Fresh Windows install; trouble with network driver

[tom888]

I've just installed a fresh version of Windows7 on to my Alienware m17xr3 because it'd become slow and i was having video playback issues.

I have all the discs that were sent with the laptop from near 8 years ago~. I've put in the 'resource' disc that holds the drivers needed to get up and running.

Problem i'm having is 2 fold. Firstly when choosing my system model i can only select 'Vostro Notebook 1000, 1400, 1500 or 1700' so i hedged a bet and went Notebook 1700 since it's m17.
It asks for my operating system which is 7 but in the drop box i can only choose visa 32-bit, Windows XP, Win XP 64-bit or Windows Vista 64 bit and so i left 'all'

Second problem is i'm trying to install a network driver so i can connect to the internet wireless and find the rest of the drivers i need there. Having looked at the list of drivers available there's a tick present next to 'intel mobile chipset Rev:A02' which indicates this hardware is present. I've extracted the file and run the wizard and restarted my laptop but unable to connect to a network- 'no connections are available'

Looking in Device Manager under network adaptors i can see only bluetooth device (personal area network) and bluetooth device (rfcomm protocol tdi).

I wonder if anyone could offer a solution

 

[tom888]

Just been to dell website looking for a driver, found this through linking my Service Tag: Dell Wireless WLAN 1501 Half Mini-Card (4313bgn), v.5.60.48.35, A00 which can be seen here https/www.dell.com/support/home/uk/en/ukdhs1/product-support/servicetag/g4ws2r1/drivers

DL'd to a usb and put in to laptop and files extracted but nothing happened, there was no auto wizard or files to click to initiate an installation. Nothing's appeared in Device Manager either

For what it's worth i also downloaded the bluetooth network driver from the link above which very definitely initiated a wizard and installed something successfully to my device, though still no internet or change in network adaptors in device manager.

Downloaded and installed this: https/www.dell.com/support/home/uk/en/ukdhs1/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=hmdr4 since an intel mobile chipset was 'identified' in my laptop. Installed without issue but there's nothing in network adaptors in device manager.

 

[Wolfshadw]

In Control Panel --> Device Manager, expand the Network Adapters tree and select that device (Dell Wireless WLAN 1501 Half Mini-Card). Right click on it and select Update Driver. In the Window that opens, select the Browse my computer option and navigate to where you extracted the files from the download to.

-Wolf sends

 

[tom888]

That's half the problem, there's only bluetooth device personal area network/rfcomm protocol tdi adaptors in there.

I'm going to look for an alternative to this: Dell Wireless WLAN 1501 Half Mini-Card (4313bgn), v.5.60.48.35, A00
because i have a feeling it didn't install correctly despite being the one listed having put in my dell service tag.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Try downloading this package: Dell Wireless WLAN 1501

Extract the files from the .EXE and run Setup.

-Wolf sends

 

[tom888]

Hi, downloaded what you linked, but didn't auto initiate anything so had to hunt for the file in question, found setup and started the wizard but 'no compatible hardware' error popped up. There's also things like BcmSetupUtil and about 12 other applications but haven't tried those.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Setup should have found it, but didn't.

Can you try a Scan for Hardware Changes in Device Manager to see if the wireless card shows up? Otherwise, I'd probably try opening the system up to see if the card is actually installed.

-Wolf sends

 

[tom888]

Checked hardware changes and there's no change. Out of everything i installed only an 'Aetheron' network adaptor showed up but didn't allow me to connect to the internet, wondered if it was only for an ethernet connection so removed it.

Having performed the hardware change detect it toggled a driver software installation which shows:
PCI Simple Communications Controller: no driver found
Ethernet Controller: no driver found
Network Controller: no driver found
PCI Device: no driver found
Universal Serial Bus (USB) Controller: driver not found.

If what you linked was supposed to be used in tandem with Dell Wireless WLAN 1501 Half Mini-Card (4313bgn), v.5.60.48.35, A00 - which is what i tried earlier i'm not sure it was because i had since tried other drivers.

 

[tom888]

A link to what's in the wireless download folder recommended on the dell website. I'm just not sure what i'm supposed to do with it once it's been 'extracted'

https/imgur.com/a/u5ZakAb

I'm not connected via ethernet cable but still no luck wireless.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Normally, what you would do is what I said before. You'd go to device manager, right-click on the device and when it asks where to get the driver from, you point it at this folder. However, since the device isn't showing, you can't do that.

-Wolf sends

 

[tom888]

Alright, you wouldn't know which adaptor it is i need then?

 

[Wolfshadw]

Sorry, but no idea. When my laptop wireless burned out, I just purchased an inexpensive USB adapter; similar to this one. It worked for me, up until the motherboard burned out.

-Wolf sends

 

[tom888]

I don't think it's broke because it was working before the reinstall but that being said, it might be less hassle.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Before spending any money, check one more thing. Go back into Device Manager and see if there is a listing for "Other Devices", If so, expand that tree and see what it says there.

-Wolf sends

 

[tom888]

I have 4 devices in 'other devices'.
Network controller (with a yellow exclamation mark)
Universal Serial Bus (USB) Controller (with a yellow exclamation mark)
2 x 'Unknown Device' (with yellow exclamation marks)

Pretty sure i tried to 'update driver software' for these to see if it changed anything but it was unable to find anything.