Computer will not allow new device driver to access new device

[bberg4]

I have a Dell Inspiron 700m laptop with WinXP Profess., SP3.  It has an enclosed mini pci wireless card for 802.11b & g. I just purchased the EnGenius EUB9801 Dual N USB wireless adapter to try to increase my wireless speed, etc. I plugged the adapter into the USB port, and the computer immediately recognized the New Device as an 802.11 n WLAN.  It asked for the CD with the driver file on it. I inserted the CD, and the driver file apparently loaded into the computer since it notified me that the installation was successfully finished. However, the adapter still doesn't work, and the computer continues to ask for the driver.  I know the adapter works since I successfully installed it on my desktp computer, and my laptop USB ports work. Under Device Manager, the adapter is simply listed as an "other device" with a question mark and no driver assigned.  Is there something in the computer that might be blocking the driver file from activating the adapter. I have uninstalled all antivirus software.  Thank you.

[IH8U]

Normally the disk is supposed to be ran first. Try right clicking on the wifi card in device manager and select update driver, then point the wizard to the installation CD.

[Spawn]

You might also want to try deleting everything in regard to it, restarting, and then using the disk first to install.

Spawn

[bberg4]

Thank you both.  In fact, I have tried both approaches, and neither works. It simply seems that something in Windows XP is preventing the hardware device (which is recognized correctly by the computer) from accessing the driver file (which the computer says is correctly installed).  Maybe there is something in the registry that needs to be changed, but I don't have any idea what or where to look.

[IH8U]

Try this:
1. Uninstall the software.
2. Download USBDeview and try removing all the instances of the device.
3. Restart, reinstall drivers and insert card.

[Spawn]

USBDeview

Nice.  Thanks for posting.

[bberg4]

I ran the USBDeview but it showed absolutely nothing related to the USB adapter (which I had previously deleted along with uninstalling the driver file.  Still no success in getting the device to recognize the driver.  Admittedly, I'm getting a bit frustrated.  I'm not looking to spend the money but do you think I should contact Microsoft regarding possibly some conflict in the registry, or maybe I should just wipe out the entire hard disc and reinstall Win XP from scratch.

[IH8U]

Nice.  Thanks for posting.

No problem, it's been very helpful to me, hope it does good things for you too!

I ran the USBDeview but it showed absolutely nothing related to the USB adapter (which I had previously deleted along with uninstalling the driver file.  Still no success in getting the device to recognize the driver.  Admittedly, I'm getting a bit frustrated.  I'm not looking to spend the money but do you think I should contact Microsoft regarding possibly some conflict in the registry, or maybe I should just wipe out the entire hard disc and reinstall Win XP from scratch.

Calling Microsoft probably will do you no good. I noticed there is an updated driver for the device at http://www.engeniustech.com/Datacom/products/resources.aspx?cat=6&ID=280 You could try that. Is there another PC you can try installing this device on?

[bberg4]

I have actually tried that. I get the same result using that updated driver or the original on the CD.  One of the first things I tried was installing it on another computer. I used my desktop for a trial, and it works perfectly. So I know that the adapter device itself and the driver file are both OK. I just can't get it to work on my laptop. I have a call in to EnGenius to let me know the exact name and exact location of the installed driver file(s).  Maybe, for some reason, they are not being installed into the proper folder or whatever and I might be able to do it manually.  I'm not afraid of the registry, but I don't want to get into registry modification without explicit directions. Once again, thanks for all your help.

[IH8U]

Looks like the EnGenius EUB9801 uses the RALINK chipset. When you use USBDeview have you seen any RALINK devices? You can also use Autoruns to search for driver files for the adapter under the name of RALINK or EnGenius and disable them or atleast get the filenames and remove them manually.

[bberg4]

I finally got the names of the 3 driver files that the EUB9801 uses. On my desktop computer, where the adapter works, one of these files is in C:\winnt\system32\Drivers\ while the other 2 are in C:\winnt\system32.  In my laptop, where the adapter won't work, I noticed that there is NO folder named C:\winnt at all.  Why would this folder, winnt, be on one computer but not the other when both are running Win XP Pro?  If I can find that out, I may have solved my problem.

[Josh780]

The default system32 folder location for XP should be c:\windows\system32.

The only reason I can think of for the c:\winnt folder on your desktop is that Windows NT or 2000 were on it initially and then an upgrade to XP was performed on top of it.