Ethernet port dissapear?

Disvengeance

One of my computers wouldnt connect to the internet, so i looked more into it and found that windows had ''lost'' the ethernet lan port ( the one integrated into the nf7-s). And it doesnt detect it anywhere, as if it doesnt even exist, but it can still detect my firewire ports. Any ideas on how to fix this? id prefer not having to reformat the harddrive unless that is the only option.

Leonardo

Did you already try:

Disconnect cable to port
Shut down computer with cable out
Restart computer with cable out
Shut down again
Connect cable
Restart computer

When you say that Windows no longer detects your ethernet connection, do mean that under "Network adapters" in Device Manager, nothing is shown?

Straight_Man

Disvengance--

Look for an updated driver for your board's LAN adapter, and install. DId you do a BIOS update just before this happened, or a driver change, or did it just "vaporize" with no changes to either of those things???

Also, did you put any other hardware IN box, and then this suddenly happened??? If this last happened, possible device resource conflict.

John D.

Disvengeance

It just dissapeared under network connections. and the computer cant detect it anywhere, i did nothing to cause this. do im clueless

croc_

did it dissapear from the back of your computer? :P

Do you have XP? Try rolling back a few days?

Disvengeance

yeah it is xp, i tried installing latest nforce but that did nothing. I was considereing an rma but i doubt its hardware related, as the lights on the port are lit up as if its connected, and nothing else is wrong with the entire system.

shwaip

Is the port enabled in the BIOS?
Is the network adapter listed in the device manager?

profdlp

What shwaip said! You might also boot up in safe mode and uninstall everything under Network Adapters. If nothing else, it will force Windows to start from scratch.

Also, I found this (I have not tried it yet - you were warned!). It's meant for tuning things up, but it occured to me that it might also be handy for forcing a refresh of your NIC drivers.

Increase your cable modem or DSL speed in XP
This tweak is for broad band cable connections on stand alone machines with winXP professional version - might work on Home version also. It will probably work with networked machines as well but I haven't tried it in that configuration. This is for windows XP only, it does not work on win2000.
I use 3 Com cards so I don't know how it works on others at this point. It does not involve editing the registry. This tweak assumes that you have let winXP create a connection on install for your cable modem/NIC combination and that your connection has tcp/ip - QoS - file and print sharing - and client for microsoft networks , only, installed. It also assumes that winxp will detect your NIC and has in-box drivers for it. If it doesn't do not try this.
In the "My Network Places" properties (right click on the desktop icon and choose properties), highlight the connection then at the menu bar choose "Advanced" then "Advanced Settings". Uncheck the two boxes in the lower half for the bindings for File and Printer sharing and Client for MS networks. Click OK
1. From the windows XP cd in the support directory from the support cab, extract the file netcap.exe and place it in a directory on your hard drive or even in the root of your C:\ drive.
2. next, open up a command prompt window and change directories to where you put netcap.exe. then type "netcap/?". It will list some commands that are available for netcap and a netmon driver will be installed. At the bottom you will see your adapters. You should see two of them if using a 3Com card. One will be for LAN and the other will be for WAN something or other.
3. Next type "netcap/Remove". This will remove the netmon driver.
4. Open up control panel / system / dev man and look at your network adapters. You should now see two of them and one will have a yellow ! on it. Right click on the one without the yellow ! and choose uninstall. YES! you are uninstalling your network adapter, continue with the uninstall. Do not restart yet.
5. Check your connection properties to make sure that no connection exists. If you get a wizard just cancel out of it.
6. Now re-start the machine.
7. After re-start go to your connection properties again and you should have a new connection called "Local area connection 2". highlight the connection then at the menu bar choose "Advanced" then "Advanced Settings". Uncheck the two boxes in the lower half for the bindings for File and Printer sharing and Client for MS networks. Click OK.
8. Choose connection properties and uncheck the "QOS" box
9. Re-start the machine
10. after restart enjoy the increased responsivness of IE, faster page loading, and a connection speed boost.
Why it works, it seems that windows XP, in its zeal to make sure every base is covered installs two seperate versions of the NIC card. One you do not normally see in any properties. Remember the "netcap/?" command above showing two different adapters? The LAN one is the one you see. The invisible one loads everything down and its like your running two separate cards together, sharing a connection among two cards, this method breaks this "bond" and allows the NIC to run un-hindered.

Leonardo

Disvengeance,
Another option would be to do a Windows XP "Repair" installation. Repair installations have gotten me out of many jams.

Disvengeance

K ill try the stuff u guys have mentioned, thanks for the help

Disvengeance

OMG, man i shouldve checked in the bios first thing, cause that was the problem, turned out my dad screwed up my computer alot more than i thought. but i yelled at him, so he wont do it again. I appreciate all the time and help guys

profdlp

Good news! shwaip, take a bow. :celebrate


Followup: I tried the nifty trick I mentioned earlier. Worked as described until I got to step 4, when it did not see two devices like it was supposed to. Didn't hurt anything, though.