Any IT folks in the house?

[ChristopherCoy]

Its official, I blew up my computer. I'm connected online through a hardwire connection, but I must have blow up my wireless hardware/software last night after installing GIMP. It is GONE! My wireless thingymabob wont even pick up the neighbors wireless so I know its not my router.

Any suggestions?

Any IT people close to Fort Worth that can give me a discounted rate on work?

[kenw]

XP?

go to Start-settings-control panel-system- hardware - device manager- network adapters.

Look for one that has an exclamation mark beside it. remove/delete it.

(if none have an exclamation mark, this process isn't the fix)

shut down the computer and restart. Hopefully the computer will "re-find" the network adapter you removed, notice that it isn't installed, and re-install it.

Usually this fixes it.

[hitek_man_vn]

kenw is right, it sounds like a driver problem. not really difficult to fix. please tell which os is on your system to see we can help. if you know about your wireless adapter, try to find a newer driver.

[ChristopherCoy]

I'm running Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit. While I agree that its a driver problem, I can't get anywhere. I've gone to the HP Website and downloaded the HP Wireless Assistant driver but that doesn't seem to work either. I'm currently online in a chat with an HP Rep who is probably in Southeast Malaysia or somewhere and this is going to take all night.

I have opened up the device manager and I dont have any yellow exclamation points.

[VisualOddity]

You already told us the issue: "Windows..."

j/k lol

No Yellows - Good Drivers... Do you use Windows to control the wireless, or a 3rd party app, like an HP controller or something of that nature? Can you even view available networks? Also, and I know this sounds retarded, but roll w/ me, do you have a physical switch on the front or side to turn the wireless on/off, and if so, how is it set?

[hitek_man_vn]

Originally Posted by VisualOddity

You already told us the issue: "Windows..."

j/k lol

No Yellows - Good Drivers... Do you use Windows to control the wireless, or a 3rd party app, like an HP controller or something of that nature? Can you even view available networks? Also, and I know this sounds retarded, but roll w/ me, do you have a physical switch on the front or side to turn the wireless on/off, and if so, how is it set?

Windows vista usually uses its built-in network manager to override the other 3rd party programs.

@ Chris: can you click on the "monitors" icon on the lower right corner? Then you can choose Network and Sharing Center.



You will see another windows come up, and make sure it looks like the one below:



Tell me what you've got so I know we are on the right way to solve this.

hitek_man_vn added 4 Minutes and 32 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Furthermore, if you not got the one like me, maybe the 3rd party program is in charge of controlling wireless network adapter. You can use its user manual to figure out how to create a connection (a profile), if you don't want to mess with it, you can use windows service application (Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Services) to turn the WLAN AutoConfig service on, it will override the 3rd party program.

Can you screen-shoot your desktop? So I can see what's up. Regards.

[VisualOddity]

Well done. I have dealt with 3rd party apps causing weird issues in Vista a few times, so I thought it worth mentioning. :)

And yes, screenshots could help a ton. :)

[hitek_man_vn]

Originally Posted by VisualOddity

Well done. I have dealt with 3rd party apps causing weird issues in Vista a few times, so I thought it worth mentioning. :)

Yeah, we just turn windows wlan service on then everything will be fine. One more thing to mention, in windows XP the service is named "Windows Wireless Zero Configuration"

[VisualOddity]

Originally Posted by hitek_man_vn

Yeah, we just turn windows wlan service on then everything will be fine. One more thing to mention, in windows XP the service is named "Windows Wireless Zero Configuration"

[Chief]

You may want to do a system restore to a previous date? It's worked for me a few times over the years.

WARNING Just don't do a complete restore...

Gordon

[epoh]

I have a similar problem with my Vista box, it's some odd incompatibility with the motherboard and the OS. I have to power down my system, and completely unplug it for about 15 seconds,then power it back up and like magic my network is back. May or may not work for you. But if you try it just make sure you totally unplug it. It won't reset properly while plugged in.

[Rson]

I can Help. PM me if you can't get it to work.

[ChristopherCoy]

Originally Posted by VisualOddity

Also, and I know this sounds retarded, but roll w/ me, do you have a physical switch on the front or side to turn the wireless on/off, and if so, how is it set?

Yes, I have the switch on the front and its turned on. Although it doesn't matter which way I flip it, the little light stays amber colored signifying that there is no wireless networks. (Which is a crock, because it used to pick up the neighbors secured networks.)

Originally Posted by hitek_man_vn

Can you screen-shoot your desktop? So I can see what's up. Regards

I would love to, but how do I do a screen shot? As well, when I open up my Network & Sharing Center, the only network that appars is the LAN Ethernet connection.

Originally Posted by Chief

You may want to do a system restore to a previous date? It's worked for me a few times over the years.

This may help. Can I restore it to the day BEFORE I decided to download GIMP and blow everything up? How would I do this?

Originally Posted by epoh

I have to power down my system, and completely unplug it for about 15 seconds,then power it back up and like magic my network is back

This is usually my first plan of action, however this time I must have severly pissed it off! Its been restarted, unplugged, replugged, restarted and the process repeated several times.

Originally Posted by Rson

I can Help. PM me if you can't get it to work.

THANKS! I am going to try a few more things this evening based on suggestions that I've been given above. If it still isn't working after all this, I'll contact you.


I'm at work until 6pm this evening, so I will have to try all this when I get home tonight.


I want to tell everyone THANKS SO MUCH! It's awesome to be such a 'newbie' to the community and have such an outpouring of assistance! Y'all are all GREAT!

[epoh]

Well, one other probably useless suggestion for you: Is the wireless adapter a PCI card? If so, maybe try putting it into another slot?

[ChristopherCoy]

No. Its that 802.11/WLAN built in thingy...