Are you having to install the driver due to reloading the Windows? If so, then it is critically important that you first install ChipSet drivers (before any other drivers, such as Ethernet or wireless)

btw: the controller used to be working, it just failed sometime, somehow..

Thanks for the reply!

I meant when I DELETE the controller in the Device manager and restart windows, the system will find new hardware and try to install it with the driver path I provide. Actually it can be installed, but cannot start and work.
The wireless adapter is working well.

We have a professor who bought a 600m and was having 'all kinds' of problems but was leaving for UK (and Ireland) for a stay of weeks. Fortunately he and the spouse were able to persuade Dell to replace the motherboard. Since then they have had all smooth sailing. Sometimes the "problem" is not what it seems. Someone wrote they have had 600m systems with which they are very happy but the only two our campus has encountered have had major problems (in one case, fixed by new motherboard -- in another case, out of warranty so the student bought another Dell and I worked to recover the hard drive data from it).

That pervious post doesnt help at all. I am having the same problem with my Inspiron 8600. I wish there are some moderators or experts who would answer this post soon.

again the problem is:

System: Dell Inspiron 8600
Network Card: Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Controller
Problem: This network adapter cannot start. There is a yellow circle on this device in the Device Manager. The properties show "this device cannot start (code 10)". In the network connections, I cannot see "Local area connection", only my wireless connection is working. I download the correct driver and reinstall it, but it seems not working. The controller can be recognized by windows and it can be installed with the driver, but the problem is always there.

Hi All,

I tried all the ways I could think of, but nothing works. Simply deleting the device and letting the system find it also doesn't help. Finally I realized that I may have to give up and my network adapter is already dead, until recently I reinstall my 600m with Linux. Believe it or not, now it is working pretty well under Linux! Dell is really amazing...

Yes, it's INSPIRON 600m, and the original system is windows xp home. I used to be quite sure there must be some hardware defects with the adapter, but linux tells me it's still alive...now I am confused again..

wait how is that possible? you just install linux, which one?, and have your network card work? did you install red hat or something but why would it work all of a sudden? any expert out there that can explain that. like the other guy, i send at leats 2 hours with dell rep and we got no where. hey at least there i hope now that it might work. just need to find a better way than installing linux (only 2 gig left in hard drive).

My version is Ubuntu Dapper(6.06). I did nothing but install linux, and after I assign a static IP, it works. When I go back to windows, it's dead again...I don't know the exact reason, but pretty clearly it's not the hardware. There should be some way to fix it under windows (maybe some incompatibility between the adapter and some software), but for me I don't want to waste more time on it. ubuntu is enough for my job with this laptop..

my cheaper solution is...

http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1118334822411&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper

how come no one ever thought of that?!