Help with wireless/dual booting

[ÐeviÑ]

I decided that, after playing all the way through Halo 2 on XP (I DO have the H2 disk) and having it tell me to insert the original halo 2 disk (which was in the dvd drive) once I got to the last level, and it not letting me continue, that I was going to get vista.

So I got it, and I didn't want to wipe anything or have anything not work because of the switch, so I did a dual boot, and installed it on a separate hard drive.  I want to be able to get updates and stuff, but I don't want to have to take my wireless card out to reinstall the drivers for it (since the PCI cards always seem to do this to me...."Install drivers first, and then put the card in"), but since the card was already in, I was hoping that I could just use the drivers installed on xp, which didn't work. So then I tried just installing the drivers and restarting, which also didn't work. I really don't feel like opening my computer up to do it, so if any of you could figure out a method that would work, it would be appreciated

[MrMxyzptlk]

Hmmmm. I'm not quite clear on what you're doing or having trouble with from your description, BUT...

You should install the device - and it's drivers iff Windows XP asks for them - on XP first and get that working.

Then go and install it in Vista, which should find and install the driver all by itself.

[ÐeviÑ]

Hmmmm. I'm not quite clear on what you're doing or having trouble with from your description, BUT...

You should install the device - and it's drivers iff Windows XP asks for them - on XP first and get that working.

Then go and install it in Vista, which should find and install the driver all by itself.

To clerify:

1) XP is already running and already has the wireless working.
2) When installing the drivers, when I first put the disk in, it says "Install drivers first"
3) I am in belief that I will have to open up my case, take out the PCI wireless card, turn my computer back on, install the drivers, turn my PC back off, and plug the thing back in.

I was just wondering if there was a way to do it without having to unplug the card. I guess it would take less time to just do it, though XD Because Vista isn't detecting the card at all. (as far as I can tell, anyway.)

[ÐeviÑ]

I found a bunch of ethernet cable, so I was able to run one up the stairs into my room. Hopefully one of these windows updates will allow vista to use my wireless, because I'm sure my mom will get sick of seeing the cable in the hallway XD

[MrMxyzptlk]

RE #2 & 3) You did NOT say so, but I gather that for both of them you're now talking about ON VISTA, right?

In any event, you do NOT need to open the case or unplug the card.

Vista has already TRIED to install the device, and if it is NOT working it will show up with either a yellow sign or red X over it in the Device Manager.

How to bring up the Device Manager (which may NOT be right for Vista...):

0) Start -> RIGHT-click My Computer and select Properties at the bottom of the pop-up.

1) Select the Hardware tab, then the Device Manager button.

You should now be able to see a list of devices in your computer, and one (or more) of them may have red or yellow marks on top of the device's icon.

2) Find the one for your "Network adapter" and DOUBLE-click it to bring up its Properties window.

3) Click the Details tab, then select the long line of text in the large pane on the bottommost part of that window and post it here.  (It should look something like this: {1A3E09BE-1E45-494B-9174-D7385B45BBF5}\NVNET_DEV0373\4&26BB4C8F&0&00 )

4) "X" out of all created windows.

This will give me specific info about the device so I can look up the Visya drivers for you.

[ÐeviÑ]

RE #2 & 3) You did NOT say so, but I gather that for both of them you're now talking about ON VISTA, right?

In any event, you do NOT need to open the case or unplug the card.

Vista has already TRIED to install the device, and if it is NOT working it will show up with either a yellow sign or red X over it in the Device Manager.

How to bring up the Device Manager (which may NOT be right for Vista...):

0) Start -> RIGHT-click My Computer and select Properties at the bottom of the pop-up.

1) Select the Hardware tab, then the Device Manager button.

You should now be able to see a list of devices in your computer, and one (or more) of them may have red or yellow marks on top of the device's icon.

2) Find the one for your "Network adapter" and DOUBLE-click it to bring up its Properties window.

3) Click the Details tab, then select the long line of text in the large pane on the bottommost part of that window and post it here.  (It should look something like this: {1A3E09BE-1E45-494B-9174-D7385B45BBF5}\NVNET_DEV0373\4&26BB4C8F&0&00 )

4) "X" out of all created windows.

