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Question

Problems installing my wireless card onto my XP machine

by Oct 21, 2012 7:18AM PDT

I have two problem installing my wireless card onto my XP system desktop.

The second problem I'm having with my wireless card is that my Abit Air Pace wireless card is not being read by the device manager. It's disappeared altogether.

Now I can't even try the driver updater to locate the drivers that I'd downloaded earlier. That was the first problem.

Not sure if this is intelligible to anyone, but I've been at it for hours and I give up. I could really use the help.

Thank you.

Discussion is locked

6 Posts
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Answer
XP? That's an issue right there.
by Former Forum moderator Oct 21, 2012 8:01AM PDT

Just last week at the office we did a reload so I was able to re-verify the XP will have big WiFi issues. I hope you are true in your posts about "XP" and not XP SP3."

As to the card vanishing, did you see if the USB CARD works in other machines?
Bob

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XP, SP3
by eljaytea Oct 21, 2012 2:08PM PDT

No, sorry, it's SP3

No, I don't know if it would be picked up by another machine (or proven dead by another machine).

I do know that it WAS being read where it is and then after numerous attempts to update drivers, and several restarts, it stopped showing up as a network connection any longer. So, I've assumed it was both viable and worth trying some other way of getting Windows to read it.

I have an Abit AirPace card AW-GE870, requiring Atheros drivers.

I'll try to both reinstall in my machine and in another if possible.

Thanks for your input.

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About that update drivers.
by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Oct 21, 2012 2:19PM PDT

I find folk try to update drivers for things that work. Problems follow those folk as we go back to what worked.
Bob

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Answer
Treat it as a bus ...
by Oct 21, 2012 9:00AM PDT

problem - try a DIFFERENT PCI express slot. Failing that, enter your BIOS and disable any devices that aren't going to be used such as Midi/Game port, COM ports, Parallel Printer Port (if planning to use USB printer).

After disabling things in the BIOS restart the computer and Windows a couple of times to let resources be reassigned then see if it can be found.

BEFORE trying any downloaded drivers try the installation CD that came with the card.

If you have no installation CD go to the manufacturer's site and download the appropriate drivers and PAY ATTENTION to the folder you download them into and if you can't do that WRITE DOWN the name of the file you download then perform a search of the hard drive for it by name.
Additionally, install the XP service packs then try the card installation again - some apps and drivers REQUIRE SP 2 or # before they will install.

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Above my level
by eljaytea Oct 23, 2012 4:11AM PDT

As I wrote the above responder, I did not include that this is XP SP3 machine.

Have unplugged/replugged the USB card without results.

I'm not going into BIOS without some instructions since I don't know what I'm doing there, either.

Honestly, I'm a plug & play sort of problem solver. I use computers to get and organize information in my profession and try to get the most from them without having had a day of instruction. (A second machine did not have the specialized 1.5" PCI slot which was fitted for the card on the motherboard.)

I do not have the software for the wifi card since I bought the machine second-hand. That seller provided me with a DVD of copied drivers but none of these seemed to be from abit/ahteros.

When I downloaded drivers while the card was still appearing as a network adapter, I still didn't couldn't figure out where to send them, which was the right folder.

Assuming I get the right drivers in the right folders, and the card is still good, will that get it to show up as a network adapter?


I'm given up on getting this card to show up on the plug-and-play compliant hardware search.

It would be nice to know the condition of the card but I don't need it currently. I don't mean to tax anyone's patience, as I seem to have done with R Proffitt.

Your best recommendation on how someone like me should proceed would be appreciated.

Thanks sincerely.

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Going from what you have said ...
by Edward ODaniel Oct 23, 2012 1:17PM PDT

"Honestly, I'm a plug & play sort of problem solver" I'll suggest that you take a look at these links -

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833168073
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833315091
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833416003
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166052
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833162032
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166068

All come with the proper drivers and installation instructions to solve your problem (no wireless access) in a plug and play manner.

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