What specific wireless driver do I need?

[tty3]

The T43 Thinkpad I got second hand (with xp SP3) and have been using for about three years was infected by malware a few days ago. I do not have the original installation CD but do have a genuine xp Professional service pack 2 CD. Instead of trying to clean up the malware, and since I have all of my data backed up (fortunately) before the disaster, I reformatted the hard drive with the xp Professional, thinking it's a safe move. Now I do not have the little icon for wireless connection on the lower right screen and pressing Fn key and F5 together does not help me get on the wireless connection. I was told I need the proper drivers. So I downloaded the BIOS and wireless drivers from the Levono support site but found that it was not the right wireless driver.

My questions are:
1. How do I find out what specific card I have internally so I can try to find and install the correct driver?
2. Is there a suggested set of drivers for T43 (2668-44U) one should install for basic use?
3. Is there a specific order to install drivers?

Any other good advice will be greatly appreciated!

[poshgeordie]

Welcome to the forums!

Go to this page: www-307.ibm.com/..../migr-58597.html

RHS put 2668-44U into the "Enter Product Number" box and click "Go" balloon.

The resulting page shows all the major components that are fitted in your Thinkpad. Wi Fi card is Intel 802.11bg wireless(MPCI).

Installing drivers - generally I install the chipset then the Graphics then the rest.

Under "Results by Date", click on "Drivers and software, Thinkpad T43 T43p"

The drivers you need are in the RH list (2668)

Download all the drivers you need into specific directory on your laptop. I'd suggest making a folder for each one so you know later what each one is.

Each driver is a .exe file.

Note that the Chipset driver is under Windows Install Suppliments and needs to be installed first.

Click and run the .exe file and watch where it installed in the C:\ directory. then go to that directory and and click on the resultant file which installs the driver.

In summary each driver is a two part operation - first to execute the downloaded .exe file and then to go to the relevant C:\ dir and install the driver.

[RealBlackStuff]

Another way would be to first install the ethernet driver:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-58618
then DotNetFramework:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/d ... 8D977D32A6
May as well go for the big one, as M$ will update to it anyway.
Finally install SystemUpdate 3.14 from Lenovo:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 66956.html
Now run Systemupdate and take a break.
SU will get you all you need.

[tty3]

Thanks, Nick. You pointed me to the specific location and that has been very helpful. It narrowed my search and I finally got it to work.

The Wireless device according to the site for T43/T43p, 2668-44U, was Intel 802.11bg Wireless as you indicated, but after I installed the corresponding driver, it still did not work.
The options I have left was to go down the list of possible Wireless drivers and try each one, and if that did not work, open up the laptop to look for the actual device itself.

Well, I got lucky. The driver that is actually working now is the one for Intel PRO/Wireless 2200bg, 2915abg Mini PCI Adapter. I guess it goes to show you that not everything under the authentic site is accurate.

But thanks to you and help from others that made this adventrure intersting. I learned a lot!

Thanks for this forum, too!

I still have to find the right driver for my keyboard as the bule Function keys are not working (Fn-F4 puts the pc to sleep and Fn-F12 puts it into hibernate, etc). Also the "Stand By" icon when I do "Start - Turn Off Computer" (giving me "Stand By / Turn Off / Restart to choose" from) is grey. I am not sure which driver/drivers I am missing. Any advice? Thanks in advance!

[ajkula66]

Hotkey drivers pack is what you need:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-74261

Before doing anything else, install the Intel chipset driver:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-46058

Do bear in mind that these drivers will have to be unpacked after the install, from C>Drivers>Win subfolder

Good luck.

[tty3]

Well, my laptop can get on the internet via my router now but I still cannot get it to sleep or to hibernate no matter what I do (installed all the drivers you guys have recommended) so it's running all the time and the HD is also spinning all the time. I guess it won't last very long. I hate to give up. I wonder if I can buy a copy of the original CD (for Thinkpad T43 2668-44U) from someone somewhere? Advice? Thanks.