Thinkpads Forum

T61p with Atheros/Lenovo ABG card. Installed XP SP3 (RTM version, via TechNet). Access Connections can no longer associate with my access point. I uninstalled Access Connections and tried Windows Zero Configuration. Same problem. Reinstalled Access Connections, same problem. Any ideas would be appreciated. Uninstalled Atheros card and let Windows reinstall, same problem. Any ideas would be appreciated.

mixz1 wrote:T61p with Atheros/Lenovo ABG card.

I put the SP3 TRM on a T43 with an Intel 2915ABG card and it didn't have any impact, one way or the other, on WiFi/Access Connections.

Cheers,

Bill B.

bill bolton wrote:

mixz1 wrote:T61p with Atheros/Lenovo ABG card.

I put the SP3 TRM on a T43 with an Intel 2915ABG card and it didn't have any impact, one way or the other, on WiFi/Access Connections.

Cheers,

Bill B.

T43 - T61p. Intel - Atheros. Apples and oranges, Bill . A poster on the Lenovo forum pointed me in the right direction by suggesting that SP3 may have installed Microsoft's "improved" Atheros drivers. I deleted the Atheros card via Device Manager, didn't reboot, ran System Update via the wired LAN port. System Update found the card, installed the Lenovo supplied drivers and all is good.

Checking the MS Community forums and the MSDN forums shows lots of Atheros users have been bitten by the MS "improved" drivers

Does SP3 have new enough drivers pre-installed to do a hassle free install on a T61?

I know that there were all kinds of drivers that you had to scrounge up manually when installing SP2 on a T61.

I am disappointed that Microsoft is including hardware drivers in their new service pack that break or have the potential of breaking working systems. Hardware drivers had been optional heretofore, and, while it is extra work, it was preferrable for me. Just my own opinion please understand. ... JDH

jdhurst wrote:I am disappointed that Microsoft is including hardware drivers in their new service pack that break or have the potential of breaking working systems. Hardware drivers had been optional heretofore, and, while it is extra work, it was preferrable for me. Just my own opinion please understand. ... JDH

I completely agree with you, but here's something to ponder: I've been playing with a T61p test system, virtually identical to the unit that started this thread. I can demonstrate that post SP3 the same connectivity issue arises. But...uninstalling Access Connections and returning control to Windows cures the problem. You could infer from this that it's not the drivers, but something in Access Connections that's being changed and damaged.

Also, you'll recall that one of the past iterations of Access Connections changed a dll that resulted in no Windows Welcome Screen. Installing SP3 returned the Welcome Screen, even while breaking Access Connections. Deleting and re-installing Access Connections did not destroy the Welcome Screen and did not restore connectivity either.

Did anyone find a fix for this? I recently installed SP3 and the windows wireless will work, but access connections will not. Sounds like it could be the same problem... (?)

Just couple of more things... after installing SP3 and recent update of Access Connections my T60p with Intel 3495ABG starts loosing wireless network connectivity. I may sit within couple of feet from the router but still get kicked out.
Unfortunately, I can't track what exactly happens before the connection is lost. One second - and it's gone.

Anybody experienced this too?

After I posted here, stuff elsewhere said SP3 would be OK with my Atheros wireless, and it is. I have had SP3 running on my T41 with IBM 11 a/b/g wireless and A/C V4.41 for some time and no problems. I don't know about other wireless cards or newer A/C on XP (only on Vista now for newer stuff). ... JDH

Update for my T60p. Looks like the default setting "Disable this connection when switching location" was causing the trouble. Should be off.

Just FYI, so someone won't get as annoyed as I was yesterday

Here's an interesting article on SP3: http://tinyurl.com/4y7zqc

I don't know how true it is.

Larry

I have tried and installed T43 and T60 with XP and SP3 slipstreamed to the install cd. So everything is as clean as it can be.
After install i downloaded the WLAN drivers and had internet connection with Wireless Zero Configuration. Installed System Update and downloaded all the drivers/software that i needed.
After that tried to use Access Connections but it cant even find my APs. All the time it thinks that the radio is off. But i can still use WZC so there is nothing wrong with the WLAN card.
I think i blame it all on SP3, haven't done anything else different from when i installed with SP2.

I hope there will be a new version of AC that works with SP3.

stefand wrote: I think i blame it all on SP3, haven't done anything else different from when i installed with SP2.

I hope there will be a new version of AC that works with SP3.

Pardon me for clipping your post but I just want to address this part of it. You could blame MS and SP3, but on the other hand, it's not as though SP3 was sprung on us with no warning. Lenovo has done a poor job of requalifying several of their packages. AC is only one of them. CSS and Password Manager have become a problem as well. Worse yet, it appears as though Lenovo is not supporting their own software unless you pay for it. Call with an AC problem and they want your credit card number.

Lastly, if you don't need a ton of profile and location switching, the Windows Zero Config has a much smaller footprint than AC, so why bother with AC at all?

mixz1 wrote:

stefand wrote: I think i blame it all on SP3, haven't done anything else different from when i installed with SP2.

I hope there will be a new version of AC that works with SP3.

Pardon me for clipping your post but I just want to address this part of it. You could blame MS and SP3, but on the other hand, it's not as though SP3 was sprung on us with no warning. Lenovo has done a poor job of requalifying several of their packages. AC is only one of them. CSS and Password Manager have become a problem as well. Worse yet, it appears as though Lenovo is not supporting their own software unless you pay for it. Call with an AC problem and they want your credit card number.

Lastly, if you don't need a ton of profile and location switching, the Windows Zero Config has a much smaller footprint than AC, so why bother with AC at all?

Well if i only could use WZC. But i work at a school at need to use Symantec Ghost to reinstall computers, several computers every day. And the profiles made in WZC dont get saved when the computer is ghosted. But the profiles in AC does. So i dont have much choice since it takes to much time to add the profiles every time i ghost a computer.

But i do agree that it is nothing wrong with SP3, but it seems to me that it is the root of the problem. But it is Lenovo that should have tested this and released a new version of AC that works with SP3.

Whats the RECENT / UPDATED consensus for Windows XP Service Pack 3 SP3 on the T61 series of laptops?

I'd like answers specific to the T61 only.