Removing network card

[J-Ri]

I moved my network card to a different slot to allow more airflow around my videocard heatsink. Now, I can't connect to the network.

I set up my IP address manually to what it was (192.168.1.2). A message poped up saying the address was in use by another network connection, and it gave me the option of entering a new address or using that one. I used that one, and tried connecting to the internet. Connection timed out. I tried connecting to my router, connection timed out. I tried pinging my router, 100% loss. I tried removing all instances of my network card from the registry, wouldn't let me. I tried moving the card back to where it was, same problems. I tried the "repair" option, gave me a message saying
-----------------------------------------------------------
The following steps of the repair operation failed:
Refreshing all DHCP leases and re-registering DNS names.

Please contact your network administrator or ISP.
-----------------------------------------------------------
I guess I'm the network administrator, and 3 other computers here work fine, so i know the problem is on my computer

Anyone know how to fix this? Other than formatting, which I'm close to doing.... :-\

[TechZ]

Tried another PCI Slot? I would put the Network Card, in the last slot of the MB.

[confus-ed]

Tried another PCI Slot? I would put the Network Card, in the last slot of the MB.

Hows that gonna help ? If anything it'll make it worse ?

Methinks windows is now confus-ed over what hardware is actually present using what & this isn't helped by the fact that you can't just merrily delete any network connection in xp due to the way that XP binds protocols & services to a physical device & this wouldn't have (supposedly) happened if you'd restarted minus your NIC before adding it back ..

So methinks, lets do that & see if it helps ! (as M$ really don't seem to have expected this to happen & there seems to be no instruction on how to do this {unbind all the stuff from the physical adapter, move it & then add all the bindings back & manage to interact with plug & play correctly}) - so either physically remove the device again & re-start & shut down, then add it back again, or maybe try disbaling it in your current hardware profile (look at its properties in device manager & you can see a little tick box) or the 'fix all' an 'inplace or repair install' of xp will probably also 'get it' - How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP (note most installed programs should stay intact, along with any data, but you may need to re-apply service packs/patches etc which ought to be stored locally {so no big fat downloads}).

[CeeBee]

Whoa.. not so fast with re-installing....
In device manager, View -> Show hidden devices - this will make the adapter 'visible' at least to you, uninstall it all it's instances, reboot. After the reboot Windowze should see it properly...

[hudsonsmith]

Whoa.. not so fast with re-installing....
In device manager, View -> Show hidden devices - this will make the adapter 'visible' at least to you, uninstall it all it's instances, reboot. After the reboot Windowze should see it properly...

If that doesn't show it, enter this at a command prompt before starting device manager: set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1 Then select view hidden devices after you start device manager.

[confus-ed]

If that doesn't show it, enter this at a command prompt before starting device manager: set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1 Then select view hidden devices after you start device manager.

Just use safemode ? That way you can check for 'ghost' items in device manager also - anyway get rid of the adapter completely 'somehow' & I think we are all of the opinion that it ought to find it right after !

[hudsonsmith]

Just use safemode ? That way you can check for 'ghost' items in device manager also - anyway get rid of the adapter completely 'somehow' & I think we are all of the opinion that it ought to find it right after !

In W2K and XP I believe you need this env setting to get the ghosts to appear, even in safe mode. Or at least it gets more of them to appear. I have had success with this.

[confus-ed]

You learn a new thing everyday ! Ta !

Slightly different instructions on how to achieve the same thing found here Show All Hidden Devices in Device Manager

[J-Ri]

Thankyou all very much for the input. My internet's been down (shakes fist at ISP in rage), and i gotta get to class now. I'll hopefully have a chance to try some of the ideas this afternoon.

[J-Ri]

Well, I got the card out of the system, now I can't install the driver again. When I try, I get a message saying:
---------------------------------
An error occured during the installation of the device
The system cannot find the file specified.
---------------------------------
But it doesn't tell me what file. Is there a way to find out?

[hudsonsmith]

What is the make/model of your ethernet card?

[J-Ri]

it is a Winbond W89c940.... I probably should spend a few more bucks and buy a good card, but I don't know if it would work. I also tried an old USB network adapter, but it didn't work at all.

[confus-ed]

So to anticiupate Hudonsmith as I seem to be here first today -Winbond W89c940F ? (you said just W89c940 & no F ! ) - update the driver & point it at wherever you download this to then it should have the file ...(assuming it is the right one! But since there's no F I'm not F'ing sure ! )

[J-Ri]

actually, there is no "F". I tried the driver from the winbond web site and they didn't work either, the driver I had tried earlier was from driverguide.com, but I think it was the exact same file.

Do you think that using a different network card would work? I'm going to Best Buy later today to get an IDE cable anyway... should I pick up a NIC while I'm there?

[CeeBee]

should I pick up a NIC while I'm there?

Before you do that try one more thing:
-shut down and remove the card from the slot
-start in safe mode
-uninstall the adapter (see above to view hidden devices)
-reboot in 'normal' mode
-shut down again and re-install the card in a different slot; make sure it's properly seated
-boot and see if it gets detected. if it doesn't then get a new one.