Thinkpads Forum

I have a ThinkPad 380z I'm working on upgrading that I tried to install Verizon wireless on this evening. The installation failed because Verizon claims the computer has no network interface card. I thought that the D-Link 10/100 CardBus PC Card would be the interface? am I missing something basic? or does this just mean that the drivers aren't right for the device? I tried installing a Belkin wireless card, but without my Windows 98 disk, it seems i'll never be able to get the drivers etc. any advice is welcome!

Sounds like a driver issue. In the ThinkPad utilities software, make sure you have CardBus enabled. Afterwards, make sure you have the correct drivers and that they are working.

Actually, before any of that, go to the Windows device manager and make sure no hardware devices have red x's or yellow exclamation points on them.

quinncx wrote:The installation failed because Verizon claims the computer has no network interface card. I thought that the D-Link 10/100 CardBus PC Card would be the interface? am I missing something basic? or does this just mean that the drivers aren't right for the device?

You really haven't provided enough information to get detailed help. What model number is your D-Link 10/100 Cardbus PC card? You also mentioned a Belkin wireless card. What model number is it? Are you trying to set up a wireless connection or a wired connection?

About all I can do at this point is to direct you to D-Links site, where you can download drivers for your D-Link card. http://support.dlink.com/

AlphaKilo470 gave good advice about checking device manager for problems.

thanks guys. the basic problem i'm having is that my dad (who owns this ancient ThinkPad) has apparently lost his Windows 98SE upgrade CD, and every attempt to install drivers for any of these devices seems to require me to insert the Windows 98 CD that I can no longer find. Is there any way around this issue or do I have to track down a copy of Windows 98SE somewhere?
Thanks!

quinncx wrote:every attempt to install drivers for any of these devices seems to require me to insert the Windows 98 CD that I can no longer find. Is there any way around this issue or do I have to track down a copy of Windows 98SE somewhere?

Somebody out there, correct me if I am wrong, but I believe all the drivers are located in the .cab files, which I think is in the options directory on the hard drive. I don't have a copy of Win 98 nearby to check. See if the following link will help.

Windows 98 File System Details

quinncx wrote:thanks guys. the basic problem i'm having is that my dad (who owns this ancient ThinkPad) has apparently lost his Windows 98SE upgrade CD, and every attempt to install drivers for any of these devices seems to require me to insert the Windows 98 CD that I can no longer find. Is there any way around this issue or do I have to track down a copy of Windows 98SE somewhere?
Thanks!

Old versions of windows are extremely dumb. Most of the time, when installing a NIC, the network drivers are already there and it just doesn't look.

When it asks for the win98 cd, put in the location bar "C:\windows" or "C:\windows\system32"

Usually it will find the drivers there.

Good luck.

GomJabbar and desdinova,
You guys are geniuses! I got the D-Link ethernet card working and was able to install the necessary software; I'll try the wireless card tonight using the same tricks. I truly appreciate the help!

well, the D-Link Ethernet card worked out OK, but I really wanted a wireless connection, and that isn't going so well. I have the Belkin Wireless G Notebook Network Card along with installation CD, but am having issues. The driver isn't installing for some reason, and plugging in c:\windows\options\cab isn't helping either. The computer insists it is unable to find a long list of files on either the installation CD or on the c:\ drive. Any suggestions?

oops- I spoke to soon! seems trying to install the wireless card has upset the D-Link and now the work-around isn't working there either. sigh...