Windows 2003 anyone?

I wasn't sure where to place this post, so I figured why not post somewhere where people will see it soonest. My question is in regards to windows 2003 server (standard). For all other versions of windows installed, I've never had a problem with driver location etc... for my ethernet card which is well... ridiculously generic. I currently have a 3com 3C509b Etherlink III (TP) installed and well... Win2003 can't seem to find the drivers... fair enough I thought, so I went to device manager, clicked for new hardware, and sure enough the hardware showed up... but when i tried to install the drivers I downloaded off of the 3com site, it told me I had the wrong type of inf files... whatever the hell that could mean, I have no idea. So if anyone could lend a hand or even just an ear, I'd be overjoyed. Thanks in Advance

~Felix

 

Then don't use the drivers you have but let 03 use the supplied 3com driver. These are standard drivers included with the OS. Only after this driver goes in shuold you try to upgrade to the newest driver.

Does this motherboad have an onboard NIC? If so does it work? If so is it a 3com chipset? If there is an onboard, are you going to use both? If onboard, and you are not going to use, is it disabled in BIOS? If an onboard and you are not going to use, why not use it instead?

But now it may be confused, so.

Physically dissconnect any USB devices during this process.

This step is optional but worth the effort, as you may need to do it anyway if the below steps does not work. Physically remove the NIC. Then just boot up without it, so windows will do a small additional cleanup when it boots. In device mgr click "scan for HW changes ". Further clearing the 3com. Power down not reboot.

The steps!

Power down!

Boot to safe mode. Then go to device mg then click view then show hidden devices.

Now remove any 3com NIC's and any "Unknown devices ". Additionally any other devices in error irregardless if it is a NIC or not. Again power down completely and let it boot once again without the NIC. EVEN if you found nothing in safe mode device mgr.

Now power down. Physically install the NIC. Let it boot up and detect the NIC, then let it install the windows driver for 3com.

This don't work better get another NIC? I like 3com also but in this case if you are positive this is a good NIC I would use another brand of NIC!

Mike

 

The problem is that of all of the standard drivers included, my nic card isn't one of them... It has every other 3com nic card listed but mine =(

And nope, the nic card i have in isn't onboard (nor do i have an onboard nic)... so im thinking 03 might just not support this nic seeing as how its a bit dated...

in any event, thanks for the advice^^

Felix