Desperate Need of Computer Help
 

Can you Restore? Are you willing to reformat?

I did a restore point, no help. I could reformat I think, Dell has a way of doing that and I have the OS on a disk. But someone told me my network card may be bad, not likely, but it sure seems like thats the first connection the comp has with incoming signals. Unfortunately I'm still basicly clueless about computers http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/frown.gif

I'll check in tomorrow night to see what the Poly braintrust can come up with http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/wink.gif

thx

Originally posted by snoopy369
3. Network card could be fried/bad. Most likely by far. Testable by replacing the network card. If you are using the Dell supplied card then this is odds on the most likely source of the problem. I had the exact same problem with a Dell one of my kids had. Replacing the card with a linksys card cured the problem.


Replacing the Dell with an HP cured a lot more problems. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/wink.gif

thx all, tomorrow I'll finally have some time to look into my computer and this network card. So what does it look like? I understand its plugged into the motherboard and thats about it. I stopped by "Best" Buy and they'd do a diagnostic on it but they want $120 or so to put a new one in if thats the problem (they didn't have any in stock). They wanted $45 for testing, $35 for the card, and $40 to install software (drivers I guess)... ugh...

I dont think I can download stuff thru this imac so I hope I dont need to download software. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/frown.gif

If you dont know what a NIC looks like how can you have checked that it's functioning?

So.

The outside of the NIC will have the female connector to which you attached the ethernet wire from the

......... ****........

I just re-read your post. You were using a wireless card with your E510!

Just to be clear, the same sprint card is working in a mac with the same wireless router?

I dont understand how you could've done that since you apparently havent opened up the E510 and dont know what a NIC looks like?

http://www.driverguide.com/

Maybe.

I'm lookin at the motherboard so what does this card look like? I see a plastic plate held in by two white jaw-like clamps and its about 3/4s" wide by 5 or 6" long and there is an empty slot next to it. When I do setup some of the options mention PCI slots populated and unpopulated so I do think an empty slot should be there. I think dell calls it a network adapter but I cant find an image of the thing http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/frown.gif

give us a picture of the motherboard.

well those 2 green 1 by 6 panels are the 2 256 mb cards, oops.

Geez I wished I would stop speed reading your posts. :Bangs head: Now I understand your setup.

OK, their was (or is) an ethernet wire from your router to your desktop. The thing the wire is connected to on the PC is the NIC. It will have a female ethernet connector and a small green LED that might light up when you connect the cable. The E510 should have a built in NIC that is attached to the motherboard about halfway up the side of the case. You cant remove that one if thats the one you've been using. An alternative is that you have a seperate NIC installed in the PCI slots at the bottom of the case.

Most likely you have the built in and not a card in the PCI slots. If thats the case, you'll need to add a card to take the place of the defective built in. If you do have a card in the PCI slots that you've been using try taking it out (remove the screw that attaches it to the case) and putting it back in. If you've had a surge that probably wont help since NICs seem to be very sensitive to them, but it'll give you practice for installing the new card.

It will have a female ethernet connector and a small green LED that might light up when you connect the cable. I'm getting a flashing amber or orange light

An alternative is that you have a seperate NIC installed in the PCI slots at the bottom of the case. the bottom and front of the case next to vents? I have something there that goes into PCI slots I think. It shows up on that photo from cnet reviews, some heavy blue cables appear to lead to the card in the lower left of the photo. It looks a bit like an 8 track tape and its blue

I've found the network adapter device and it says its working fine.

Originally posted by Berzerker


I'm getting a flashing amber or orange light



the bottom and front of the case next to vents? I have something there that goes into PCI slots I think. It shows up on that photo from cnet reviews, some heavy blue cables appear to lead to the card in the lower left of the photo. It looks a bit like an 8 track tape and its blue

I've found the network adapter device and it says its working fine. **** I wrote along post but it timed out.

I ve circled the area on the back where the onboard NIC connector is located. Did you connect the ethernet cable there?

Alternatively there may be a card in a PCI slot (side view circled) with the same kind of NIC connector but it will be located where the blue arrow is (rear view).

OK.

Did you try totally removing the NIC from the system and re booting?

START
Control Panel
System
Device Manager
network adapter (plus sign)
Right click on the Network adapter (usually should only be one)
Uninstall
Allow uninstall
Once it's done
restart

On restart XP should "find" the NIC and will install using the dell drivers that are usually installed on the C drive. I'm assuming this is a Dell with the original setup.

If XP finds the card and installs the drivers plug the ethernet cable into the NIC and give it a try.

If it still doesnt work then the best bet is that the NIC is fried. Did you have a surge?

If that's so you'll have to buy a new network adapter for $15 -20 and install it in the PCI slots.

ok, I went thru that process. Before the message I got was '

local area connection
network cable unplugged

now after uninstalling and restart the comp did acknowledge the "new" device but gave no indication it was reinstalling drivers and the new message is

local area connection 2
network cable unplugged

I didn't swap slots or anything