Z60t wireless sends CPU to 100%; Lenovo denies; replacement?

[ff4]

Hi. Like many others (1,2) I too experience near-100% CPU usage (a combination of hardware interrupts and deferred procedure calls) when my Atheros wirelss card (ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini-PCI Express) is enabled. It happens whether I am far from the router, or standing right next to it. Disable the card, and system performance is fine.

This was not always the case. The problems started after my computer went to the depot for repair and came back with an updated bios and embedded controller. Since then, I have tried restoring the OS to the original factory settings, reverting to previous bios, using a clean copy of XP, etc. -- to no avail. To add insult to injury, when I try to explain this to tech support (my system still has 2 years of warranty left), they inevitably avoid any responsibility by calling it a "software problem" and then transfer the call to Lenovo Experts Live, who want $125 just to discuss the issue (which seems outside their scope of technical competency anyway).

To try and work around it, I purchased an Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Mini-PCI Express Adapter. It fits the Z60t with no problem, but the system won't accept it: during boot it spits "PXE-E61 media test failure, PXE-M0F ..." and doesn't show up in device manager.

Now I am using a DLink Wireless Cardbus Adapter, which coincidentally uses an Atheros chipset (WTF?). It works, but this seems very silly to have to do: I have to pull it in and out multiple times a day so it will fit in my bag as I move locations.

What should I try next? If anyone has any ideas on how I can get internal wireless to work, I would be extremely appreciative!

[GomJabbar]

If you use Access Connections and have Event Logging enabled, that has been reported to cause such a problem.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 717#261717

If you still have the problem, you might try uninstalling Access Connections. Some users have reported success doing that.

[Manarius]

It is a software problem. That's why they won't cover it on your warranty.

[ff4]

GomJabbar: Thank you -- Access Connections is not installed and I still have the problem. Actually it occurs regardless of whether I run XP OEM from Lenovo or if I use a retail copy of XP with no additional software on top of it.

Manarius: Undoubtedly there is a thin line between hardware failure and the hardware not working with the operating system and settings in their original shipped-from-factory state. In any case, I clearly asked for suggestions of what to do next; I did not ask for a college freshman’s opinion on the legal nuances in my warranty. I would be greatful if you could help with my original request.