Network adapter as an unknown device in XP Pro???

MizzouTiger

Hi everyone. Ok, so I managed to wipe off a crappy spyware program (identified as "MediaPassK") and somehow it had control over my network card. When I got rid it (including finding and deleting the hidden folder in my program files folder), it junked out my network card. Now my computer does not even recognize my T1 connection. Under device manager, it lists my network card as an "Unknown" device, which it aptly titles "Unknown Device - 3C905 - 3Com Network Interface Card Adapter - (Generic)." So it doesn't know what the device is? ANyway, I have tried to uninistall the whole card and when it detects the card (after the uninstallation), it wants to install it as an unknown device and there is NO WAY I can change it. I have tried to roll back the driver but can't (because I have the sp2 patch, right?). Anyway, I have XP professional and a 3c905TX 3Comm card (not to bed confused with a 3C905B-TX or 3C905C-TX card). I have tried to download the new driver files from 3Comm but the network card is a legacy card so there is little support for it. Can anyone help me please? Thank you so much in advance...

djvga

Hi, hope it helps...

Driver for you:

http://members.driverguide.com/director/dispatch_getfile.php?did=58203&time=1110852104&auth=125d345bb4e76b99128367ea06efc166

Tex

The driver should of been built in to XP. Thats why 3com doesnt supply it. They gave it to MS so its part of the OS.

Tex

MizzouTiger

Thanks for the input guys. The driver is built in to XP. Good. OK. Bad news. So finally reaching wit's end, I went to Office Depot and bought a $10 generic nic. I uninstalled and physically removed my old network card and put in this new one. I booted up, and XP recognized the new card, installed the drivers for it, and badabing. BUT, it installed it as an unknown device, AGAIN. But it lists what the card is under the unknown device section. A friend has recommended reinstalling XP. I've tried to do a System Restore but to no avail. It won't change anything. So I'm back to square one. Thanks again for your help and more input would be appreciated.

Tex

Is it not working or is it just bugging you to have it as a unknown device now? Cuase that doent really matter usually?

Correct sequence to follow when you do this is to remove the old card and boot up into windows again without it CLEAN, Remove the hidden devices hanging around if any. You can turn on the option to see hidden devices on the "view" tab at the very top.

Then shut down and install the card into a DIFFERANT SLOT if possible. TRY HARD not to even use the same pci slot. You uninstalled the old driver but do you have the settings to show HIDDEN DEVICES cause I bet you got a sheetload of them hanging around and it probably got the new device tangled with the old IRQ and settings because you didnt boot clean in between. So it used the same device settings before from the bad network card. The booting up CLEAN without the old card really helps clean up the residual crap.

You can get it to work doing what you did often if it wasnt already choking on a bad device, especially in the same slot. Doing it my way almost always works.

Tex

MizzouTiger

Ok Tex. The device is not working; it shows absolutely no connection to the internet. The card itself shows activity and presence, but doesn't actually work. Ok, so I uninstalled the old card, physically removed it, and then booted up with out a network card completely. I checked in the hidden devices section and found no hidden devices at all (except a section of 'non-plug-n-play devices" that don't mention anything about my network card). I shutdown, installed the new network card in a different PCI slot than my old card, and booted again. Upon boot up, it finds and installs the card as an unknown device AGAIN. No degree of tinkering with it gives me a resolution.

So back to square one. I am probably going to try and do some rescue work with a WinXP Pro cd and see if that gets me anywhere.

If not, I might go 'Office Space' on this computer. Thanks again for your help.

Mark

A2I

Hi there this should be possible to fix by taking the next steps.

1st you can try to recover this with this tool

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfix.html

This doesnt fix the adapter displayed as unknown device.

But it can let you connect to internet. (though if not)

The second step after you tried the first to recover the networking adapters with normal icoons should be insert your windows Xp setup cd and run a dynamic based update this leaves every install you have on ur pc in one piece but recovers your Networking Icons & adapter entry's. ( its possible you have to reverse the SP2 install before you can just run with a dynamic update and run the setup. (cus it might tell you the install you try is old!) after running the dyn UPDATE (ONLY) setup ofcourse run all the win Autoupdates again incl sp2.)

Double checks before you try to fix this should be done with running scans from the next url.

try : http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp
If something is detected it can be usefull to search under their vinfo database to restore the altered registry settings. manual. under their technical solution stuff is descibred as the vir_items you may have detected.
http://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/ (enter the found vir.object name)

secondairy check should be done with http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/1/5/815d2d60-49b5-44dc-ae35-fca2f2c6f0cc/MicrosoftAntiSpywareInstall.exe

A good way to catch crap on your pc with any undetected crap modules altering ur network can be checked with Security taskmanager http://www.neuber.com/taskmanager/download.html

any reg alter or ini startups can be checked with tools like hijackthis http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3155.html

this is the solution for your problem without having to destroy your existing install.

Have a nice day.