T42 LAN update issues...

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SimonCarloC · #1 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 7:07 pm

Hi all, glad to finally be a part of this forum!

I recently went to update the driver for my Intel 2200bg network card (after performing a system recovery to factory settings) and although the new driver shows up in 'add/remove programs', the new driver is not shown when I check the driver under device manager - it actually shows the old driver from 2004!

Why is this? Have I not properly installed it? Should I have uninstalled the old driver first?

Thanks,

Simon.

#2 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 9:38 pm

You should always uninstall Access Connections and your old wireless driver before installing the new one. You can reinstall Access Connections after installing the new driver and doing a reboot.

Right now, the best thing for you might be to use System Restore from SAFE MODE (press F8 at boot) to go back before you tried to upgrade the wireless driver. After the restore, follow what I wrote above. Also make sure the Wireless LAN adapter is Enabled in the BIOS.

SimonCarloC · #3 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:46 am

Thanks for the reply!

Instead of performing a system restore, can I not just uninstall the wifi driver via device manager, remove access connections and the recently 'installed' wifi driver via add/remove programmes?

#4 Post by **GomJabbar** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:52 am

It certainly wouldn't hurt to give it a try. System Restore is always an option if that doesn't work.

SimonCarloC · #5 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 6:35 am

Ok, so I just did the following:

1. Uninstalled old access connections.
2. Uninstalled old wifi driver.
3. Installed new access connections.
4. Installed new driver.

Yet, still, the driver shown under device manager dispalys the old 2004 one! Arrrrrgh!

Help!

#6 Post by **GomJabbar** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 6:45 am

You should always uninstall Access Connections first, and install Access Connections last.

Try uninstalling Access Connections, then go to Device Manager and choose to update your wireless driver.

Note that anytime you download a driver from Lenovo, you have to execute or run the downloaded file to extract it's contents to the appropriate folders on your hard drive. Then you have to go to that folder and run the installation program. Check the installation instructions for the download. Normally the file is called setup.exe, but I believe the file for the wireless driver is called iProInst.exe. You should find it in C:\Drivers\Win\WLANINT2\XP\Apps\x32.

SimonCarloC · #7 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 6:49 am

Ok, i'll try that now. I did extract the files and then execute the install...

In device manager, when you say to update the driver, do you mean the option that search the hardrive for the driver?

#8 Post by **GomJabbar** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:03 am

I just remembered something. Make sure that you uninstall the "Intel Sebring API" if you see it in Add or Remove Programs.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=26121

I only meant to suggest updating the wireless driver from Device Manager if you are unsuccessful updating it by installing the new driver.

SimonCarloC · #9 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:22 am

Ok - I just did the following:

1. Uninstalled AC
2. Uninstalled driver for wifi
3. Installed new driver for wifi

Still device manager shows the old driver! I have just read your comment on removing sebring, could you give me an order to follow including uninstalling sebring please? Because i'm getting rather confused now...

#10 Post by **GomJabbar** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:39 am

Intel Sebring was the name of the original wireless driver supplied for the Intel wireless LAN cards in the T4x series. Later drivers no longer use this name. You would uninstall this as your wireless driver *if* you see it in Add or Remove Programs.

The reason that I suggested System Restore at the beginning is that once the registry gets messed up, it can be hard to fix. Using System Restore brings your registry back to where it should still be OK - at least as far as the wireless driver is concerned.

Please see the following thread if you continue to have problems (esp. the posts by antera309).
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=29939

SimonCarloC · #11 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:51 am

Ok, just to be clear as i'll try this one for time -

I need to remove the Intel sebring (which IS listed) and the new Lenovo driver software i have tried to install. Do I also need to remove Intel Pro Network adaptors and drivers?

Sorry if I seem clueless, i'm certainly a novice in these regards, thanks for all your help so far also!

#12 Post by **GomJabbar** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 8:29 am

It does get confusing knowing exactly which Intel driver is for which card.

You can launch iProInst.exe from C:\Drivers\Win\WLANINT2\XP\Apps\x32 and it will give you the option to remove the new wireless software.

After that, you can try launching Setup.exe from C:\IBMTOOLS\drivers\WLANCX2A and see if it will give you the same option (I don't remember if it does or not). Otherwise, just try removing Intel Sebring API from Add or Remove Programs. See what is left in Add or Remove Programs after this.

I am not quite sure how the Intel Pro 1000 ethernet card drivers are listed in Add or Remove Programs. It really wouldn't hurt if you accidently uninstalled them as long as you have the installation program for the ethernet card on your hard drive. The original Intel Pro 1000 driver is C:\IBMTOOLS\drivers\ETHINTMT\APPS\PROSET\W2KWS03\PROSET.EXE.

SimonCarloC · #13 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 8:40 am

Ok to sum, from the above posts and from what Lenovo say, to update my wifi driver I need to -

1. Uninstall current driver - device manager, remove current driver. (I won't restart until new driver is installed or the old driver will be reinstalled)
2. Remove Intel Sebring via add/remove.
3. Update hotkey and tablet shortcut drivers.
3. Install new driver for wifi.
4. Install AC.

Sound ok?

#14 Post by **GomJabbar** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 10:17 am

Sounds about right.

