Internet Driver problems

Message

fifthmanstanding · #1 Post by **fifthmanstanding** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 3:34 pm

Hi all, I have a general question.
I'm was updating the ram and installing a new hard drive on an ibm thinkpad type 2681 (I believe this is an R40, but if not direct me elsewhere please) . I think it was manufactured around 2004 or so. I installed a copy of windows xp onto the new hardrive and everything seemed fine.

Upon attempting to connect to the internet I am shown the usual 'internet explorer cannot display the webpage' that occurs when one is not connected to the internet. This is with the ethernet cable plugged directly from the router to the computer. The other computers in the house run fine online, the internet's most def. not an issue. I went to the system folder to check the drivers in the hardware in system profiler and I noticed that this laptop doesn't have an internal wireless card. What the owner did was buy a linksys external wireless card that just plugs in. I found and installed the drivers/program for that and the card says it's being read but upon trying to connect it gives a 'cannot associate with AP message'. In the device manager it lists in 'other devices' a pci modem, two ethernet controllers and an 'unknown device'. What I'm assuming is that the computer needs the appropriate drivers to connect to it's hardware, and since the owner kept none of the included software, I really have nothing to go on. I checked ibm thinkpad's site and nothing looked compatible with a comp this old.

I'm wracking my brains trying to figure out what to do, and if it's not fixed soon the client's going to have a big issue with me. Can anyone help me please?

#2 Post by **rkawakami** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 4:52 pm

Welcome to thinkpads.com!

The 2681 type does indeed describe an R40 system. If you take the full seven character TYPE code and enter it into the Product Number field at this site:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... OME-LENOVO

then you will get the original configuration of the system. For this model, the wired ethernet controller is located on the motherboard. I would assume that the second ethernet controller is your wireless card and don't know what the "unknown" device is.

You can access software and drivers for almost every single Thinkpad made. The drivers for the R40 can be downloaded from here:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 46024.html

fifthmanstanding · #3 Post by **fifthmanstanding** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 3:23 pm

It doesn't seem to have worked.

I want to reiterate that the the type is 2681, or R40 product # 26817FU running bios IBM 1OET61WW(1.27) (I'm stating this provide more information in case I have not been sufficient)

I went down the list and downloaded all drivers applicable to the R40, not the R40e, running windows XP. I went through each drivers' install wizard and concluded each one. Upon running PC-Doctor 5 I am alerted with
warnings saying that an 'Ethernet controller (network card)', a 'multimedia audio controller (sound card)', a 'PCI Modem (modem)', an unknown device and a 'VGA compatible video card' are problematic with the warning message:

'the deivice driver for this device is either not installed or installed incorrectly'

In device manager, under 'Other Devices' , an ethernet controller, multimedia audio controller, pci modem, unknown device and a video controller (vga compatible) are still showing up. Assumeably the drivers are not working.

again I say, I got the drivers from the site and downloaded/installed each one that applies to the R40 running windows XP.

I am at my wits end.

ajkula66 · #4 Post by **ajkula66** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 3:26 pm

After downloading the drivers, have you unpacked them from the appropriate directories, for ethernet it would be C>Drivers>Win>Ethernet?

fifthmanstanding · #5 Post by **fifthmanstanding** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 4:01 pm

?

I download them on my other computer to a folder, put that on an external, drop that folder on the problem computer's desktop. The file(s) itself is an installshield wizard from Lenovo Group Unlimited. Double clicking that brings up the installshield, to which you generally click next and it continues the install process for you.

#6 Post by **rkawakami** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 4:13 pm

I would say even before you attempt to download any more Windows drivers, go back to the software and driver download page and grab a copy of PC Doctor for DOS. This is a copy of the pertinent link:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 56222.html

This is the CD image download (aka, .ISO file) and you will need a program which handles burning of an image file. There's also a diskette version available (also at the download site). Boot the system with the disk you just made and go to the Diagnostics/Communication test section. There will be a list of several devices (modem and ethernet). Select the appropriate one. If you don't know which one it is, try them all. You'll get a "N/A" if you try to run the wrong test for the hardware that is installed. I don't have an R40 but most likely, the "Intel Ethernet" test is probably the one you want. Note that the test may only run an internal loopback check; it will not verify that the RJ45 jack is alive. This will at least verify that the ethernet system on the motherboard is working or not. If PC Doctor indicates a pass, then I would remove all instances of networking interfaces in Device Manager and then have Windows scan for "new hardware".

ajkula66 · #7 Post by **ajkula66** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 4:28 pm

fifthmanstanding wrote:

Double clicking that brings up the installshield, to which you generally click next and it continues the install process for you.

Exactly. But that's NOT the end of the process. You have to go into the specified directory and unpack the drivers.

fifthmanstanding · #8 Post by **fifthmanstanding** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 4:33 pm

booted pc doctor
ran a 'Systems and Devices Tests'. The available options were' Audio', 'Video', 'Storage', 'Other Devices', 'Communications' and 'System'. Being that the problem is the internet related parts, I chose 'Communication'

automatically it says 'devices' and shows the modem icon and a network card icon, both say 'misconfigured' in red. (It also says my video, audio, one of the other devices are all misconfigured, which I take to mean missing drivers)

if I go back and run a 'System Health Test' it runs a full check of most devices.
The Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller passed it's 1394 config rom test. The reason I bring this up is two things :

1)I don't understand why that's there b/c there's no firewire port on this [censored] thing) is in the list of things to be checked.

2) This device appears in the 'network adapter' section of the device manager lists and is named ' 1394 net adapter' so assumeably this is internet related.

regardless, I see no section indicating a specific scan for internet related hardware, beyond that ' Systems and Device Test' that I previously mentioned.

Since my system did not pass the tests, what would your recommend at this point?

fifthmanstanding · #9 Post by **fifthmanstanding** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 4:37 pm

ajkula66 wrote:fifthmanstanding wrote:

Double clicking that brings up the installshield, to which you generally click next and it continues the install process for you.
Exactly. But that's NOT the end of the process. You have to go into the specified directory and unpack the drivers.

Wait, what now?

I do believe I am missing a very important step here. Could you more specifically explain the process?

and thank you for bringing that to light.

ajkula66 · #10 Post by **ajkula66** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 4:45 pm

Go into My computer, then into your C drive (hard drive), then into Drivers folder where you should see a Win subfolder. In that subfolder should be a folder labeled "ethernet". Open it up and run the setup from there.

I have to leave now, but am sure that if you follow these steps you'll get where you need to be. And if you don't, I'll be back in 3-4 hours.

Good luck.

fifthmanstanding · #11 Post by **fifthmanstanding** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 4:59 pm

ohhhhh god..

ohhhh god thank you.

I'll be able to pay my rent now.

thank you so so so much.

Internet Driver problems

Internet Driver problems

Who is online