Windows 7: Wireless device not showing on Device Manager

Hello there. I have an HP dv9700 notebook, which about an year ago began having serious screen problems. It went black and nothing made it come back, even though Windows still booted (sounds came up and everything).

After almost an year repairing, and 3 Intel motherboards later, the technician found out the problem was on the dedicated graphics card memory, and put an AMD motherboard on my notebook which didn't have dedicated graphics memory anymore.

So now my notebook is recognized by HP automatic product detection as a dv9010us one. Plus, my graphics card is now shown as a GeForce Go 6150 (I bought it as a GeForce 6800 GS).

Since then the PC has been working flawlessly, except for now. Last night I was using the notebook, turned it off and went to sleep. Now I turned it on once again it simply can't detect the wireless device. It's like it doesn't exists!

I never changed the position of the notebook or anything to say the card moved or something internally. I check the Device Manager and there's no sign of the 802.11 adapter. It only shows the local ethernet adapter (wired connection working flawlessly as I'm writing right now from it) and bluetooth adapter. And yes, the light on the wireless switch on my notebook is blue (which means turned on). I tried putting it to off (orange) and then on again (blue), but it doesn't works. All that happens is that windows "disconnected" sound (like when you remove an USB device) when I turn it off.

I have tried downloading the drivers from HP support webpage, but it also doesn't work. Not even automatic hardware detection detects it. I have no idea what to do.

Please please someone give me an useful tip for this one.

Thanks!!!!

Weird one. Could u try a system restore to a previous good working state? Given all that you've done -- correctly -- I wonder if the internal wireless card is simply kaput? Could you perhaps purchase a usb wireless dongle such as:
http://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7718...3328140&sr=1-3

I'll try the system restore, although I'm not really on high hopes with that one.

I could buy one of those indeed, but not only they're very expensive here in Brazil, but it wouldn't be the best solution around if I DO have an onboard wireless card on my notebook, right?!

Fair enough

It was too late for System Restore, as the last restore point available was already before the problem happened.

I have opened up the WLAN compartment on the back of my notebook and it seems OK,as it~s well placed and the cables are also plugged in.

Please, any help will be appreciated. Thanks!