Zen Internet Support Forum

Here's a tricky one I'm not getting any answers to on that there internet.

A PC running XP SP2 and a Speedtouch router lacks a network connection icon, eityhe rin the system tray or the Control Panel.  It connects to the net OK, but I can't fumble with network settings manually unless I have an icon I can click on.  It has a belkin F5D5000 NIC.  Windows reports that the drivers from the manufacturer's site are no better than its own and refuses to update them.  It seems to think the PC is directly connected to the internet, although I told the network wizard that it connects via a residential gateway.

 Also, the NIC itself isn't actually listed under the Device Manager, just Packet Scheduler Miniport among hidden items.  If I try to unistall these, it won't let me remove the drivers (even if I physically remove it from the PC), stating that it "may be needed to boot up the computer" (it isn't, there isn't even a BIOS option for network boot).

 I'd like to try a new NIC, but see little point if I can't remove the old card and all the drivers.  I've run all th steps in the Microsoft article "How to troubleshoot missing network connections icons in Windows Server 2003 and in Windows XP " (support article ID 825826), except for uninstalling the card, which I suspect would be useful, only I can't. 

A full clean reinstall beckons unless you geniuses (genii?) can help where all of cyberspace seems to have failed... 

 

 

Hello emgee,

The only thing I can suggest in a case of this kind is to do a brute force removal of the NIC drivers i.e. physically delete the files using windows explorer. If you open up explorer and have a close look under c:\program files you should see a sub folder with a name or title of the maker or name of the NIC (such as 3com 9543,etc). Once you have found the relevant folder, delete the files and then the empty folder too, then reboot the machine.

**Also physically remove the actual card too of course.

**At least if you removed the NIC and the drivers you could try again with a different card? 

**It could be due to a glitch in windows XP SP2 plug & play system. It sounds a wee bit like P&P cannot enumerate the hardware correctly. Meaning in effect is a) either doesn't detect the card correctly or b) only partially detects the card. Which also means that the settings inside the XP registry are also incorrect.

Ivan 

Thanks Ivan.

Unfortunately I think it's a case of the drivers being embedded in XP already.  I might have a crack at:

a) setting a system restore point (always suspected this probably does nothing except make you feel better before you brick your PC)

b) searching the registry for anything resembling the driver name and deleting it

c) similar for .inf files and so on

d) strong language

e) formatting and reinstalling...

Actually it would be nice to be able to resolve this.  It seems this is a not uncommon occurrence.  if I get anywhere I'll put it here.

Hello emgee,

NOP!! I dont agree with you, NIC drivers are NOT embedded into windows or XP. They are normally installed just like any other driver or device driver. Its shouldn't be that difficult to find & remove the named NIC files.  

**System restore is a dreadful feature, its amongst the first things I always disable after installing windows. Use the windows backup tools that come with XP these are extremely good quality, why? because they were NOT written by Microsoft. Its a cut down version of Seagates BackUp Exec. Its very reliable.

**You may never find ALL the NIC related settings in the registry, plus I don't advise on this approach unless you really know the windows registry in depth and know exactly what you doing.

**Formatting & Re-install YES! well of course that would work but seems abit drastic, Road Drill to crack a walnut??

Ivan 

 

Well, when I say "embedded" I mean "XP installs drivers all by itself without ever needing a CD or other media or connecting to the net".  You are simply supposed to insert the card, press the on switch and live happily ever after, as confirmed on the manufacturer's own site (http://cache1-www.belkin.com/support/dl/F5D5000_XP.pdf).  I don't see an obvious folder, which may be a subfolder under windows with lots of curly brackets or something I suppose.  I did get a driver download from somewhere, and this has a few files listed in its XP folder.  Of these "rtl8139.sys" turns up in windows\system32\drivers and sounds promising, and it also turns up in several locations apparently associated with SP2 installation.  I might try changing its name or something to see if installing the card prompts XP to say "Sorry, mate, never heard of it".  Then I might be able to install using the manufacturer's drivers. 

If anyone else has a F5D5000 card running under XP, which appears in Device Manager as "Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC", perhaps they might let me know what Device Manager lists as its drivers?

BTW, as I was trained as a scientist I do have a habit of not discarding ideas at face value and I devised a suitable experiment to put one of yours to the test.  I hired a road drill from my local hire & sales shop, and purchased a walnut from my greengrocer.  The results were completely successful, immediate, and rather satisfying.  If it comes to it, watching the XP status bar and adjusting the time zone and so on will be probably be less immediate and satisfying unfortunately, if hopefully successful.  

Sorry, I meant to add I did try another card (an old 10/100 Realtek 8029AS), and exactly the same happens - it says all is well with the install, but no entry into the list on Device manager.

Hi emgee,

OK! I think I now understand what you meant by embedded in windows. I guess the Belkin drivers were designed to self install, this is a system from the makers that I hate. And would do everything to avoid because you have no control over what is installed into XP and no idea where all the files end up.

OK!! Yes! the NIC drivers will probably end up in C:\windows\system32 folder and yes! they may be tad tricky to identify in this case, that does sound true.

In the old days before XP one had to actually run an installation process that then installed the NIC drivers and although it could be a pain sometimes it usually worked successfully. i.e. No! road drill required :-))

**If these NIC cards are NOT appearing in your XP device manager tree structure, then that clearly shows its not installed the hardware correctly and as I think I stated before, it sounds like the plug & play process has failed to enumerate your hardware.

**If I'm correct & it is the plug & play process you may also find that a refresh install or re-install may NOT fix this. I'm beginning to wonder if you have a glitch too the motherboard somewhere? 

Ivan 

Ivan,

 Being a sensitive soul, I always look for areas of convergence and agreement and ours is "yes, it's broke". 

I did delete/rename all those files, moved the NIC to another slot, and eventually the P&P reported "found new hardware" on restart #3,629 or so.  It correctly identified the hardware, narrowed its eyes at the driver folder I whispered to it, and then said, "OK, I'll install those".  The install proceeded routinely, until I was assured that my hardware was installed correctly and ready to use.  XP then climbed back into its battered white van, sparked up a Marlboro and disappeared down the road in a cloud of diesel smoke. 

Still no sign of the NIC in Device Manager though.  At around the same time, though not necesarily associated with this process (I ran the Network Wizard thing a number of times as well), it started to 'see' the other PCs on the network.  Also, internet access is OK and my router has picked up the PC's name in its device list.  Only odd thing is that Zone Alarm reports the network adapter as in the "internet zone", and the network wizard warns me about being connected directly to the internet when it patently isn't.  So, it has not quite installed the hardware, but it seems to function OK for my purposes for now so and everything is nicely stealthed on the Symantec security scan, so I'll leave it be.  I'll have to get the road drill out when I need to set static IPs or something else I need a network connection icon for.

On the other hand, it's an excuse to take it to bits and rebuild it...

Hi Emgee,

Well Yes! what can I say, they don't call it plug & pray for nothing!! :-) glad you got somewhere with that.

Cheers Ivan 

Leave it be my derriere!  I have the misfortune to live close to where overclockers.co.uk live.  A gravity wave pulled me in there and ejected me cash poorer and bits richer.  No more Mr Nice Guy, it's getting an ABIT motherboard (onboard LAN) and an Athlon 64 X2 3 Ghz jobbie.  No doubt I'll be back with the resulting issues.

 Anyway, nice to chat, ta for listening.

Your welcome, hope your ABIT jobbie cracks it !!

Ivan