wireless card locks up computer 2

[labdog]

I have Windows XP on a computer with an older IWill vx133u motherboard with a VIA chip set. When a Belkin F5D8000 network card is inserted into the Belkin PCI card during set up, the computer immediately locks up. If the network card is removed, the computer is fine. I can start in safe mode with both PCI card and network card installed and have no problems. I have the latest Belkin drivers installed and have tried various versions of VIA motherboard chip sets with the same results. The BIOS is the latest version available for the motherboard. The exact same set up on another computer with an Intel motherboard works flawlessly. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

[wahnula]

First of all, we're talking about a powered-down PC when the NIC is installed, correct? Where exactly does it lock up? At the welcome screen or once Windows is loaded?

Some NICs need the software installed first, but I have had the best luck just loading the card raw and having Windows run through the "Found New Hardware" wizard and I then supply the drivers if they're not already part of Windows. To get back to this point you will need to uninstall the Belkin utility along with any drivers or software, then delete the Belkin folder & try again. Do you even get to the "Found New Hardware" dialog? Is there a blue screen with am error code and problem file?


Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[labdog]

wahnula, Thanks for reply. Installation steps from Belkin say insert the network card during the utility software installation with the computer on. As soon as it is inserted everything locks up--mouse, keyboard, everything. Pull the card out and all is unfrozen. If I power down, insert card and reboot, the computer locks up during the splash screen as windows loads. No error codes ever show. I will try again after uninstalling everything Belkin and removing pci card to start from scratch.

 

[vacunita]

I think They type of card is a PCMCIA card, like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-F5D8000-Wireless-Desktop-Network/dp/B0006J5AAU

I had a similar issue with a Netgear wireless card on a Compaq laptop. The Laptop would freeze when the card is inserted and unfreeze on removal of the card.

Here's the thread: thread602-1074365

I've never found a fix for it. It still does the same
thing. Though I've since a USB wireless adapter for the laptop that works fine.


From everything I did in that thread, I concluded it was a hardware incompatibility. Though why it did not happen from the beginning I don't know.





----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[labdog]

vacunita--Based on your thread, you definately tried hard to fix the problem. Thanks for the input. I'm going to try every lead to get my problem solved as the router is downstairs and (non working) network card / computer is upstairs so I need the strong signal from the Belkin router. I did put in a netgear pci network card and it worked fine but the signal strength for internet use was way too low compared to what the other desktop, also upstairs, gets with the Belkin network card.

 

[vacunita]

Yeah I did quite a lot to get it work. As you saw I gave up and used a USB card instead.

Google has some results here:

http://www.google.com/search?q=pcmc...&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

But nothing I haven't tried. If you ever manage to get it to work, let me know I'd be interested in knowing how.





----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[labdog]

Success! Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, I guess. After going through several install variations with the same results of the computer locking up, a (little) light went on in my head. The IWill mb was designed for overclocking, and I had it overclocked from the base speed of 66 MHz. In the bios setup there is an option for Loading Fail Safe Defaults, which I selected, and let the computer boot up with the pci card installed, but the network card not inserted yet. I followed the Belkin installation steps for their software and drivers and inserted the network card when prompted---no more lock up!
The rest of the installation was uneventful and the network card is working fine, and with excellent signal strength. Thank you vacunita and wahnula for your suggestions and input, they were much appreciated.

 

[vacunita]

Thanks for the post, I never really overclocked my computer, but i guess I'll have to look into that possibility.

I'll take a look at the bios tonight when I get home.



----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.