T40P networking disappears

[kengetz]

Folks:

Intermittently, and increasingly, when I reboot my T40P, all networking support becomes disabled. I cannot turn on the wireless, and the wired networking doesn't work either. Attempting to run IPCONFIG ends up telling me that NO NETWORKING is installed or available. Every time this happens, I have to boot into safe mode, remove the networking drivers, and then reboot to get them loaded again. This is driving me nuts, as it's now happening even when I DON'T reboot. Just randomly, networking disappears.

I have reinstalled Windows several times. I have used different hard drives. I have always used Windows XP, each time I've tried.

I've called IBM and they were clueless.

Anyone here have a similar problem, or have any suggestions on how to solve this? I've been tempted to simply replace the computer (this problem is causing me a great deal of trouble, because of related issues dealing with this loss of networking in highly critical work environments, and needing to recreate the connections every few days). All suggestions appreciated! -- Ken

[sktn77a]

Ken:

Very strange. The fact that you can re-set everything by removing the drivers in safe mode and then re-booting and reinstalling them suggests a software problem. However, if it were a software problem, reinstalling the original factory image should solve that. Did your wireless card come in the computer originally? Have you tried removing the mini PCI card to see if the wired networking then works or the same problem continues?

Keith

[kengetz]

Hi. I completely agree that it appears to be a software problem.

I did replace the wireless card with an IBM 802.11a/b/g card, but the same thing happens when I insert the original (802.11a/b) card. I have not tried going back to the original image, but I can--that was going to be my next step. But I figured if it was a driver problem, SOMEONE else would have had the same trouble.

Honestly, I believe it is a software conflict between some piece of software I'm using and the networking drivers on this laptop. But I cannot determine what's causing it. I was hoping someone else had seen this behavior and could corroborate that at least it's not just on my configuration that it's happening.

Thanks -- Ken