the disappearing ethernet card

[ewok77]

i am trying to get a 4-year old IBM thinkpad with win98 back on the internet for a client. it was repeatedly losing the NetGear 10/100 ethernet card out of the device maanger and refusing to re-install. I formatted, re-installed windows, outlook express, office, msn, icq.

It worked fine immediately after the installation process, on the internet for hours, but now one day later, the ethernet card is gone from the device manager, wont connect to the internet, or re-install teh card. (even with removing it and rebooting with it in, etc).

Since i just re-installed everything, i assume this is either 1) software complications between the new MSN/OUTLOOK EXPRESS/IE and the old drivers for the Netgear card, or 2) there is something wrong with teh card or the laptop.

Do you have any helpful tips?

Much oblidged,

JDY

 

[prophetoffire]

Firstly i would test the netgear card in another machine assuming its a pc-card. that may help you, and it is stranget the computer ignores the settings...

check for a hardward conflict with the network card, that could be a good reason for it to be removed as well, as well as not wanting to install itself.

Bios updates might be needed as well, i had a problem after i flashed my motherboard with a graphics card that didnt want to install itself, now i have graphics just no usb :, check the bios updates as well

All i can think of, at the top of my head.

 

[ewok77]

hi, thanks i will try those things. what is the easiest way to check for hardware conficts in 98? i will find out...

i did try the netgear in another computer and it worked fine, but i tested it only briefly. in the clean IBM it ran for hours and repeated boot-ups before disappearing again.

before the fresh OS, i was not able to load a different 3COM 10/100 PCI modem onto the IBM and IE, Windows, MSN were all crashing often. i havent tried that again now.

This all occurred about a week after my client installed Messanger 6. And I did re-install all the newest microsoft products and patches.

thanks for your ideas....

J.