Kitz Forum

Computers & Hardware => PC Hardware => Topic started by: canon on September 05, 2007, 08:20:10 PM

Title: Faulty PCI Wireless Card?
Post by: canon on September 05, 2007, 08:20:10 PM

Hi,
A friend has a problem with Windows XP continually re-booting; I'm asking for advice in this section because I think it may be a faulty PCI wireless card.
When he first installed the Netgear WG311 v2, 54mbps PCI adaptor about 3 years ago, there was a problem with continual re-booting but it was overcome in some way that he can't remember. It's now returned!

The symptoms are that when the PC boots up, Windows XP gets going until the Netgear Utility program icon appears in the system tray, then the re-boot starts before Windows completes ... and so on, ad infinitum.
If during start-up, F8 is pressed for Safe Mode, a screen appears that asks for the boot device instead, can't get safe Mode at all.

I've suggested he removes the WG311 card to see what happens.

Any other ideas to help very welcome please.
Terry.

Title: Re: Faulty PCI Wireless Card?
Post by: oldfogy on September 06, 2007, 01:37:00 AM

>> Any other ideas to help very welcome please.

Does he also by any chance have "Norton" on the PC?
Or has he also recently installed or re-installed any programs?

I refer to Norton because I also used to have a similar problem of re-booting for no apparent reason.
(only not as bad as your friends sounds)

Sorry not much help to you otherwise, except, yes try it again when he removes the card.

Title: Re: Faulty PCI Wireless Card?
Post by: canon on September 06, 2007, 10:27:53 AM

Thanks for the advice. I think he's got AGV but will check.
Terry.

Title: Re: Faulty PCI Wireless Card?
Post by: kitz on September 06, 2007, 10:53:05 AM

I think aside from removing the card (and drivers) and doing a re-install thats about all I can think of.

Also check for any updated drivers.

Title: Re: Faulty PCI Wireless Card?
Post by: Pwiggler on September 06, 2007, 12:46:19 PM

hi canon

reboot the machine pressing F8, when u get the boot menu select the hdd using the arrow keys, press enter then immediately start pressing F8 again.  this will DEF bring up the startup menu.

select safe mode and let it boot.  uninstall the nic adaptor s/w, reboot and if its uninstalled the driver then reinstall them manually from the installation disk.

Title: Re: Faulty PCI Wireless Card?
Post by: canon on September 07, 2007, 09:12:40 AM

Looks like this has been sorted. The PCI adaptor is ok. it was the Netgear Wireless 'Utilility' program that was causing a problem during start-up. After that was 'disabled' and the Windows utility was activated, all seems ok.
Thanks for all the comments.
Terry.

Title: Re: Faulty PCI Wireless Card?
Post by: kitz on September 07, 2007, 09:46:27 AM

Glad you got it sorted Terry.

I normally let windows handle the wireless connection rather than any software provided by the manufacturer.
It does seem to be something that windows has got right.

Title: Re: Faulty PCI Wireless Card?
Post by: mr_chris on September 07, 2007, 12:31:43 PM

Yeah, I agree.. other versions of Windows (including XP pre-SP2) can't really handle wireless very well. XP vanilla and SP1 does, to a degree, but not as fully as it does in SP2.

The only feature I'd like to see built into Windows is a bit of wireless diagnostics (specifically which channels discovered networks are operating on). Was hoping that might appear in Vista, but it didn't