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karatelovr
20 Posts
0
75206
March 9th, 2005 17:00
NIC = Unknown Device!
I recently moved my Dell Dimension 4400 with Windows XP Home edition. Upon reconnecting everything, I had some issues. The first was I could not get a monitor signal. I opened up the tower and seated the video card firmly in the slot (I guess it got jiggled loose upon disconnection). First problem solved. (I mention this only to demonstrate what physical actions I took between computer working and not working, lol. I know all you tech people ask first thing: "What did you do?")
The other problem is that I do not have access to the internet. My DSL modem has only 2 LEDs lit - so I know it has power and it is sending to the computer. The 3rd LED is out which means the modem is not RECEIVING info from the computer. The first thing I tried to do was to go to my Network Connections screen. There were no icons! So I tried to create one. The computer couldn't find the NIC. I also tried rebooting in "Last Known Good Configuration" - still no NIC or internet connection.
When I looked in Device Manager, I got a LOT of yellow ! marks under the heading "Unknown Device". I removed them all and rebooted the computer.
Upon restart, the computer found new hardware, but everytime it installs it, I get the yellow !s. I am down to two "unknown devices": Intel(r) PRO/100+ Management Adapter and WAN Miniport (ATW).
I know the WAN Miniport is an AOL thing (don't ask - I can't bear to give up my AOL address so I log on for email purposes only via TCP/IP). Unfortunately, I do not have a CD from DELL with all my drivers. I have, however, downloaded what I hope is the correct driver here at work and I will copy to a CD and take home. I also will change out my internet cables (the cat has chewed through the insulation of my current one, although, it worked just fine only hours prior to this event).
I really don't understand how this happened. The only other thing that is different is I had a small hub attached to the computer. This was from when I had two other comps running on a network (no longer have the other two computers, but this one remained hooked up to the hub anyhow). Upon hooking up this time, I decided to run a cable right from the DSL modem to the NIC. However, I did try to go through the hub to see if that made a difference and it did not.
Sorry so long, I wanted to provide all needed info. Any thoughts or ideas?
~Kar
The other problem is that I do not have access to the internet. My DSL modem has only 2 LEDs lit - so I know it has power and it is sending to the computer. The 3rd LED is out which means the modem is not RECEIVING info from the computer. The first thing I tried to do was to go to my Network Connections screen. There were no icons! So I tried to create one. The computer couldn't find the NIC. I also tried rebooting in "Last Known Good Configuration" - still no NIC or internet connection.
When I looked in Device Manager, I got a LOT of yellow ! marks under the heading "Unknown Device". I removed them all and rebooted the computer.
Upon restart, the computer found new hardware, but everytime it installs it, I get the yellow !s. I am down to two "unknown devices": Intel(r) PRO/100+ Management Adapter and WAN Miniport (ATW).
I know the WAN Miniport is an AOL thing (don't ask - I can't bear to give up my AOL address so I log on for email purposes only via TCP/IP). Unfortunately, I do not have a CD from DELL with all my drivers. I have, however, downloaded what I hope is the correct driver here at work and I will copy to a CD and take home. I also will change out my internet cables (the cat has chewed through the insulation of my current one, although, it worked just fine only hours prior to this event).
I really don't understand how this happened. The only other thing that is different is I had a small hub attached to the computer. This was from when I had two other comps running on a network (no longer have the other two computers, but this one remained hooked up to the hub anyhow). Upon hooking up this time, I decided to run a cable right from the DSL modem to the NIC. However, I did try to go through the hub to see if that made a difference and it did not.
Sorry so long, I wanted to provide all needed info. Any thoughts or ideas?
~Kar
karatelovr
20 Posts
735
0
Posted March 10th, 2005 11:00
"Try downloading the drivers for the network adapter from
Then install them."
I tried that. Didn't work. I spent 2 hours on the phone last night with Dell. We went through all sorts of stupid exercises (the guy was clearly reading from a book). We tried system restore (which didn't work b/c I had turned that off a couple of weeks ago to get more speed in IE), looking for the card in the BIOS and then he wanted me to d/l the driver from their website. Duh, I don't have internet access! I tried explaining that I had copied the driver onto a cd while at work and installed it, but it still doesn't work.
The computer knows it's an Intel PRO/100+ Management Adapter, but puts it under the heading "Unknown Device" and with the yellow! Dell's final suggestion was that my mother board was bad. oh please - I hardly think that's the case. But could the comm port be bad??????karatelovr
20 Posts
735
0
Posted March 10th, 2005 11:00
"Try reinstalling the chipet drivers first, then reinstalling the network drivers."
What are chipet drivers? And how would I do that?
You can download the chipset drivers at:
Steve
karatelovr
20 Posts
735
0
Posted March 10th, 2005 14:00
Ok, thanks! I'm going to hook up my phone modem tonight so I can at least have slow internet access. This is an executable file, do I have to do anything after running it? The drivers were an EXE as well but I didn't get the feeling it did anything other than just adding folders to my C: drive. But that could be b/c it's not a driver issue (even though that's what the error message says).- The answer to the above question is yes you do have to do something after launching the executable... the executable you download, like all Dell drivers, just extracts the driver files to a folder on your harddrive, then you actually have to go the folder and launch setup in this case.
I've been having this same exact issue since yesterday, and i've reloaded the drivers to no avail.. I've also installed a PCI network card, in case the integrated Broadcom Nic had failed, and this didn't work either. The new PCI NIC I installed shows the correct Driver and Name, but is shown with an exclamation point under "unknown", just like the on-board Nic.
I've also, as prior suggested, reinstalled the Chipset Drivers, and while the installation went smoothly, nothing changed.
What the heck is wrong with this, and why does this forum show so many people with this similar issue (i counted 4 yesterday). karatelovr
20 Posts
735
0
Posted March 10th, 2005 16:00
Oh boy, I didn't realize others have had this problem recently So no one has found a solution yet? When I was on the phone with Dell they came to the conclusion that it was the motherboard. Last thing I'm gonna do for a 3 year old computer is replace the motherboard. :smileysad:
volcano11
2 Intern
•
27973 Posts
735
0
Posted March 9th, 2005 18:00
Try downloading the drivers for the network adapter from
http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/type.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&SystemID=DIM_PNT_P4_4400&category=5&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=222&devlib=5
Then install them.
Steve