You may already know that when you do a clean install, you must subsequently install the ChipSet as the first drivers, then the others (such as Ethernet adapter). Did you install ChipSet first?
Thanks...I did install the chipset first, then attempted the controller. It "installed" fine according to the wizard, but will not function, saying that the drivers are incorrect. I have been able to subsequently install everything else (except the wireless mini-card, which I have left out) fine, but the ethernet controller still isn't functioning. I ran diagnostics on the machine, and it recognizes the onboard ethernet controller. It lists vendor 10B7 (which is 3com) and product FBFF, which I have not a clue about. Is there a secret decoder ring to tell me the model number of the controller, so I can be certain I have the correct drivers?
What happens if you uninstall the network adapter (does it show?) and then shut the system down?
When you start up, it should "discover" what is there. Also, as a work around while you seek to solve this issue, perhaps you could "borrow" a USB Ethernet adapter. On rare occasions we have to do that here (I help support a grad school campus).
Thanks, great idea! I did in fact use a workaround, actually a PCMCIA network card because the laptop is often used with a USB printer these days.
As for the behavior of the system, I have clean installed Win2K and WinXP on the system, installed the chipset drivers and then tried the ethernet install. I have used the drivers for the 3com device supposedly onboard, as well as the Intel drivers for a similar vintage MB with onboard controller. The behavior is always the same...the wizard finds the drivers for me, then tells me that they are installed. When the machine reboots, the system finds the new hardware, looks for the drivers and then tells me that they are not the correct drivers for my hardware. If I go ahead, the device does not function and has a yellow ! in the device manager, saying that the drivers did not load properly. If I try to update or reinstall drivers, the same thing happens. The device is assigned an IRQ, currently 11, which it shares with nobody else. If I simply ignore the device, the signal light will be visible on the adapter, and when I plug in, the hub sees a signal but is not seen by the OS as functioning, and I cannot send or receive on it. I have disabled the device in BIOS, booted, enabled the device again and gone through the whole sequence several times. The controller remains stubbornly non-functional. I have tried generic drivers for the devices that could possibly be there....no luck there either. It acts like I have the wrong drivers for the device. I "chatted" with Dell support for a while, and they seemed to think the MB was bad. Interestingly, this problem started the minute I activated the onboard TrueMobile wireless card. I have physically removed that card during all my troubleshooting...still no luck. I am currently getting by with the CardBus adapter, but this issue is making me a little crazy. The laptop came to me with the OS installed and functioning, but I do not know for sure what drivers were installed originally, nor can I find out.
BBraxton
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July 10th, 2006 18:00
KRK7
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July 10th, 2006 18:00
BBraxton
2 Intern
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2K Posts
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July 11th, 2006 11:00
What happens if you uninstall the network adapter (does it show?) and then shut the system down?
When you start up, it should "discover" what is there. Also, as a work around while you seek to solve this issue, perhaps you could "borrow" a USB Ethernet adapter. On rare occasions we have to do that here (I help support a grad school campus).
KRK7
3 Posts
0
July 11th, 2006 21:00
As for the behavior of the system, I have clean installed Win2K and WinXP on the system, installed the chipset drivers and then tried the ethernet install. I have used the drivers for the 3com device supposedly onboard, as well as the Intel drivers for a similar vintage MB with onboard controller. The behavior is always the same...the wizard finds the drivers for me, then tells me that they are installed. When the machine reboots, the system finds the new hardware, looks for the drivers and then tells me that they are not the correct drivers for my hardware. If I go ahead, the device does not function and has a yellow ! in the device manager, saying that the drivers did not load properly. If I try to update or reinstall drivers, the same thing happens. The device is assigned an IRQ, currently 11, which it shares with nobody else. If I simply ignore the device, the signal light will be visible on the adapter, and when I plug in, the hub sees a signal but is not seen by the OS as functioning, and I cannot send or receive on it. I have disabled the device in BIOS, booted, enabled the device again and gone through the whole sequence several times. The controller remains stubbornly non-functional. I have tried generic drivers for the devices that could possibly be there....no luck there either. It acts like I have the wrong drivers for the device. I "chatted" with Dell support for a while, and they seemed to think the MB was bad. Interestingly, this problem started the minute I activated the onboard TrueMobile wireless card. I have physically removed that card during all my troubleshooting...still no luck. I am currently getting by with the CardBus adapter, but this issue is making me a little crazy. The laptop came to me with the OS installed and functioning, but I do not know for sure what drivers were installed originally, nor can I find out.
Thanks so much for your suggestions.