Topic: Driver problem

[daveeb]

My wireless lan card keeps failing (code 10 this device cannot start). seems it's a problem with the driver.  I downloaded a fresh one from the realtek site and copied it to the lappy. I go to device manager>update driver software (manually locate driver) but wherever i copy the driver to device manager cannot "see" the driver.
e.g. if i copy it to root c: it simply doesnt show up when i'm locating the target.  If i make a folder e.g. C:\driver then c:\driver shows up but i'm unable to expand the folder to point to the driver file. This is using vista premium.

If i replicate the process with xp pro on another machine i'm allowed to expand the folders during the search to find what i'm looking for.  Is there anything peculiar to vista that might cause this ?? 

edit..i reinstalled the driver by going online (wired) which i forgot to mention i also had to do when i first set up the network (yellow asterisk against wireless lan in device manager). I'm sure the problem will reoccur and i really want to  be able to install the driver manually next time.

[Simon]

I've not come across that issue, Dave.  I had to reinstall the drivers for my lappy mouse pad thingy, and all I did was to uninstall the item from Device Manager, and I didn't even have to reboot for it to automatically reinstall the drivers.

[Sandra]

I can only think its a folder permissions limitation Dave.
Have you tried right clicking on the folder, selecting properties then going into permissions 

[daveeb]

Good idea Sandra, i'll give that a go 

[daveeb]

Tried altering permissions to full control.  The folders displayed when searching for drivers still only open as far as subfolders but won't display files.  This time however the pc did find 2 drivers locally (didn't try them as it had already located a driver online yesterday.  It's working for the time being so i'll leave well alone. 

[daveeb]

Well it wasn't working again this morning (couldn't find any networks).  Eventually in the advanced driver properties i noticed it had "remembered" the channel number as 10 when in fact the router is broadcasting on 6.  I changed the channel to 6 on the pc and roberts your fathers brother it seems to be working. 

[Simon]

Fingers crossed, Dave!

[daveeb]

Didn't cross them well enough... I'm starting to suspect a faulty wireless adapter.

[daveeb]

I've found that a reboot or restart doesn't normally result in a lost connection unless I first unplug the machine from the mains in which case the driver is loaded but can't be utilised by the wireless adapter for some reason. I've now discovered that there is some guarantee of success if i disable then re-enable the adapter. More often than not device manager then shows the adapter to be operating correctly and wireless connectivity is restored. I'm torn between putting up with these foibles or returning it to the welcoming arms of pc world  to negotiate a refund/replacement or more likely to be told to sling my hook and reinstall windows. 

[Simon]

I'm out of ideas, Dave, sorry.  Hopefully one of the others might be able to come up with something.  I'll point Rik in this direction - he's good at network stuff, but he may not be around till the morning now. 

[daveeb]

ta Simon i'll look as soon as i can get the anklebiters off the pc's 

[Rik]

I'm wondering whether you have a power-saving profile when on battery, which is shutting down the card. Acer laptops, for example, do this.

[daveeb]

That was one of the first options I turned off thanks Rik, but a good idea. Disabling then enabling the adapter after each reboot seems to be fixing the problem for the moment.  i'm still confused about the inability to specify the target file when manually browsing for drivers...seems very odd.  Must be a vista improvement