Intel ac 7260 and a dv6-7214nr

[shiznizza]

Hello, forum people

So, I have an HP dv6-7214nr Ivy Bridge-based notebook that came with a crappy wireless card. I purchased an Intel AC 7260 with Bluetooth card thinking if my laptop had the whitelist in the BIOS, an Intel model would be okay. Also, I had read a few people had managed to get it working even if others didn't.

I deleted the old wireless card drivers and even the Bluetooth drivers. Shut it down, switched out cards, plugged the two antennae on, closed the case, and rebooted. I have done nothing in BIOS because the BIOS menus are very limited in options. I installed the latest drivers from the Intel site for both wireless and Bluetooth. Even updated the BIOS to the latest version (F.2D or F.2F) for my laptop model.

The problems I run into are these: First, the F12 key has a jittery flashing between orange and white as if it is trying to connect or initialize something but can't. Second, device manager shows the AC card itself but not Bluetooth. Third, the card is picking up no signals whatsoever. The original card, my smartphone, and my tablet all pick up the signal no problem. When I press the F12 key, Win

I had been running on the assumption that this wasn't a whitelist problem because the computer boots into Windows normally. No hardware error warnings that I have seen people run into before have popped up. I've reseated the card and antennae a few times to make sure I got everything connected. Any thoughts? Is it probably a bad card? Am I still running into a whitelist issue? Something different?

Thanks in advance for any and all input

 

[azazel1024]

I'd think a bad card in this case. Everything I have heard on white list issues, the laptop will refuse to boot giving you an error message.

My HP Envy 4t has the same card in it and it works great. I took the chance on the whitelist.

One thing I will say, for WHATEVER reason, one of the screws on the back of the laptop, if I tighten it down too much, the laptop refuses to boot at all. The wifi light on the key will flash which briefly like it is going to boot and then nothing. Back off the screw half a turn and it works perfect (even if I push down on that part of the laptop back). No bloody clue. Only guess is that tightening the screw is causing something to short or pull loose slightly.

Anyway, at this point I'd try swapping the card for a new one. If you have the same behavior, probably not an issue of a bad card. Unfortunately that is about all I can give you.

HP for a couple of years seemed to have a strict "every laptop has a whitelist". For about the last 2 odd years it seems hit and miss. I know mine doesn't (or for whatever reason the deviceID for the 7260ac happens to be "close enough" to work with however they are whitelisting) and I have heard of at least a couple of other HP users with Ivy Bridge or newer HP laptops where an Intel 7260ac worked in it. I've also heard of some with Ivy Bridge or newer laptops where they got kicked in the whitelist nuts when they tried swapping the card.

 

[shiznizza]

I appreciate the feedback. I will start trying the screw thing just in case. The idea of it just possibly being a bad card makes me feel better. Thanks!

 

[azazel1024]

A quick test, try booting it with the back removed, but the laptop sitting on the back (IE all screws out), just to see if it'll boot. That his how I knew something was up. I tested mine that way at first and it worked (I didn't want to have to take the back, off again if the card wouldn't let it boot). Put the screws back in, didn't boot. Took the back off again and it booted. Put the screws back in, it wouldn't boot. Started loosening screws and on the 2nd one, it booted just fine. Tightened it down a little again, it refused to boot. Back it off half a turn and it booted.

Damnedest thing and it has me worried about it, but that was...6 months ago? And it has been working just fine ever since.

 

[shiznizza]

So, I tried that, and the result is the same. I did manage to find a few entries of the old Ralink wireless drivers in the system and got those cleaned out. I've played with different settings on the advanced tab for the Intel AC card in Device Manager. The light will stay white for up to 10 seconds before it goes back to jittering between white and orange like it can't actually connect. Even the Intel PROset software says the radio is on and transmitting, yet still the stuttering wireless light and not picking up ANY signals.

 

[shiznizza]

And then I happen to notice a sticker on the card that says, "Engineering sample. Not for resale." That's probably not the best kind of card to mess with for a home computer, is it?

 

[azazel1024]

Most likely not. Out of curiosity, where'd you get it from? I'd return it immediately with a very nasty note.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

If this were an issue of the card not being on a whitelist the laptop would not have booted, check to make sure its security seated and the contacts are clean and failing that, RMA it