have the driver you need if the chipset
manufacturer doesn't anymore, but first we need to know the
markings on the primary (big) chip on it.

 

[Bazzer Smith]

You can certainly have ethernet on a PC of this age and with Win 98 even
Win 95. The issue is whether the drivers for this particular card require
Win 98SE or not. What does the documentation give in terms of operating
system requirements? (98SE was quite a big step from 98 despite the
similar marketing names.)

If says for win98 do this...and then it mentions win98SE some where
in the procedure, which was a bit odd but I will have to check that
when I try it again later.I hope I can provide clearer info a little later.

 

[Bazzer Smith]

If says for win98 do this...and then it mentions win98SE some where
in the procedure, which was a bit odd but I will have to check that
when I try it again later.I hope I can provide clearer info a little
later.

Yes I just had a look at and during the procedure for win98 as you
are going through it, it says insert windows98/SE CRROM (not sure if there
was a slash there as they were written notes.

Then it says "The file inetmbl.dll cannot be found" and it appears to
be looking in f:\english\win98se (f: being by cd drive). There is
no \english folder on my installation disk and obviously no win98se
folfer in there either. (IIRC).

 

[Bazzer Smith]

I bough a cheap network card 10/100 NIC PCI ethernet card
and a cross over cable with the intent of conecting 2 PC's.

It might help to identify this card, the chipset it uses.
Look on the card at the markings on the main (big) chip. If
there is a sticker over it, write down what is on that
sticker, for preservation purposes, then take off the
sticker and read off what is on the chip.

The point of this is that some NICs have you do entirely
unnecessary things that have no good use.

A typical PCI nic for Win98 has a driver with about 2 files.
Taking Realtek 8139 for example (is on a ton of
motherboards, and cheap generic network cards), the driver
for Win98 is comprised of (the file names may vary slightly
but follow this general theme):


netrtl4.inf
rtlnic4.sys

These two files are about 11K and 80K respectively.

So on Realtek's website, there might be (I haven't checked
on Win98 "FE" (first edition) recently) two or more version
of the file... a small version, maybe a few dozen KB in size
and the overbloated version of several hundred KB if not
over 1MB.

You only need the smaller file and it is a better option.
It might be a zip file, so you'd just unzip to a folder then
uninstall any/all other things you had previously for the
card. Perhaps in add/remove programs. The next time
windows boots (reboot the system), if windows prompts for
the driver you browse to the location of the folder you
unzipped the files to. If windows automatically finds a
driver instead, then go into Device Manager, the properties
for this network adapter, and there you change the driver by
browsing to that new folder with the very few files in it.

Anyway I had some problem's installing it with the supplied
installation disk. At some point during the installation disk it
would say 'insert your windows98SE CDROM', I have
just windows98 not 98SE but I stuck that disk in anyway.

Usually a Win9x (win95, 98, 98SE, or ME) driver will work on
98. If in doubt, choose an older driver, for example since
you have 98 and if there were only a Win95 and Win98SE or ME
driver available, choose the Win95 driver.

Then it tries to copy a pile of files off that disk but it says
it can't find them, so basically it fails to install. I have had
a 'browse' of my windows98 disk (and disk which came
with the card, but I could not seem to find the files either).

IN an attempt to follow Microsoft's lead and dumb-down
everything, doing simple things is becoming ever more
complex and subject to human errors (by those creating these
driver packages). The method I described above is almost
always the best way, to do it even the first time, never
trying the driver installer package at all.

The files concerned (probably over 40 of em) were named
such as - dhcpcsvc.dll, icmp.dll Routetab.dll etc....

Those are probably just Windows files, not that came with
the network card CD. If they're already in the system
folder, sometimes you can just point (browse to) that
location when it is looking for them. However, what it
wants is either the original windows CD or the folder on the
hard drive where (you or an OEM, typically) had put the
windows installation files, those named *.cab)... so it's
really looking for a *.cab file, which it decompressed to
find the files within. If you did a Find->Files and
searched for files named *.cab, containing text
"dhcpcsvc.dll", etc, it would take a while but probably find
the cab file that particular "dhcpcsvc.dll" file was in.

