Ethernet not working

Ainsley1

Trying to run Marvell diagnostic failed ( it was for 32 bit) but then loading the correct win7 64bit driver and ...hey presto, connectivity. Win updates installed (17 of 18 successful - which one wasn't I wonder) and Zone Alarm (yeh there were two AV progs together!!) updated, then it's saying web browsing is not protected, rebooted and back to original BSOD!!

Looks like it's roll back time now!...but why is the problem occurring?

Toxteth_OGrady

What's the bsod error code?

Try System Restore to the point just before the 1st of the recent Windows Updates, set Windows Updates to manual and try them one at a time.

closed

uninstall zonealarm

-TangleFoot-

Ainsley1 wrote: »

which one wasn't I wonder

You can easily find out...

Ainsley1

Thanks all. must stop for the night but will continue in the morning!

Ainsley1

Great News, all working now thanks to your collective help. As it's late tonight I will post tomorrow...........

Ainsley1

Well, there were several issues with his laptop mostly to do with incompatible software/drivers and lack of updates.

Often when new or updated software/drivers were installed I would get the BSOD, so rolled back to last known good configuration (LKGC) which was before installing AVG 2013. It seems that there had been no BOSD problem prior to this I was told. That had left some AVG 'bits' hanging around so ran utilty to remove all AVG (still had to do some manually -see later about wireless connection).

I personally use ZA Extreme Security so loaded/cleaned again and reloaded that as I had a spare license to virus check. No issues.
Note I had first use Seagate tools to check over the hard drive (boots from DVD without windows) and when windows was running did a complete memory check. BOSD Stop code had always been 0x000000D1 but after removal of AVG this only appeared a few times, notably after doing some updates at which point I just rolled it back to LKGC and continued so stared making some progress.

Applied all Sony's updates and windows updates (it had not been updated for some time).

Had a conflict of reports from windows and ZA about virus/spyware status but great chat support from ZA, (basically clean off all ZA and reinstall) got this working well. I wanted to ensure no viruses and a working good firewall before network connectivity was established!!

Now the original posting problem! having updating Sony drivers this started the ethernet ( one of the Marvell supplied ones started recognising a cable but still did not allow connection but then correcting for the wrong version!). Still a bit flaky so downloaded drivers from the Marvell website, ran their diagnostics (which was only for 32 bit) but, to my surprise all stared working! I suspect a dll was located that had been the wrong version but cannot explain further!

Wireless still not working so downloaded new Atheros wi-fi driver (I forget from where) and hey presto wi-fi also working!



On rechecking windows updates it overwrote the Atheros driver and it stopped working, so another roll back got it going again and that particular update inhibited (I think, will find out at next auto updates perhaps!!) However the fact that it was still trying to use an AVG network filter might have had a lot to do with it. This seemed to be re initiated at updates but I removed it entirely latterly.
Installed and ran Ccleaner to check and correct registry entries. Many issues (no doubt collected over the years) but a very high number of AVG related missing Dlls references. All cleaned up.

However all now seems well and m/c performing OK and returned to neighbour, who originally thought the laptop was dead! It just goes to show that a little knowledge can be dangerous ( why were 32 bit version installed?) and had AVG not been added or not removed entirely by their software (I can only guess here as I see no reason why it should have caused problems unless the older free version had not been completely removed) and software kept up to date all the problems might not have happened.

Now stable and working well except the netgear bit. Somebody had installed the 32 bit version so deleted that and 64 bit version installed but only then found out the user did not have such a wireless dongle (?????) so the original install is a mystery!

Thanks to all again for the support and help and hope you find my experience useful to you.

closed

keeping things simple usually helps a smooth running pc, all that zonealarm/avg software can't help, windows firewall and avast free is a better combination