Network card problem

Message

newtothis · #1 Post by **newtothis** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 5:22 pm

Hi
I bought my grandson an IBM Thinkpad laptop quite a few years ago

and it was second hand then from ebay

We have never had any trouble with it, its a fantastic little laptop and has never failed

till yesterday lol

The message I get when I start it is ...

Unauthorised network card is plugged in. Power off and remove the minipci network card.

I have no idea about computers so this message is meaningless to me, can anyone help please?

My grandson only goes to Moshi Monsters site and Club Penguin site

Thank you , J

#2 Post by **rkawakami** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 6:08 pm

Welcome to thinkpads.com!

This error message usually appears when a non-authorised wireless card is installed in the laptop. If I assume that nobody has changed this card recently and that it was working before (able to connect to the internet without having to plug a network cable in), then I can only think that the card has failed. We will need some additional information about the laptop before providing further advice:

- What model is it? The best information to provide us would be the seven character TYPE number from the bottom of the system. It is printed on a black and white bar code label and is in the format of nnnn-ccc, where "n" is a number and "c" is a character. For example, an A31p system might have a TYPE of 2653-H3U. Armed with this information, we can easily tell what system it is and how it was configured when it left the factory.
- Has there been any changes made to the hardware or software recently (that you know of)?
- Has the laptop ever been used to access web sites without having a network cable plugged into it?

The basic meaning behind the error message is that the laptop has recognised that the wireless card (aka, the "minipci network card") is not an IBM-approved unit. Normally, the only way you get this type of message is by physically removing the card (located under the keyboard or behind an access panel on the bottom of the laptop) and replacing it with something else. Once we know the TYPE number, we can tell you exactly what to check for.

newtothis · #3 Post by **newtothis** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 7:09 pm

Hi
Thank you for replying so quickly

The code near the bar code on the underneath of the laptop is.....

97b6038

Then further along the strip it says 03/06

Is this what you asked for? I hope it is

I will log in tomorrow to see if I have done it right

Thank you, J

Thinkpad Lover · #4 Post by **Thinkpad Lover** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 7:56 pm

Welcome once again to the Forum

I've seen this happen before. Likely scenario is that the person you bought the laptop from did a classic hack known as the "no-1802" utility. The purpose of the "no-1802" utility is to flip a single bit in the BIOS settings to disable the wireless card "whitelist" checklist of acceptable cards. These laptops have a list of certain cards they will accept. It's likely your laptop originally had a "wireless B" card such as the Intel WM3B2100 and the person you bought it from wanted to upgrade to a "wireless G" card such as the Intel WM3B2200BG, which is newer and faster. So they removed the old wireless "B" card, ran the "no-1802" utility to remove wireless card limitations, and then installed a wireless "G" card.

However, the "no-1802" utility program is dependent on a working CMOS battery. (Besides the main battery, your laptop uses a small, nickel-size CMOS watch battery to keep date/time and other basic settings). The problem is that when the CMOS battery dies (they have a lifespan of about 3-5 years or maybe more), the "no-1802" settings allowing the newer wireless card to work will be lost, and the infamous "1802: Unauthorized network card is plugged in. Power off and remove the miniPCI network card" error will return.

More info. about the no-1802 error fix here: http://www.command-tab.com/2006/02/26/t ... error-fix/ and here: http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Problem_w ... twork_card
There is a lot of technical information there, but I post these references for the benefit of others who may be reading this thread.

In your case the solution will be very simple. Firstly, you must supply us with the 7-digit type/model number of your Thinkpad as Ray mentions above. Secondly, you will have to open up the laptop and remove the mini-PCI wireless card. (Don't worry, it's not that hard to do. And with these older laptops the wireless card is sometimes located in a slot on the back of the laptop, which will be easier than having to remove the keyboard). Thirdly, (assuming the CMOS battery is dead or dying), you will need to replace the CMOS battery. Finally, (assuming the wireless card is good), you will download and run the "no-1802" utility and then then re-install the same card. If the card has gone bad, then you will need to replace the card. They are not that expensive.

The annoying thing about this error is that it will not allow you to boot or press "ESC" or get past the "1802" error and use your laptop until you remove the card. I am not sure if you can get into BIOS settings using "F1" at startup, disable the wireless card in BIOS settings, and at least use your laptop in the mean time. I've never tried that.

Do you access the Internet by plugging a network cable into the side or by using the internal wireless card of the laptop? If you plug in a network cable then you can simply remove the wireless card and just plug in your network cable for Internet access. If you want to access the Internet wirelessly, you will need to follow the steps outlined above to fix this error.

Read this thread about someone who had a similar issue: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=96766 Unfortunately, the person we tried to help in that thread never responded back, so we don't know if changing the CMOS battery and running the "no-1802" utility resolved the problem.