This will give me specific info about the device so I can look up the Visya drivers for you.

Well, I got all the way to where you told me to go, but there is no long line of text :S Vista detects it, and I have it search for the drivers itself (with the disk in, even) and it still doesn't work.

I believe it is a Dynex wireless G desktop adapter (PCI, not USB) , though.

[MrMxyzptlk]

The ONLY PCI models shown on the Dynex website are models DX-E102 and DX-PCIGB, both WIRED PCI Ethernet cards.

You likely have an older model that is no longer listed on their site....

(FYI: "No joy" on their support site, too....   )


That might be part of your problem... 

HOWEVER, i WAS able to find stuff about a Dynex DX-BGDTC 802.11g Wireless-G Desktop Card - network adapter via Google!

I'll see if I can find drivers for it, now that I have the Make/Model info...

[ÐeviÑ]

The ONLY PCI models shown on the Dynex website are models DX-E102 and DX-PCIGB, both WIRED PCI Ethernet cards.

You likely have an older model that is no longer listed on their site....

(FYI: "No joy" on their support site, too....   )

http://www.dynexproducts.com/pc-592-4-dynex-80211g-wireless-g-desktop-card.aspx

I think this is the model I have...pretty sure

[MrMxyzptlk]

Here's their support page for that device, which includes links to a driver for Vista!

(Get the "12/26/07 v1011" ones!)

[ÐeviÑ]

Here's their support page for that device, which includes links to a driver for Vista!

(Get the "12/26/07 v1011" ones!)

I tried it already, it acts like it is doing stuff, and it is supposed to pop up some tray icons when it is done, but it never does.

[MrMxyzptlk]

Here's their support page for that device, which includes links to a driver for Vista!

(Get the "12/26/07 v1011" ones!)

I tried it already, it acts like it is doing stuff, and it is supposed to pop up some tray icons when it is done, but it never does.

Then there are only three possible (probable) explanations:

1) It's NOT that Dynex card.

2) Since the card works in XP, their Vista drivers are bad. (Possible since they use the exact same drivers for XP...)

3) Something else, like computer gremlins infesting your machine or something.  


OUFF!  Why didn't I think of this?!?!

Boot into XP where it WORKS and do that stuff that I said above to get that long string of characters and post that here!  (That way I can positively confirm that's what card it is!)

(Except that the device will NOT have a yellow or red  marking across it, and you will have to figgure out which one it is by their listed names....)

[ÐeviÑ]

PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_001A&SUBSYS_001817F9&REV_01\4&1F92F9E&0&3048

Listed name: Dynex Wireless G Adapter

[MrMxyzptlk]

PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_001A&SUBSYS_001817F9&REV_01\4&1F92F9E&0&3048

Listed name: Dynex Wireless G Adapter

That's an Atheros NIC, one sec while I find the drivers for it....

...OR it's a modem?!?!

Still looking....

[ÐeviÑ]

PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_001A&SUBSYS_001817F9&REV_01\4&1F92F9E&0&3048

Listed name: Dynex Wireless G Adapter

That's an Atheros NIC, one sec while I find the drivers for it....

...OR it's a modem?!?!

Still looking....

Alright. Thanks

Also, I get 2 separate boxes when I first log in saying that rundll32 has stopped running. and both times I click "Search for solution online" and nothing happens....

[MrMxyzptlk]

Okay, here's the problem: NOWHERE on the ENTIRE INTERNET is there a device with that SUBSYSTEM ID (SUBSYS_001817F9), meaning I cannot find out WHICH model of all the listed models of wireless networking chipsets made by Atheros your is.

FYI: What's going on here is that you have a "generic brand" device there, from a manufacturer that is NOT a registered vendor with Microsoft, and thus you have a GENERIC device identifier (that uses the core ID info from the chip maker that made the chip on the PCI card that someone ELSE made.)

This leaves you stuck - for now - until I can figure out some way to find out WHICH drivers you need from Atheros....

BTW: Contacting them would be likely be useless, because I don't even know if they make network CARDS or just the networking chipsets....

Stay tuned!