Windows XP Professional and NIC

[peopleperson88]

Here is what I have using Windows XP Professional that was upgraded from Windows 98.

Everytime a computer reboots the NIC doesn't work. It is detected and according to Device Manager it is installed correctly. I can ping myself (dynamic entry) by IP and name and the default gateway. I also can't print to any network printers or access resources on the computers on the local network. However when ever I type Net View I get an error message.

Band-Aid: A temporary fix that I found is;

If you go into the Device Manger and uninstall the NIC and then "Scan for more Devices" the hardware finds the NIC and installs it. Then everything works great until the computer is rebooted then everything goes haywire again.

At first I thought it wasn't binding the protocals to the NIC correctly, but if that was the case shouldn't it keep working after a reboot?

Has anybody else seen this issue before?

Any ideas?

 

[bcastner]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;329441

Re-apply Service Pack 1 from Microsoft.

Four other items to check:

1. Q281625 - Make New Connection Wizard Selections Are Unavailable and Other Issues Occur with the Network Connections Folder

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;281625

2. Some Network and Dial-Up Connections Icons May Be Missing

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;254631

3. 269019 - "Network and Dial-up Connections" Folder Icons Missing

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;269019

4. 329050 - Troubleshooting Missing Network and Dial-Up Connections Icons

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;329050&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[bcastner]

Also, search for a newer XP driver for the NIC.

 

[peopleperson88]

The NIC is a standard 3Com 905B card. Nothing out of the ordinary.

I actually installed SP1 thinking that might fix it but it didn't.

Thanks for the links. I looked at them all and none of them have the symptoms on this machine. Thanks for all the help. It gave me some ideas of where to look.

 

[bcastner]

It is not important if the symptoms are an exact fit, what is important is to examine each registry key mentioned in the articles to make sure it is in conformance.

Your 3Com 3c905b card does not support XP Plug and Play, and likely is the root source of your problem. Either replace the adapter with a modern lan adapter, or take special measures to use a non-conforming adapter under XP. Helmig has some advice:

http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxpne2k.htm