Windows 7 Magic Disappearing Internal Network Card ( Asus G72GX-RBBX05 )

[Kylethedarkn]

Well this is a weird circumstance I've found.

So I purchased an open box Acer G72GX the other day and noticed when I got home that the internal network card wasn't working. No driver and it wasn't even listed in Device Manager as existing.

I figured whatever, I'll try installing a clean Windows 7 to get rid of this bloatware. I did that and then installed the correct drivers for the network card. During the installation it gave me a message like "The device was not found. Please Install/Connect." So at that point I thought well crap it must be broke if the driver install isn't finding it. So I started looking for a usb one.

But then I randomly shut down the computer and turned it back on and it found the internal wireless and asked me to connect to a network. I was like okay then and started using it. I then shut it, which puts it into sleep mode(which I set not to cut power from the wireless card) and then opened it again. When it loaded back up the wireless card was not recognized by Windows anymore.

I've been able to get it working a few more times by shutting the computer down and booting it back up, but other times nothing happens. Although every time, immediately when it loads, the taskbar icons it shows the Wireless bars like the wireless is working but sometimes it connects and other times it goes to the normal network symbol with the red X, in which case the card is not listed in Device Manager or adapter settings.

The last thing worth mentioning is that there is a wireless switch on the laptop. However, when the wireless card is working, turning off/on the wireless just Connects/Disconnects from my network, it does not disable the card itself, so I don't think its the source of the problem.

So my question is this. Is this a settings problem that can be fixed with some tweaks, or is this a hardware problem, meaning the card is broke or there is a bad solder job or something.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Also, yes, I have tried Googling it, but I couldn't find anything on this exact problem.

 

[CommonTater]

Re: Magic Disappearing Internal Network Card ( Acer G72GX-RBBX05 )

Warantee is your friend.

This is a new machine. You paid for a working computer, you're entitled to one.

 

[Kylethedarkn]

Re: Magic Disappearing Internal Network Card ( Acer G72GX-RBBX05 )

I was thinking about that however, because I bought this as an open box item at Bestbuy I'm not sure if 1) The warranty covers open box items(For which I paid significantly less ($400 less)) and 2) I'm leaving for college soon and I know Acer's policy is to get everything sent in and I don't know how long that takes. I have emailed them already asking about these problems though.

I was just hoping there might be an easy fix without having to get repairs.

 

[CommonTater]

Re: Magic Disappearing Internal Network Card ( Acer G72GX-RBBX05 )

From your description it sounds like you've got bad connections or faulty electronics (common problems with Acer, btw) and no amount of upgrading or driver fiddling is going to fix that.

If you check with Best Buy you may find they have a 30 day exchange policy. Take back the bad one and they may well just hand you another one to try. Most "big box" stores do this, so the only unknown is whether they do it with open boxes or not.

In this case, the phone is your phriend.

 

[TorrentG]

Re: Magic Disappearing Internal Network Card ( Acer G72GX-RBBX05 )

It's the bios. Go there and enable the network. Reboot to Windows.

Edit - Actually read a little more and sorry to say, that can't be the issue then since it "asked me to connect to a network."

Try changing your wireless channel on the router. I agree with Common though. Someone returned it to begin with, for a reason.