If I recall correctly, this happens with any network adapter
driver installation so even using the small driver above,
you will need the windows CD or to browse to where those
files are on your hard drive. I had thought when you
browsed to them, it showed something like the cab file name,
then a comma, and then the internal file name, in the field
at the bottom of the browse-to window.

I noticed some of these files were already on my machine
in the system folder (probably quite a lot of em), I also know
I can download mising dll's from the net, however some
of the files were called 'networks' and 'protocol' (try googling
on those words for a file to download and you can see that
you will have problems cos you will get millions of irrelevant
things returned).

ALL the files you will need are either on your Windows CD or
in the small network adapter file mentioned initially. If
your system is an OEM with only a restore disc, not a full
windows CD, those files will be in a folder on the hard
drive somewhere... do a find->files for *.cab and the folder
would be the one that has most of them in it... several
dozen MB worth.

Anyway I tried to connect up the computers with a crossover cable
but it didn't seem to work.I also tried to connect to my cable modem
via the ethernet card but that didn't work either.

Until the driver and files are installed, there's no point
in trying the cable connection. After they're installed,
Device Manager should show the device working properly, and
if you clicked [Start] button, "Run", (and then type)
"Winipcfg" {hit enter key}, it should show the IP
configuration utility which lists the network adapters and
their configuration, and this new adapter would show up
there if properly installed and configured.

So I am not sure where I am or how to proceed, any ideas?
The computer I put the card in is an old one,Cryix MII 300,
maybe it can't use ethernet (I am out of my depth here!!).

Well I don't know if it having a Cyrix MII CPU could be a
compatibility issue or not, but I'd get a driver from the
network adapter chipset manufacturer, just ignoring the
included CD altogether. I've _never_ had to use the
included CD or floppy to install a network adapter and I
never do it, I just throw those away as they are useless, in
my option. Not that they can't work but are never any
better than the other alternative.

Is there a 'standard' instalation I can download from somewhere?
I have never installed one of these cards before so I have nothing
to go on really so I would appreciate any help from anyone
who is familliar with these cards and their installation etc..

Yes, I probably have the driver you need if the chipset
manufacturer doesn't anymore, but first we need to know the
markings on the primary (big) chip on it.

Thanks there is a lot for me to look into there, I will have a
look on the computer (Im on my new one now) a bit later
and have a look inside to see what is on the chip

Just looking at my scrawled noted and it says
Realtec rtl8...... (something I partially wrote down, might be
a .dll)

I think one bit of the installation worked ok were it instaled
some stuff, but then you have to reboot and do the bit which
doesn't work

OK just been on the old computer with the card in it and
I looked in system- device manager and it said
Realtec RTL8129 PCI Fast Ethernet.


Also I have setup file in windows/options/cabs
which seem to have a few more file than those
on the installation disk, but the folders lool
fairly similar in content with lots of cab files.
How do you tell the process installer to look inside
those cab files?
Will it do it automatically?

Thanks!!

I will try installing it again a bit later, and provide
any info I missed out here.

 

[beenthere]

If you still have troubles Baz, I`ve found the drivers here:
http://www.network-drivers.com/companies/891.htm

Realtek 8129.. scan down the page till you find your OS.
It`s a zipped file.
Delete existing refs in Device manager, and restart machine,
and tell the system where the file is, or you might be able to install
from the package, then restart.
__
bw..OJ

 

[Bazzer Smith]

If you still have troubles Baz, I`ve found the drivers here:
http://www.network-drivers.com/companies/891.htm

Realtek 8129.. scan down the page till you find your OS.
It`s a zipped file.
Delete existing refs in Device manager, and restart machine,
and tell the system where the file is, or you might be able to install
from the package, then restart.

I think I might have just downloaded that from elsewhere not
a very big file about 84k so I don't now how that effects
the installation prog looking for scores of dll's (probably
not needed I hope).

Trouble is I downloaded it to my new machine and need to transfer it.
If only I have an ethernet connection set up I could copy it accross!!

I will give it a go later anyway. I think I will transfer it by
'swap slave hardrive net'.

