Laptop problems after failed ethernet installation!

[scroggs]

Hi peeps, looking for some advice here.

I have an Ultra 6120 laptop (made by Mitac, I believe). It's a Celeron 400 Mhz, with 96 megs of RAM, operating Win98SE. It's been great for the last three years; totally reliable, unusually for Windows!

The problem came when I tried to install a Belkin F5D020 10/100BT ethernet PCMCIA card. The installation failed at the prompted reboot, when the computer would repeatedly reboot onto safe mode with no input from me. Nothing I did would alter this behaviour.

Deciding that broadband access down route was an over-rated facility (!), I uninstalled the Belkin software while in enforced safe mode. The computer then booted up normally, but now has lost TCP/IP from its network protocols. I've attemoted to reinstall TCP/IP from the Win98SE disk, and it appears in the Network information box, but I can't connect to any servers on the internet even though the dial-up connection works normally. Whenever I enter the Network part of Control Panel, I get a pop-up saying 'your network is not complete, do you wish to continue?'. I have restored the computer's identity to what it was before the ethernet installation. I've even tried restoring the registry (saved before the ethernet installation) but to no effect.

So, a) how to I get back on the 'net? And b) what's wrong with this bloody ethernet installation routine? (Needless to say I've had no support from Belkin!!).

[EGLD]

Hi Scroggs,

I'm a little rusty on Win98

Can you list everything you see in the network dialog?

[scroggs]

OK, it's all pretty much standard:

MS Family Log-on
Dial-Up Adapter (sic)
IrDA v3.0 Fast Infrared Port
Fast Infrared Protocol -> IrDA v3.0 Fast Infrared Port
TCP/IP -> Dial-Up Adapter

The Primary Network Log-on is MS Family Log-on.

The Identification entries are:

Default
Workgroup
Laptop

[RomeoTangoFoxtrotMike]

You said:-
'your network is not complete, do you wish to continue?'
what do you do at that point and what happens when you do it ?

[EGLD]

is the adapter that you couldnt install still in the machine?

is it listed in the system/hardware dialog? control panel > system > hardware

cheers

[scroggs]

I removed the ethernet adapter immediately the installation failed (and restrained myself from destroying same), along with all associated software.

The 'Network not complete' info bax comes up if I click on 'Properties' for any of the installes protocols when in the Control Panel/Network box. It seeme not to matter whether I click 'Yes' or 'No'! Nothing seems to change either way. Incidentally, when I tried this last night, I didn't get that 'Network not Complete' box. Still can't get the computer to talk to any online servers though.

[Fujiflyer]

Hi Scroggs

I have a similar lappy to you - a 6133 by Mitac which I purchased through Novatech in May 2000. (Makes a lovely moving map display in the 'plane)

Having looked in my network details (under Configuration) I see many more entries than you describe on your machine. There are 3 alone just under TCP/IP (although I guess some of these are peculiar to my setup). Most of these can be double clicked to reveal more settings and info. I notice you did not mention "Client for Microsoft Networks" on your list - I believe this is an important entry. I think you add it using the "add" button, with the O/S CD to hand.

Hope this is a little help. Feel free to ask me for more setting details if you think it will help.

FujiF :)

[scroggs]

I believe that 'Client for Microsoft Networks' is only required if you are actually on a network (which would include broadband access - which, thanks to the f*ck ups with this bloody Belkin card, I'm not!), and is associated with the 'Network' icon on the desktop. I'd be interested to learn what other TCP/IP entries you have, though.

[Fujiflyer]

Scroggs, these are as follows:


TCP/IP -> Dial-Up Adaptor
TCP/IP -> Dial-Up Adaptor #2 (VPN Support)
TCP/IP -> SureCom Etherperfect-427 LAN Card

The LAN card entry appears to require more settings info. In particular the IP address field is set to obtain an address automatically; the DNS field is set to disable DNS.

Sorry I can't be more helpful,


Fuji

[scroggs]

Fuji,
thanks. As you say, your extra TCP/IP entries are specific to certain hardware. I only need the TCP/IP -> Dial-up Adapter entry, which is present and correct, but doesn't work!

I can feel a HDD re-format coming on!

[Cornish Jack]

Hi Scroggs
Just had a look through the troubleshooting section for my Linksys ethernet setup. It suggests that removing ALL the protocols and ethernet card references from the Control Panel Network box is a good start followed by a re-install. It seems to insist on the 'Client for Microsoft Networks' being present and, certainly, my system wouldn't work without it. - (but it's a LAN)
One other suggestion - if you have someone handy using Win XP, ask them to make you a 'network wizard' floppy disk and try running that. Rather oddly, it worked first time on my W98SE desktops and was totally pain-free :)
PS - How's life in the 'empire'?

[scroggs]

Tried emptying and reinstalling the network protocols - no joy. I'm on my other (XP) computer now, so I'll try the network wizard. Client for Microsoft Networks is definitely only required for a LAN or broadband setup; it's not needed for a solo computer on a dial-up connection. In any case, it makes no odds whether it's installed or not - except that you have a useless 'Network Neighborhood' icon on the desktop, and it stops remembering your dial-up password!

Which empire?!

[Cornish Jack]

Ain't 'pooters' marvellous! :mad:
'Which empire?' - Sir RB's at Crawley/Horley - can't believe it hasn't collapsed without me! :D