It will be nice for us to to find a solid solution to this problem so I hope you will report back to us. This will help many others who may encounter this error.

Daniel.

Thinkpad Lover · #5 Post by **Thinkpad Lover** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 8:05 pm

newtothis wrote:Hi
Thank you for replying so quickly
The code near the bar code on the underneath of the laptop is.....

Then further along the strip it says 03/06

Is this what you asked for? I hope it is

I will log in tomorrow to see if I have done it right

Thank you, J

I see you just posted some info. I don't think that is the type/model. Looks like you gave us the "S/N" (serial number). The 7-digit type/model will be to the left of that number and will say, for example "TYPE 2373-7FU". It will be _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ not _ _ - _ _ _ _ _

Daniel.

#6 Post by **rkawakami** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:41 pm

newtothis wrote:The code near the bar code on the underneath of the laptop is..... 97b6038 Then further along the strip it says 03/06

Unfortunately, this does not appear to be a valid TYPE. As Thinkpad Lover suggests, you may have provided the serial number of the system. If so, then look to the left of the "S/N". I just threw together a quick web page that attempts to explain what the TYPE number looks like and where you can find it:

http://www.kawakami-ca.com/thinkpad/id.html

newtothis · #7 Post by **newtothis** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 4:48 am

Hi
Thank you for your help, sorry to be so unhelpful to you.

I will type exactly what is on the underneath of the laptop....

CANADA ICES/NMB.003 CLASS/CLASSE.B.

P/N 91P9024
FRU P/N 91P9025

US LISTED 56XK

ITE E202276 ACCESSORY

That is all that is on the bottom of the laptop

Does this help any more?

Thanks J

Thinkpad Lover · #8 Post by **Thinkpad Lover** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:06 am

No.

Good thing some of us on the Forum are patient. Others would be pulling their (last few hairs) out their head right now. Look out for those grumpy ole' guys. Good thing I'm a young guy with lots of hair on my head to pull out LOL.

You were on the right track before. Remember when you said,

newtothis wrote:The code near the bar code on the underneath of the laptop is.....

97b6038

Then further along the strip it says 03/06

We need the 7-digit type/model number to the LEFT of where it says "S/N" which stands for Serial Number.

You should see a "Bar Code" and something like this:

"TYPE 2366-61U S/N 78-BRX57 05/02"

That first part is what we need

Daniel.

newtothis · #9 Post by **newtothis** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:14 am

Thinkpad Lover, seriously I have typed EVERYTHING that is on the underneath of the laptop

There is nothing else near to the bar code

NOTHING, Honestly,

Just realised that there is a silver sticker , I have removed a tiny bit, I think it says VOID IF REMOVED!!

Shall I take it off, there may be infor under the sticker?

Thinkpad Lover · #10 Post by **Thinkpad Lover** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:20 am

Look at these pictures: (Click this link --->) http://www.kawakami-ca.com/thinkpad/id.html which Ray was nice enough to upload.

So far it seems yours says "TYPE _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ S/N 97-b6038 03/06 " .

What's that first part? The Type/Model Number...

newtothis · #11 Post by **newtothis** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:25 am

I did look at the photo's , thank you for posting them

My bar code is just a bar code with a few numbers by it

Mine looks nothing like the photos, really it has no serial number or anything

Thinkpad Lover · #12 Post by **Thinkpad Lover** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:29 am

What kind of Thinkpad is it? You should see the model number on the bottom right of the screen plastic or top left of the keyboard. For example, is it a Thinkpad A31? T40? R40? Anything like that?

Daniel.

newtothis · #13 Post by **newtothis** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:33 am

My barcode is just a barcode with the following added below it

97B6038 03/06

There is nothing else typed near to or on the barcode

Hope this helps?

newtothis · #14 Post by **newtothis** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:35 am

Hi

Top left of the keyboard, next to the esc key is a long blue key that says Access IMB

And near to the hinge is says X31

Thinkpad Lover · #15 Post by **Thinkpad Lover** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:47 am

Great. Our first breakthrough. That's helpful. And indeed, the x31 was made in 2003. Yours was made in "03/06" which is year/month in I.B.M. tradition, so June of 2003. Seems part of your sticker on the back is missing or was removed. That's why you couldn't find the type/model number. There is another way to find that number, press F1 when you first boot up the laptop and look for that number as explained here: http://www.kawakami-ca.com/thinkpad/id.html

In any case, the x31 is actually a nice little machine. No CD/DVD drive unless you put it on a docking base station, but that's because it's made to be small and portable. Very well-built.

First, answer this question which I asked you above:

Do you access the Internet by plugging a network cable into the back or by using the internal wireless card of the laptop? If you plug in a network cable then you can simply remove the wireless card and just plug in your network cable for Internet access. If you want to access the Internet wirelessly, you will need to follow some steps outlined above to fix this error.