 

[Bazzer Smith]

If you still have troubles Baz, I`ve found the drivers here:
http://www.network-drivers.com/companies/891.htm

Realtek 8129.. scan down the page till you find your OS.
It`s a zipped file.
Delete existing refs in Device manager, and restart machine,
and tell the system where the file is, or you might be able to install
from the package, then restart.

OK I got the zip and tried it but it kind of did the same thing, ie it
sort of in stalled it and then asked me to put my Windows CD in
the drive as it wanted another bunch of files dhpcsvs.dll etc...
So it basically seened to be doing the same thing.


Anyway...I unzipped a load of the cab files I have and it seems
a lot of the stuff if in there, (the above .dll for iinstance) also
other stuff such as 'network' and ' protocol' which
sound like the right stuff. I found such stuff in net7.cab - net10.cab
which seems the right kind of place. However I think it wants to
find these files on a CD (Windows), I don't think I can just specify a
location (unfortunately) so I will try again and if necessary burn the
files on to a CD and use that when it says 'insert windows cd'
Got to be worth a try ;O)

I will no doubt report back that it failed miserably shortly!!!!

 

[Bazzer Smith]

OK I got the zip and tried it but it kind of did the same thing, ie it
sort of in stalled it and then asked me to put my Windows CD in
the drive as it wanted another bunch of files dhpcsvs.dll etc...
So it basically seened to be doing the same thing.


Anyway...I unzipped a load of the cab files I have and it seems
a lot of the stuff if in there, (the above .dll for iinstance) also
other stuff such as 'network' and ' protocol' which
sound like the right stuff. I found such stuff in net7.cab - net10.cab
which seems the right kind of place. However I think it wants to
find these files on a CD (Windows), I don't think I can just specify a
location (unfortunately) so I will try again and if necessary burn the
files on to a CD and use that when it says 'insert windows cd'
Got to be worth a try ;O)

I will no doubt report back that it failed miserably shortly!!!!

Failed miserably!! :O)

Well I got a little further, but no success in he end yet.
I managed to get it to copy all the files off the disk I made,
and it seemed to find them all on there. However after it had copied
them across it started prompting me that the existing file was newer
and asking if I wanted to keep the existing file, recommending yes.
So I clicked yes and the first few files went OK, then it got to one
file, I clicked yes and the system just hung. I tried it again and it
hung again (one the file telenet.exe) I am unsure if it was the same
file, I can't remember.
I have noticed though, that when it asks you to insert the CDROM
you can manually change where it copies the files from if you type it
in yourself.
Also I think I may have screwed up the comms on that computer
by now for USB internet access (cos it hung, so I didconnected
the USB and it would boot then) but I ain't sure.Anyway I am getting a bit
fed
up with it now so I will leave it for now and try again soem other time.

 

[Bazzer Smith]

Failed miserably!! :O)

Well I got a little further, but no success in he end yet.
I managed to get it to copy all the files off the disk I made,
and it seemed to find them all on there. However after it had copied
them across it started prompting me that the existing file was newer
and asking if I wanted to keep the existing file, recommending yes.
So I clicked yes and the first few files went OK, then it got to one
file, I clicked yes and the system just hung. I tried it again and it
hung again (one the file telenet.exe) I am unsure if it was the same
file, I can't remember.
I have noticed though, that when it asks you to insert the CDROM
you can manually change where it copies the files from if you type it
in yourself.
Also I think I may have screwed up the comms on that computer
by now for USB internet access (cos it hung, so I didconnected
the USB and it would boot then) but I ain't sure.Anyway I am getting a bit
fed
up with it now so I will leave it for now and try again soem other time.

Tired several time but it won't work, sometime I fininish the
installation process but when I reboot it just hangs so I
have to power off so the system ignores the device.

