Help me please pulling hair out

[Maccapacca]

Hi,

Help needed, been given a Acer Aspire 3690 and would like to have it as a net book for around the house, I've followed Baddass's guide to cleaning it up and getting it to run smoother which is great and it runs really well.

However I can't get the wireless to work it has a Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG of which I have instaled a new driver but no where can I get to the wireless connection in network connections.

The driver status reads "This device cannot start. (Code 10)" in hardware manager I've uninstalled and reinstalled as windows help says but it still comes up with code 10 and the ethernet controller code 28 again tried uninstalling but it won't reinstall anything

Couple of screen shots

Help pulling my hair out

Cheers

 

[Participant]

of which I have instaled a new driver

Can you elaborate? Normally in my experience for older wireless cards, going to the Intel website and downloading the specific file is more reliable than using the Windows driver tool for it.

 

[SubFocus]

Be 100% sure you got the correct driver. I think there may be a variation of EURO and USA drivers for that card...


Edit; try here: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&keyword="Intel+PRO/Wireless+3945ABG" and choose your OS

 

[Beans on toast Dave]

is there a wireless off switch on the front??

 

[Participant]

is there a wireless off switch on the front??

That wouldn't cause the software error messages though.

 

[Pho]

For both the wireless card and the Ethernet;

1. Open up the device manager, double-click on each device
2. Go to the details tab
3. Change the property to 'Hardware IDs'
4. Post everything in the value box here (you can shift+select all of them then press CTRL+C to copy the values)

 

[Maccapacca]

Thanks for the replies

Can you elaborate? Normally in my experience for older wireless cards, going to the Intel website and downloading the specific file is more reliable than using the Windows driver tool for it.

I've tried the Intel website and the standard driver pick up through windows

is there a wireless off switch on the front??

Ha ha yes and it's lit / on

Be 100% sure you got the correct driver. I think there may be a variation of EURO and USA drivers for that card...


Edit; try here: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&keyword="Intel+PRO/Wireless+3945ABG" and choose your OS

Trying now thanks

 

[Maccapacca]

For both the wireless card and the Ethernet;

1. Open up the device manager, double-click on each device
2. Go to the details tab
3. Change the property to 'Hardware IDs'
4. Post everything in the value box here (you can shift+select all of them then press CTRL+C to copy the values)

Ethernet

PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_001A&SUBSYS_04181468&REV_01
PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_001A&SUBSYS_04181468
PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_001A&CC_020000
PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_001A&CC_0200

Wireless Card

pci\ven_8086&dev_4222&subsys_10008086

 

[Pho]

Ethernet

PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_001A&SUBSYS_04181468&REV_01
PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_001A&SUBSYS_04181468
PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_001A&CC_020000
PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_001A&CC_0200

It looks like it might be an Atheros AR5005G. Try these assuming it's XP: http://download2.dvd-driver.cz/atheros/drivers/ar5xxx/xp32-7.7.0.466-whql.zip

(it's the top [Download] link from the awful ATHEROS site)

Wireless Card

pci\ven_8086&dev_4222&subsys_10008086

The driver you have looks like it should be ok, it's listed as an Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG.

Try these:
http://www.wireless-driver.com/download/intel/intel-wireless-3945abg-driver-utility.htm

 

[Maccapacca]

Thanks, but nope not working still the same, the bottom one works OK instals OK but the top one downloaded but won't pick it up as an .inf file when using add hardware and it won't run itself, hmmmmm

 

[Maccapacca]

What are these like, I don't want a massive dongle sticking out the side as the laptop will be carted round the house a lot

 

[Pho]

Thanks, but nope not working still the same, the bottom one works OK instals OK but the top one downloaded but won't pick it up as an .inf file when using add hardware and it won't run itself, hmmmmm

When you tried to install it did you use the "install from a list or specific location (advanced)", and then "don't search, I will choose the driver to install" and then [have disk]? (also try this and uncheck the 'show compatible hardware checkbox' on the last section)

Can you get any Internet access on there at all?

 

[Maccapacca]

Yes see below, when it searches for the files, it's only searching for .inf files, in that folder is the zip of the download from Atheros and also the unzipped files and one I've relabled as xxx.inf but it's not picking it up

Oh and yes internet all OK through an ethernet cable

 

[Pho]

That's odd, it should show them up even if the drivers are no good.

If you trust me I could take a look over remote desktop if you wanted (you can kill the connection whenever). You'd just need to download TeamViewer QuickSupport and tell me the ID/password (email may be a better option for that), no router/firewall configuration needed.

 

[Maccapacca]

Downloading the all in one will email to your sig

Thanks

 

[Pho]

With the all in one you can choose to just run it rather than install it if you wanted to; though it's a handy piece of software to have installed anyway.

 

[Maccapacca]

Emailed

 

[Pho]

As you probably saw I managed to get the driver installed (no idea why it wasn't showing for you) and saw a long list of wireless points.

Can you connect to any?

 

[Maccapacca]

Pho, that was superb, don't know what I did different, you'll have to let me know a charity or what you drink, I don't expect anyone to do that for free.

Thanks

Sam

 

[Pho]

Glad it works . The only thing I did differently was to select 'network adapter' as the device type, but that really shouldn't have made any difference.