Windows 7 Yes, I said 3Com...

[Cionn]

Greetings, all!

Just for jollies, I'm trying Windows 7 on an ancient homebrew I built back in 2003 and change. It has a decent (for the times) HD (150g) and reasonable memory (2g) and the processor isn't bad (1.75mhz), but it's the original ABit motherboard and cards.

The point of this is that, to my surprise, everything works but one--my old 3Com ethernet card.

Since this is an experiment, it's hardly a tragedy, but since I got everything else working I thought I'd give you lot a try for any possible answers. So, dust off your old manuals and rev up your Win98 machines, it's time for a trip to the past!

I have a driver for the old dear [3Com Network Card driver EtherLink 10/100 PCI NIC (3C905-TX)], but when I try to install it I get "Windows encountered a problem installing the driver software for your device" followed by the admission that it found the card and knows what it is, then ending with "The required line was not found in the INF."

Clues? Suggestions other than "put that poor old thing out of its misery"?

Thanks in advance for time and trouble spent.

C

 

[PcBoyGeorge]

Try finding it on windows update or search the makers online and download the driveer made for vista.

 

[Cionn]

Greetin gs, all!

Thanks for the response. I tried looking in WU, and while it acknowledged that such a card did once, in fact, exist, it has no drivers and nothing else to say on the subject. I did find a driver package at the 3Com site (3c90x1.exe and 3c90x2.exe at 3Com Product Downloads - Search Results for those interested) that, while it still can't load the drivers, did at least get W7 to recognize the card.

Now instead of an unknown device, I get the right card name but when I try to update from the package I get the message:

This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)

My real problem here, just to have a whack at stating the obvious, is that I need to get online with the beast to find out why I can't get online with the beast. As it is, I do have two other systems online (having taken the "don't try this on your primary system" warning to heart, thank the gods) but I can't use the usual run of driver diagnostic tools because the relevant system can't connect to use the databases and fetch functions.

Still, the battle goes on. Anyone with more info or useful suggestions, feel free to chime in.

C