Thinkpads Forum

Having a problem trying to get T-61 [8897CTO] to WOL in windows 7 32 bit OS. Same machine using XP has no problems and I suspect the NIC Pro1000 drivers. Using version 9.13.4.10 dated 3/26/2009 and can't find any newer drivers on support site. Bios settings ruled out because wol works perfectly in XP OS (merely swapping hdds). Some are recommending to use intel drivers and have had success with that. Before going that route I have a few questions that I'm hoping someone here can help with:

1. The only thing we see for download relating to ethernet lan is something about a patch for energy star 4.0. Don't see anything in the readme about my specific problem (not waking up) but curiously it's about wol. Do I need to install this? The only problem it seems to address is 'unwanted wakeup events'. Set the pwr mgt settings to allow wakeup and only magic packet to wake up, but nothing works. Perhaps this patch will help?

2. I remember to get wol working in xp I needed to enabled PME in NIC adv properties. No such entry in Win7. Could that be driver age problem? Newer drivers may fix?

3. Trying to wake up with laptop in Adv Docking Station. Could this be a problem for Win7? Using XP was fine in docking station. I'm confused how the ethernet works for docking station. I believe it simply passes the existing NIC through to the interface thereby using same MAC. Utilities seems to indicate this is the case. That would allow me to use same batch file/packet to wakeup whichever hdd/Win OS I'm using. I only change IP address in each.

Any help is totally appreciated and I thank everyone in advance!

P.S.
Also, I don't have this problem with Linux & WOL.

Wow, been doing this since the late '80's and never run out of crazy unexplainable situations with 'puters.

The simplest & easiest way to troubleshoot this weirdness is to 1st see if the NIC is ready for a packet on the docking station. For some reason, I had thought or assumed it wasn't since it would not wake up.

After confirming this with the XP & Linux drives, I reasoned it had to be the same with the other drives.
Short story long, it works perfectly now. Have no idea why all the W7 drives/systems refused to wake up before.

Apologize for taking up space with this, but I can assure you that it didn't work before but surely does now.

Yet tomorrow my mileage may vary

The only question I have now, is whether or not I need that Energy Star patch.
Since I have all systems set to only allow magic packet to wake up, is that patch still necessary?

Thank you!