 

[Ron]

See if you can find the Microsoft broadband networking utility. I had the
same problem, but I had a installation disk for a Microsoft product.
It had the correct files.
You should be able to download the Microsoft Broadband Networking utility
from the Microsoft support site.
If you do install it and then when you install your card it will get the
correct files almost instantly.
Ron

 

[Bazzer Smith]

See if you can find the Microsoft broadband networking utility. I had the
same problem, but I had a installation disk for a Microsoft product.
It had the correct files.
You should be able to download the Microsoft Broadband Networking utility
from the Microsoft support site.
If you do install it and then when you install your card it will get the
correct files almost instantly.
Ron

I am kind of pulling my hair out over this, I am getting so confused.
I actually had a look at the details on the chip and it says RTL8139D
on it. Prior to that I had being 8129 (not 3) was the number I had seen.
Anyway I downloaded that but it didn't seem to think the driver
was in there at all (or the .inf file) I have had so many errors but know
I don't know what I am doing. I tried starting from the beginning and
it didn't seem to find the drivers it was looking for, but I think it
did before or I though it was looking for something else and I pointed
it to a load of files I unzipped from .cab files. Anyway I got it to
go right to the end and it just said "drive not installed"!! Click finish.
I didn't say what was the problem. Half the time I don't know
what it is meant to be looking for, and it is asking for disks
I don't have, its utter madness.
I will have a look for that anyway I am getting so fed up with this, it only
cost
£5 but has caused £50 worth of misery. Not worth 50p.
I think I will take it back to the shop, they are OK with refunds.
But I will see if microsoft have anything which will sort out the mess
I don't want it for BB though just to connect to computers if I can.
I already have BB on USB, I expect it will screw that up knowing
mu luck.

 

[Noozer]

I am kind of pulling my hair out over this, I am getting so confused.

I actually had a look at the details on the chip and it says RTL8139D

This is a Realtek chip and generic drivers for the 8139 should work. Have
you visited Realteks website and tried their drivers? (www.realtek.com.tw)

What does the entry in Device Manager call this device? Without any drivers
it should fall under "Other Devices" as a "PCI Network controller" or
something similar.

If it has already been unsuccessfully installed with different drivers, try
removing the drivers from ADD/REMOVE programs. If you can't do that, then
try the Update Driver option from the Device Mangler.

 

[Bazzer Smith]

This is a Realtek chip and generic drivers for the 8139 should work. Have
you visited Realteks website and tried their drivers? (www.realtek.com.tw)

I think I have tried just about everything :O) and every combination of
everything!!

What does the entry in Device Manager call this device? Without any drivers
it should fall under "Other Devices" as a "PCI Network controller" or
something similar.

It says which is, I believe where I got
the 8129 number from, it may well call it that during the set-up too if I
recall
from my now so confused mind!!

I have an idea is that the 8139 if the OEM (whatever that means) version of
8129
and I have just downloaded a pile of the OEM 8139 stuff from the site you
mentioned.
Mine is an OEM machine I believe.

I tried running the set up but it didn't work (sort of, it came up with an
illegal operation/
page fault but it still seemed to finish whatever it was doing (having a
laugh probably)
but it still says the device is not working in the control panel. Maybe I
should have
deleted the device before I started the set-up. I will try that next, but
when that
fails (I know it will) I think I will have finally ran out of ideas!!

If it has already been unsuccessfully installed with different drivers, try
removing the drivers from ADD/REMOVE programs. If you can't do that, then
try the Update Driver option from the Device Mangler.

That sort of fits in a bit with something I have been thinking because now
it seems that it does not find drivers which it found before when I tell
it to look in the same folder. It is like it remembered that that driver
didn't
work and then ignores it. However it is very unclear which drivers it is
looking for during the set-up process and I just end up pointing it to
various
folders with 'stuff' in untill it find something it likes to let get a bit
further
in the process which inevitably ends up in failure!! I am quite surprised
my machine has not blown itself up by now!!!
I have tried so many things I doubt the system is in it's original state
by now although it stilll runs ok (using it now).

Another thing is that it was very hard to get the card into the slot
so maybe it was not fully inserted, however if the PC detected the
card well enough to be able to say it's a "Realtek RTL8129 PCI Fast
Ethernet"
then one would assume it is inserted correctly?
Actually when I definately had it fully inserted (in a different slot) the
machine
would not boot up at all!!

I think I will give it one last go and then admit defeat. The card cost me
about £5, less than the 1 metre cross over cable IIRC. I think I will
probably take it back. If they give me my money back no probs I might
buy a more expensive card from them (on the assumption they would
take that back too if it wouldn't work. I don't actually need to get it
working, other than for to satisfy my curiosity as to what I will be
able to do with it as I have never had a 'network' so to speak.