Daniel.

twistero · #16 Post by **twistero** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 6:01 am

Gentlemen, you're all missing something simple. The clue is in this FRU:

newtothis wrote: P/N 91P9024
FRU P/N 91P9025

91P9025 is the ThinkPad X3 UltraBase Dock. Of course there's no TYPE on the bottom of the laptop, because that is not the bottom of the laptop.

newtothis:
Please make sure the laptop is turned off, then pull the lever on the bottom left side of the computer to separate the laptop itself from the UltraBase. Then, look for the TYPE number on the newly-revealed bottom of the laptop.

Thinkpad Lover · #17 Post by **Thinkpad Lover** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 6:10 am

Yeah, sure Charles. Of course that's easy to realize now after he told us it's an x31. Smarty-pants. Well you're a little late to the party. Go back to breaking SXGA+ x60T screens LOL. Ray and I will help the poor English chap.

Just kidding. Actually, thank you for looking up that part number and pointing that out

Just shows you how well-built the x31 is and how well the x3 ultrabase fits it- like a glove. Newcomers may not realize where the laptop ends and the dock begins.

Daniel.

newtothis · #18 Post by **newtothis** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:10 am

Hi
Sorry I had to go out!!

TYPE 2672-C2G
S/N PPTG9

Wow this has never been out of the docking, I don't even think my grandson knows about the docking.

I have had 2 brand new laptops while my grandson has had this old laptop so it must be very well made.

J

Thinkpad Lover · #19 Post by **Thinkpad Lover** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 11:14 am

newtothis wrote:I have had 2 brand new laptops while my grandson has had this old laptop so it must be very well made.

Good ole' x31 . A great testimony to a well-made machine

Let's try to keep it going a while longer.

Scroll back to the top and try to read through all previous posts in this thread. Ray and I have already answered many things above...

Still waiting for your response on this:

Do you access the Internet by plugging a network cable into the back or by using the internal wireless card of the laptop? If you plug in a network cable then you can simply remove the wireless card and just plug in your network cable for Internet access. If you want to access the Internet wirelessly, you will need to follow some steps outlined above to fix this error.

Once I know if you plug in a network cable, I will walk you through the solution to this "1802 error" as best I can.

Daniel.

newtothis · #20 Post by **newtothis** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 12:06 pm

Hi there,

I connect wirelessly to the internet.

I have just turned it on and it's okay now, isn't that odd? I am not getting any Error message
at all.

All I have done is take it out of the docking station and put it back in.

Shall I just leave it? lol As I don't really know what I'm doing anyway, but then I suppose the Error message could always appear again!!!

Thank you, J

Thinkpad Lover · #21 Post by **Thinkpad Lover** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 1:06 pm

LOL.

Don't breathe... make no sudden movements. If it's working Hooray

Well done. You must be a computer genius

Just enjoy it for now...

But let's wait and see if Mr. Ray thinks further action, such as changing the CMOS battery preventively, would be a good course of action. He may also have some more questions for you, so don't go too far. It would also be nice to know what wifi card you have in there exactly (and if the "no-1802" hack has been done on that laptop).

Unfortunately this error may re-occur, and if it does, let us know and we will try to help you. But for now, let your grandson enjoy his x31 online once again

(Technical discussion follows ... )

Why would the 1802 error suddenly appear and disappear on its own? Could it be connected to a weak or dying CMOS battery, which stores the accepted wireless card settings, and moving it out of the dock has somehow temporarily "re-invigorated" the CMOS battery? In other words, it was a temporary CMOS glitch, and the settings were not permanently lost ?

Either the OP has an original, white-listed x31 wifi card (for example, WM3B2100) or one upgraded with the "no-1802" hack, such as WM3B2200BG. I don't know if a momentary 1802 error can be generated (by a weak CMOS battery) on a system with an original white-listed card. Or if a momentary 1802 error can be generated (by a weak CMOS battery) on a system which has the "no-1802" hack applied... and then recover with the temporary "re-invigoration" of the CMOS battery. See this (seemingly) unrelated thread: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=90116 There may be a connection to the waxing and waning of the CMOS battery.

I think I remember this happening once on an R40 system I had applied the "no-1802" hack to, but don't recall for sure. (I think) the wifi worked at first, then gave the 1802 error, then worked again (without me doing anything), but when it re-occurred, (I think) I ended up changing the CMOS battery and re-applying the no-1802 hack.

Daniel.

newtothis · #22 Post by **newtothis** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 3:36 pm

Hi Daniel,

All seems fine for now!!!

I will drop in now and then and let you know how its going.

My grandson will be here Friday night and the laptop will be in for a bashing with the Moshi Monsters website lol

Thank you to everyone who took the time to help me, it was really kind of you all

J

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