cf-18 wireless card install?

ok so as i mentioned in my only other thread the cf-18 i bought didn't have the intel 2915 wireless card in it.

i found one and it just arrived so i installed it and conected the antennas like the diagram in the manual showed. i started it up and windows detected a new network adapter.

after that was when things started to suck, i tried the newest drivers from intel's website but they made my computer crash and windows wouldn't start up untill i uninstalled them in safe mode.

so i remembered reading on here that the old drivers from panasonic's page were the ones to use so i installed thoose wich atleast didn't crash anything but it wasn't working and in the system device manager i'm getting "device cannot start (code 10 error)".

i tried installing and re-installing the drivers a few times just to check but it's always the same.

does anyone have any idea what i can do or weather or not the card i bought dead? thanks in advance

 

First go into bios + reset the bios to optimal settings
Look and see if its listed in the bios as well
My main issue with intel sofware/drivers was the proset utility, I recomend if its installed that you remove it and let windows manage the connection and install only the latest intel driver only


Alex

 

i didn't see an option for optimal settings in th bios.
i did make sure to uninstall all the wireless stuff including the proset and reinstalled the newest drivers
it should be this: 12.2.0.0_X_Drivers right?

i tried resetting the defaults but it didn't do anything

i went to the advanced option and enabled all the serial ports

now i can install the newest driver and still start up

but it still gives me the same error message in the divice manager

 

Version 12.4 for Windows XP*
Link
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/con...D=&DwnldId=17526&strOSs=&OSFullName=&lang=eng

Alex

 

I checked my mk-5 and it has the same wi-fi adapter as you have and everything works fine
I don't even have the latest drivers in it
It shows driver 9.0.4.39
Is it not excepting the driver file, or is there a error stating this device cannot start ?

Alex

 

it's accepting the driver, but giving me the device can't start error.

i tried the linked driver but got the same thing.

btw thanks for taking the time to help me.

 

What model do you have ,is it a mk-5 cf-18?
And you reset the bios to defaults, and it shows up in bios as a wireless adapter right


Alex

 

it does not show up in my bios even after resetting the defualts, was is detected by windows without my directon.

also mine is a cf-18d... so a mk2 (my bios is version 2 as well)

 

In the advanced tab in the bios is shows wireless network adapter under network adapter
So , for some reason there is a hardware problem
The adapter could be faulty
The adapter might be non-suported in this model
The intel 2200bg is the normal adapter in this model
I don't know now what to suggest
Try unintstaling /reseating the card and rebooting


Alex

 

ok i'll try resetting it, if it doesn't work i'll return it.

thanks

 

Additional thoughts
Since the card is not original the bios might not see it
Its that old centrino compatable hardware thing
In device manager if the wireless show , but does not start , go into properties and make sure that the device switch is turned on
Look in the advanced tab for more options
As I said the 2200bg is the normal card, if you cannot get this card working its an option
If you still want to try to get it working and have the time you might concider reloading windows and drivers fresh
I posted in a thread a few months ago as to the correct order of drivers and aplications with a fresh load


Alex

 

i made sure to check that it was on and enabled in the divice manager, the guy i bought it from has 2200bg cards for sale so i'll just exchange it.


thanks for all the help and ideas.

 

I must have missed it.... Exactly what card did you try to install? The Intel 2915?

 

yes that's right 2915abg card

 

Had u read this thread: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=382314 ?

 

Would it be applicable in this case?
The 2915 card is a m-pci card, and that discussion is on the newer pci-e cards
Ok I see the link at the end
Ron's link is here, and It looks like a resolution
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=3715573#post3715573




Alex

 

thanks to both of you,

so the idea is to "mask off" or break the connection on the pins 11, 13 the red ones

will tape work or do i need to use clear nail polish like mentioned in the post?

 

Ron used tape on the m-pci card
Others have used nail polish

Alex

 

Yep that did it, i just put a peice of electrical tape over thoose 2 pins and it works fine. Thanks a ton tomcat and onirakkiss.

 

And Ron , he was the OP lol
Thats great that is working now
I did know about the pin mod on the mini pci-e cards ,
The standard mini pci card mod was an old post , and I have had no issues upgrading the 2100b card to the 2200bg
Last week I ordered a couple of Senao EMP-8602 PLUS-S high power cards
I am going to install one in my cf-29 mk-2 in place of the standard 2200bg card
It looks like I might be needing this information as well


Alex

 

When making a mod like this, I recommend using Scotch Magic transparent tape rather than electrical tape; electrical tape is thick enough to bend fragile pins so they don't make contact properly if you change the card at a later time. Scotch Magic is thinner, plus it doesn't weep adhesive out from under the edges (which will foul adjacent contacts) as electrical tape will.

mnem
Wow... eyebrows. What a concept.

 

Good advice

I’m not always right, the wi-fi card upgrade is seldom talked about here
I have found that the newer models that use mini-pci cards have reasonable throughput with the intel 2200bg
The first generation b only cards have horrible performance

If you have the intel 2100b card in your Toughbook you are seriously limiting your range and throughput

I have not had problems with upgrading to the 2200bg
I have a couple of Senao EMP-8602 PLUS-S high power cards on order , so I will see if I have to tape the pins

I messaged Kungfucowboy after onirakkiss posted the link to Rons solution

He was still around


It’s good that my hobby is Toughbooks not Skydiving


Alex

 

Hey Alex -

You wanna snurch my Avatar when I'm done with it? could be fun around April Fool's or Halloween...

mnem<~~~ That darn dwagon ~~~<<<

 

ok thanks for the warning about electrical tape. i' change it out as soon as i get a chance. And yes thanks Ron, the dwagon and everyone else you guys are all awsome.

I'm lucky it is so ridiculously easy open up these toughbooks, i gave up opening every other laptop i ever had just because of the steps you had to take and the fragility of them.

them being drop proof has probably already saved me twice this month too
i so very very glad i got a used cf-18 than a new netbook.