Vista Network Adapter Issue; Potential File Loss

NiGhtpr0wleR · Jun 27, 2008

Im running 32bit vista home premium on an acer 5920 laptop and have recently lost my ability to connect both through ethernet and built-in wireless adapter. The computer in using right now is a custom build desktop running xp pro; this computer has a direct usb connection to my siemens 6520 speedstream modem. I have tried hooking the laptop up to the modem with an ethernet cable(which should have worked without configuration). Symptoms:

1)network diagnostics give me the message "There might be a problem with one or more network adapters on this computer"

2)If i do get a connection wirelessly on startup, its usually 'connected with limited access'

3)enet management keeps encountering problems and closing

4) system restore is always unsuccessful

5)ive recently used advanced system optimiser to clear my system up. could that be the culprit?

6)network adapters listed in device manager:
broadcom netlink gigabit ethernet
intel(r) pro/wireless 3945abg network connection

im pretty much a n00b at this so ill know the general, basic stuff =P

please help =[

-R A.

SCSIraidGURU · Jun 27, 2008

Yes, I would say your clean probably damaged the tcp/ip stack or a network component. Disable both on-board NICs in BIOS. Remove them from Vista. Shutdown and restart. Make sure they are gone in device manager. Remove their entries in network setup. Shutdown and enable them one at a time and restart to reinstall them. Don't do both at same time.

NiGhtpr0wleR · Jun 27, 2008

im only 13, so, im sorry if im going to sound a little low, but:

1) BIOS is the menu you see when you press F10 during startup right?

2)i shut down after i remove one from vista and then remove the second and restart again, am i right?

NiGhtpr0wleR · Jun 27, 2008

i wasnt able to find the NICs in bios.
i uninstalled the two in device manager instead, leaving the drivers, and restarted.
on startup, they reinstalled and the whole network list was refreshed. i then attepted to connect to the modem wirelessly after confirming the security passkey i entered.
i was given limited access once again and could not use the internet

johngalt · Jun 27, 2008

Hi, NiGhtpr0wleR, and welcome to the forums.

NiGhtpr0wleR said:
im only 13, so, im sorry if im going to sound a little low, but:

1) BIOS is the menu you see when you press F10 during startup right?

That is correct.

NiGhtpr0wleR said:
2)i shut down after i remove one from vista and then remove the second and restart again, am i right?

You can remove both at the same time....however, if you are able to disable them in your BIOS you may not find them any more in your Device Manager - but you'll just want to add an extra step *before* running device manager.

Follow the steps outline in Device Manager does not display devices that are not connected to the Windows XP-based computer and then run Device Manager - and after that you may have to also go to View --> SHow hidden devices in order to see the disabled NIC(s).

NiGhtpr0wleR · Jun 27, 2008

under the non-plug and play devices list that appeared in device manager after i followed the steps on the webpage, i noticed there were a few items with yellow warning signs on their icons.
these being: HTTP, TCP IP Protocol Driver, Symantec Intrusion Prevention Driver

i suspect, as SCSIraidGURU said, that my tcp/ip stack and/or a network component is indeed damaged or missing. i.e: the two items i have highlighted in blue

when i went to the TCP IP Protocol Driver's properties list its status states 'the device is not present, is not working properly, or does not have all its drivers installed (Code 24)'
in its driver tab there is an option to start the driver. when i press start i get a message saying 'element not found' which tells me it is missing

it is all the same when i went to theHTTP's properties, except when i pressed start i got the message 'the network location cannot be reached'

however, under my network adapters list there are many more devices listed. all of them are enabled and seem to be doing fine

johngalt · Jun 27, 2008

OK, before we go further - these items are listed like this in Device manager *before* you disabled the NICs in the BIOS?

If so, then yeah, what you and Michael suspected is probably true - corrupted TCP/IP stack.

You could try http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html?ltr=S and see if that helps repair the TCP/IP stack.

NiGhtpr0wleR · Jun 27, 2008

i cant find the nics in the bios =P
i have no idea where theyre located withing the bios

ill try that then

johngalt · Jun 27, 2008

I didn't think they would be in there - but i haven't played with laptops in a while, so I didn't want you to *not* look :P

SCSIraidGURU · Jun 27, 2008

On-board components should be in the BIOS. You might have to hunt for them. You want to remove the drivers and device manager settings completely. Then, disable them in the BIOS to make sure Vista uninstalls everything associated with it. Then enabling them will allow Vista to create new entries and hopefully fix the components.

johngalt · Jun 27, 2008

Even in laptops? Kewl.

SCSIraidGURU · Jun 27, 2008

Laptops motherboard work the same as desktops. Just different slots.

NiGhtpr0wleR · Jun 27, 2008

is there a chance that ill lose components?also, do you think getting the service pack 1 upgrade may resolve it?

johngalt · Jun 27, 2008

Michael, what I meant was that frequently laptop BIOSs are not nearly as verbose as desktop BIOSs....

johngalt · Jun 27, 2008

You should already have been running SP1 - if you haven';t installed that install that *first* and see if the TCP/IP stack gets fixed....

NiGhtpr0wleR · Jun 27, 2008

i have a new problem -_-

i left my laptop unnattended for 30 minutes
it started downloading updates
and when i got back it was rebooting to configure them.
it was on step 3, keeps reebooting, and is still at 0%
how do i skip the configuration so i can use my laptop again?

johngalt · Jun 28, 2008

Try forcing it to boot into Safe Mode....when your BIOS reports are done repeatedly hit F8 to get the menu....

NiGhtpr0wleR · Jun 28, 2008

safe mode didnt work; this being a windows update.

johngalt · Jun 28, 2008

I understand it is a windows update - but in safe mode you should be able to roll back a WU.

Does it automatically reboot every time, or just sit there?

NiGhtpr0wleR · Jun 28, 2008

when i started up in safe mode it gave be a black screen with my cursor in the middle and just started to shutdown.

when i start up normall it loads the OS and then tries to configure step 3 of the update again. its still on 0% and keeps restarting at that point

Vista Network Adapter Issue; Potential File Loss

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