I disconnected my pc from the mains, now I can't get wireless Internet connection.
Dunnroamin
Posts: 2,437 Forum Member
✭✭✭
My Desktop pc, using XP SP3, started making a beep beep sound, and started switching off after a couple of seconds before, finally, failing to switch on altogether.I thought it was possibly a "latch on" relay that keeps the computer switched on. I figured this was probably powered by a battery so, before digging around inside the casework, I unplugged it from the mains. Having replaced the lithium "button" battery, I reconnected the power lead and switched on. The pc booted up alright, but I had lost all wireless connection, so can't access the Internet. Before the problem occurred my EE wireless connections were listed along with their respective signal strengths, but now NVIDIA HIGH SPEED...... I can't seem to find anything that allows me to establish a wireless connection. Using my laptop, I put the question to Ask Jeeves - "How connect XP to the router wirelessly" - the answer showed the various steps and boxes to tick to set up a wireless connection, unfortunately,I didn't get any boxes on my screen that were the same as Ask....I tried System Restore but without success. Can anyone advise what steps I need to take to input the info on the EE router, please.
PS. On a totally different subject - Has DS changed its format or appearance, or have I somehow changed the settings. For example, once I could have made part of my post bold, or shown in italics, now, as I type this, there is no provision for me to do this, and instead of "Submit", I have to "Create Post"
PS. On a totally different subject - Has DS changed its format or appearance, or have I somehow changed the settings. For example, once I could have made part of my post bold, or shown in italics, now, as I type this, there is no provision for me to do this, and instead of "Submit", I have to "Create Post"
0
Comments
So the wireless card (in the PC) is faulty.
Alternatively you have disturbed a cable inside the PC in some way.
Remove the car from the computer and reinstall it again
The driver will be reinstalled
Then trouble shoot within Windows if still no connection, maybe that will do it.
It doesn't say in the OP if the Wireless adapter is USB or PCI (even PCI-E). Either way a BIOS setting could be responsible. A little input from the OP might go a long way.
The Nvidia High Speed adapter is the LAN socket and probably the only network device being detected.
IRQ/PnP conflicts or USB settings may prevent the adapter from being detected. Or if there is a riser card the slot might not be enabled due to IRQ slot sharing. Alternatively, if something has been disturbed, then an internal card could also be loose, an external device might have the aerial grounding somewhere on the case.
But I agree that the BIOS is a good place to look, sounds very likely actually since the "beeps" were probably a BIOS mismatch after the CR2032 battery died.
BIOS resets to default = no wifi?
Don't use WPS, it's insecure.
https://scotthelme.co.uk/wifi-insecurity-wps/
It's insecure if your neighbour has the right software and 2 months to spare
Having a car in your computer would certainly cause it to cease functioning, so it's definitely a good idea to remove it. I wouldn't re-install it or its driver though, not if he can't keep his car out of a pc. He'll probably get a ban anyway.
Thanks that made me laugh ;-)
You did not read far enough. Shame.
Ah, yes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_Protected_Setup#Brute-force_attack
Not implemented in all firmwares or on all routers. Some don't even turn WPS off when you think you have.
Agree to disagree? Or it could get way OT.
I would say you were almost bang on the nail in your diagnosis. I have now solved the problem (well, almost), it was what I guess you call a wireless card, although it more resembles a USB storage stick with a very tiny reset button on the side. I'm guessing that when I originally unplugged the mains supply before removing the battery, the stick switched off and needed resetting. Once I had done that, the rest was easy.
However, I still have the bleeping, and the computer still keeps switching off after a couple of seconds, but pressing the ON button each time it shuts off eventually gets the computer going again.
If it's not the button battery (I substituted the original for another well used one) then I'm at a loss. The regular beep beep beep probably does indicate a fault condition, the question is: where?
Thanks to you and all who kindly responded to my op. D
I'm also assuming, unless your MB is jumperless, you reset the CMOS jumper pins.
I've not knowingly changed anything. Every setting is the same as before the machine started switching off automatically (that's the fault condition I mentioned). All I did was to remove the coin shaped lithium battery and replace it with one from another redundant pc. Today (15 Oct), the computer is failing to remain switched on for more than a couple of seconds. When I push the ON button a couple of times, I manage to get it started, with the sound of a fan whirring but, after a few seconds, with yellow lights on the disc drive trays flashing, it goes dead. There is a small button just above the On button with a symbol that looks like a bow tie or butterfly, which I assume may be a reset button. Holding this in whilst switching on, initially seemed to keep things going for a bit longer (30 secs or so), but now, even that doesn't do the trick.
The coin cell battery you removed is power back-up for the BIOS in the computer. This is the bit that boots up the machine when you turn it on and also tells Windows what hardware the machine has on board. If the battery is dead or removed the BIOS may reset to some default state or even become corrupted.
When you power up the machine you should see a simple text screen perhaps with a manufacturers logo before Windows begins to load. If you get this screen look for a line saying something like "Press Del for setup" It may say some other key such as F2. Press whatever key is shown while that screen is displayed and you should get into the BIOS screen.
Look for an option to "Reset to Default" or "Load Default settings" and select that. This should load a set of basic settings that should be sufficient to operate the machine normally. If the BIOS had become corrupt, preventing the machine booting normally, it should also sort that out. Just follow any on screen prompts to apply the settings.
Don't make any other changes or at least if you do do not choose the option to save any changes. Usually pressing the Esc key gets you out, though it may show an alternative along the bottom of the screen to exit the BIOS set-up. Again exit without saving if you didn't manage to do a reset.
If you can't even get into the BIOS or you never even see the boot up text screen before the machine dies then you might have a faulty power supply. Or there is some fault with the motherboard. When you took the lid off you may have disturbed something that is now making it fail to boot.