NIC keeps crapping out

[Archman]

Hi,

I have an unusual issue with my NIC in an IBM a21m laptop. I've installed Windows XP, and the drivers, and it seems to crash after a few minutes of use.

I have re-installed Windows 2000 and the drivers and all the updates as well, and after a few minutes the NIC seems to stop working, and I can not access the network or anything else.

Both times it was with fresh installs of Windows and no additional software other than the correct drivers and Windows updates.

Could the internal NIC be faulty?

 

[montag451]

It is possible.

Can you try an external NIC (plug into USB) - see if that works.

Also, could you find the error it comes up with in event viewer,
control panel, admin tools, event viewer

Supply
Source, ID and full text description.

 

[Archman]

Originally posted by: montag451
It is possible.

Can you try an external NIC (plug into USB) - see if that works.

Also, could you find the error it comes up with in event viewer,
control panel, admin tools, event viewer

Supply
Source, ID and full text description.

Thanks I will try those, and post results.

Just in case anyone mentions a bad ethernet cable, I have already tried several with the same results.

Thanks again montag451

 

[LiLithTecH]

Did you reinstall Win2k from the restore CD's or from a MS Win2k CD?

Are there any error's when you look in the Device Manager?


Really confused as to where an external (?) NIC will help you solve
your problem....

 

[Archman]

Originally posted by: LiLithTecH
Did you reinstall Win2k from the restore CD's or from a MS Win2k CD?

Are there any error's when you look in the Device Manager?


Really confused as to where an external (?) NIC will help you solve
your problem....

No errors I can see in Device Manager that I noticed, but I will look again.

Both XP and Win2K were MS cd's and not restore cd's. I did download the proper drivers for the laptop, and the IBM driver software program (it automatically detects which drivers are needed and downloads them).

Will double check everything though.

 

[montag451]

Well, an ext NIC may help him connect to the world.

Although, reading the OP again and again, does lead to a possible misunderstanding of the original q.

Is it the NIC crashing out, or the OS?

 

[btcomm1]

It is kind of questionable if it's his NIC or OS but it sounds like his NIC and I would say I think that his internal NIC is bad. That is really the only good explanation.

 

[Archman]

Yes, it is the NIC that keeps crashing. It stops working after about 5-10 minutes, and even the light in the back of the NIC goes off. I'll do a BOIS update just to be sure as well.