I will give it one last try but I know it won't work so I will have
to admit defeat methinks.

 

[Bazzer Smith]

I will give it one last try but I know it won't work so I will have

to admit defeat methinks.

Nope it didn't work!!
What a waste of time!!

 

[kony]

I will give it one last try but I know it won't work so I will have
to admit defeat methinks.

Make sure no driver for this nic is listed in Add/remove
programs, uninstall any driver listing that remains.

Delete it (remove from) Device Manager.

Make sure you have your Windows CDROM or the location of the
folder with the cab files. You should not need to
decompress all the cab files, only to browse to the folder
containing all the cab files when windows prompts for the
files. There is also some registry hack that specifies to
windows, the default location of the Windows installation
files and thus you wouldn't need to ever browse to this
folder, but for the time being it should still (as mentioned
previously) be looking for the cab file itself, even though
it is mentioning the files within it, it "knows" to look for
the corresponding cab file too if only you tell it where the
folder is that contains them (in cab file form).

Have the two files I mentioned previously (the "small"
driver) in a folder somewhere. When windows prompts for
drivers, browse to this folder. If windows installs a
different driver, ONLY go into device manager, the
properties for the nic and change the driver, then browsing
to the folder these two files are in.

Is it possible your windows installation is damaged?
Sometimes irreparable damage is done to the networking
entries and it is best to just delete them all... but i
hesitate to tell you to do this because not seeing the
system I can't recall any specific issues in setting it up
again... i mean the potential snags... since usually this
nic you have is easy to install... and indeed if you
randomly bought another nic, odds are pretty high that it
could have the same realtek 8139 chip on it and need the
exact same driver. If it is instead your windows OS
installation that is messed up, any other nic (different
chip on it I mean), could also be subject to similar
problems.

Essentially you are trying to undo everything that has
happened since first trying to install the card, and
removing all entries from the networking in control panel
then readding them if all else fails.

 

[Bazzer Smith]

Make sure no driver for this nic is listed in Add/remove
programs, uninstall any driver listing that remains.

Delete it (remove from) Device Manager.

Make sure you have your Windows CDROM or the location of the
folder with the cab files. You should not need to
decompress all the cab files, only to browse to the folder
containing all the cab files when windows prompts for the
files. There is also some registry hack that specifies to
windows, the default location of the Windows installation
files and thus you wouldn't need to ever browse to this
folder, but for the time being it should still (as mentioned
previously) be looking for the cab file itself, even though
it is mentioning the files within it, it "knows" to look for
the corresponding cab file too if only you tell it where the
folder is that contains them (in cab file form).

Have the two files I mentioned previously (the "small"
driver) in a folder somewhere. When windows prompts for
drivers, browse to this folder. If windows installs a
different driver, ONLY go into device manager, the
properties for the nic and change the driver, then browsing
to the folder these two files are in.

Is it possible your windows installation is damaged?
Sometimes irreparable damage is done to the networking
entries and it is best to just delete them all... but i
hesitate to tell you to do this because not seeing the
system I can't recall any specific issues in setting it up
again... i mean the potential snags... since usually this
nic you have is easy to install... and indeed if you
randomly bought another nic, odds are pretty high that it
could have the same realtek 8139 chip on it and need the
exact same driver. I

My new machine does have realtek 8139 listed in system
(not the 8129 listed in okd machine).

f it is instead your windows OS
installation that is messed up, any other nic (different
chip on it I mean), could also be subject to similar
problems.

Essentially you are trying to undo everything that has
happened since first trying to install the card, and
removing all entries from the networking in control panel
then readding them if all else fails.

I might try to install windows on the blank slave drive,
make it master and then try to install the card on that
Thus it would be an error free system?

 

[kony]

I might try to install windows on the blank slave drive,
make it master and then try to install the card on that
Thus it would be an error free system?

Well it is windows....
but yes, that is about as comprehensive as possible.
It's rare, but I have received defective/dead/etc network
cards. I wouldn't jump to that conclusion yet though as
there were a lot of variables when windows wouldn't find
it's OS files and multiple drivers were tried.