You just have to hope that there are not any orphan registry keys or orphan files that will cause a problem with the new driver. This can happen if a program or driver does not unistall cleanly. If you have a registry cleaner program handy, it probably wouldn't hurt to run it before installing the new software. If you don't have a registry cleaner program handy, then just go ahead with your plan and see how it goes. Antera309 outlines how to manually get rid of these orphans - if you still have problems.

SimonCarloC · #15 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:05 am

Ok, i'm about to give it one last shot, just two final questions:

1. Do I need to uninstall the old hotkey driver before installing the new one, if so, how?

2. Is the tablet driver needed for the t42? I don't know what it is as for some reason that particular driver is unavailable on Lenovo...

Sorry for all the questions, just wanna get it right this time...

SimonCarloC · #16 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:56 am

I have successful installed the driver!

BUT, and to my dismay (i'm really running out of patience now) when i press fn+f5 and try to switch off the wifi connection, it doesn't let me! It works for the bluetooth but not for the wifi! What the hell is going on??

#17 Post by **GomJabbar** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:58 am

The Hotkey driver can be removed with Software Installer if you still have it. System Update should remove it as well, but I have no experience with System Update. In Add or Remove Programs, only the Full Screen Magnifier is listed.

The Hotkey driver consists of:
1. On Screen Display
2. FullScreen Magnifier
3. Web navigation keys agent

I don't know if the old Hotkey driver needs to be removed or not, before installing a newer version.

AFAIK, the tablet driver is a special version of Windows that you can only get with a tablet PC. The T42 does not use a tablet driver.

#18 Post by **GomJabbar** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 12:11 pm

First make sure that the version of Access Connections you are using supports the version level of the wireless driver you just installed.

Here is one possible solution to the Fn + F5 problem.
Intel wireless adapters have limited connection methods and cannot be controlled via Fn + F5 - ThinkPad

Otherwise, read that thread I posted earlier.

SimonCarloC · #19 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 12:29 pm

Regarding AC, it's the most current version and so supports the current wifi driver...

I don't really understand the workaround in your link, the second part in particular, could you break it down for me? In particular, I don't have an Intel folder in the programs folder...

Man, I thought updating my wifi driver would be quick!

SimonCarloC · #20 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:57 am

Ok, I have decided to do a system restore, because i'm busy at the moment and the complexity of this issue is ridiculous.

Is it actually possible to install this driver correctly alongside AC as long as I don't install and uninstall repeatedly leaving behind old registry entries? Or can the problem only be fixed via registry workarounds?

#21 Post by **GomJabbar** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 6:56 am

As long as Access Connections is uninstalled before upgrading any of the hardware drivers that it controls (i.e. Wireless LAN, Wired LAN [ethernet], and Bluetooth), then I have not experienced any problem. Once these specific hardware drivers have been updated, I reboot then reinstall Access Connections, then do a final reboot.

Since I have not personally had all these problems, I can only point you to what others have done to fix their systems. I did upgrade Bluetooth once without removing Access Connections and noticed problems right away. Fortunately I was able to fix this relatively easily.

SimonCarloC · #22 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:18 am

Ok, I shall follow that order of installation and see what happens, fingers crossed!

Thanks very much for your time and patience, as I said, I am certainly not knowledgable in these matters so to have someone guide you through them is very helpful.

Great forum!

S.

#23 Post by **GomJabbar** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:18 am

I should have added that I alway uninstall the particular hardware driver before installing the new one. I do not try to install the new driver over the old one - in other words with the old driver still installed.

I uninstall the previous driver software with Software Installer (obsolete), Add or Remove Programs, by running the original installation program (if it gives the option to uninstall the software driver), or by running an uninstall program I might find in the installation directory.

SimonCarloC · #24 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:20 am

Ok, to uninstall the wifi driver, doing so via device manager is sufficient though right?

#25 Post by **GomJabbar** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:40 am

No, through Device Manager is not enough. That uninstalls the driver, but not the driver software.

SimonCarloC · #26 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:50 am

So I am looking to uninstall in add/remove -

Intel pro network adapters and drivers
Intel Sebring

Right?

#27 Post by **GomJabbar** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 8:04 am

Intel Sebring uninstall definitely.

Regarding the Intel Pro Network Adapters and drivers, I am not sure. The safe thing would be to uninstall it, or at least click on Remove in Add or Remove Programs and see if any more information is displayed. As long as you have a copy of the installation program for the Wired LAN driver on your hard drive, you should be able to reinstall it if you accidently remove it.

SimonCarloC · #28 Post by **SimonCarloC** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 10:15 am

Surely there is a standardised procedure of what I need to uninstall? I have just tested uninstalling the Pro Network adaptor drivers and it warns me to first 'uninstall the Vlans and configured teams using Intel ProSet'...whatever that means...

#29 Post by **GomJabbar** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 10:44 am

In that case you should probably leave it.

I always use Software Installer to uninstall this stuff. Software Installer is more intuitive. I haven't done any upgrades in any of my drivers in 6 months or more. In the meantime, Lenovo has obsoleted Software Installer. I am sorry I cannot give more detailed help. I think you just need to jump in and do it. If it doesn't work out, use System Restore and start over.

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