Ethernet Controller Missing Please Help - Compaq  

Gor,

After delving into several areas of the HP website (plus some other very reliable sources like computersurgeons.com,) I basically concluded that your controller is NOT Win7-compatible.

Basically, when a driver (ethernet for example) is in the form of a text document (.inf, .sys, etc.,) typically you can count 10 lines down from the top (after opening it) and changing the coding. (example: realtek = value of 8187 is now 8197 for vista compatibility. However, the specific driver you need only comes in a Windows Installer-based module. It's considered firmware; bottom-line, it's impossibe from a consumer standpoint to force "forwards-compatibility" before they're ready to provide it.

In one specific area of HP.com, they actually (laughably) said to use Windows/MicrosoftUpdate.

It's definately recommended that, since you went through the trouble to reformat, that you get a second opinion, but I will definitely put my money on the fact that this specific controller is designed for an XP platfom. (Also, FYI, Vista compatibility just became available recently...)

Your last option could be to contact tech support directly or find a way to get ahold of them withOUT paying their outrageous service fees. Here's one place to start: HP Support & Drivers

Also, a secondary option would be to download HP's proprietary diagnostics utility for your hardware. Google (with quotes) "HP Hardware Diagnostic Tool"; It should, at worst, run as an ActiveX browser plugin. It'll detect issues off the bat. Unfortunately, you'll of course, have to save it to a flash drive or something from another PC.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Erik
OceanicAirlines

OceanicAirlines said:

Gor,

After delving into several areas of the HP website (plus some other very reliable sources like computersurgeons.com,) I basically concluded that your controller is NOT Win7-compatible.

Basically, when a driver (ethernet for example) is in the form of a text document (.inf, .sys, etc.,) typically you can count 10 lines down from the top (after opening it) and changing the coding. (example: realtek = value of 8187 is now 8197 for vista compatibility. However, the specific driver you need only comes in a Windows Installer-based module. It's considered firmware; bottom-line, it's impossibe from a consumer standpoint to force "forwards-compatibility" before they're ready to provide it.

In one specific area of HP.com, they actually (laughably) said to use Windows/MicrosoftUpdate.

It's definately recommended that, since you went through the trouble to reformat, that you get a second opinion, but I will definitely put my money on the fact that this specific controller is designed for an XP platfom. (Also, FYI, Vista compatibility just became available recently...)

Your last option could be to contact tech support directly or find a way to get ahold of them withOUT paying their outrageous service fees. Here's one place to start: HP Support & Drivers

Also, a secondary option would be to download HP's proprietary diagnostics utility for your hardware. Google (with quotes) "HP Hardware Diagnostic Tool"; It should, at worst, run as an ActiveX browser plugin. It'll detect issues off the bat. Unfortunately, you'll of course, have to save it to a flash drive or something from another PC.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Erik
OceanicAirlines

Thank you very much! I guess my PC is old.

Also when I searched for a driver for you device Realteck sent me to this download page

Realtek

That has a Vista driver for the 81 series? May try it who knows


Oh just noticed that page actually has a Win 7 driver listed

I got this working by enabling the onboard lan controller funny i tried it when i first installed ultimate 7 but didnt work few weeks later it worked thankfully i have a extra usb etherney hub that I was using always handy to have if your ethernet port or card goes down as a backup. Cheap and easy to install no software.

So, has this been resolved?

Boast... (Sorry if I got half the screen name / tired here,) awesome approach by going to Realtek.

I've had a hard time with their drivers & downloads area over the years (the realtek.com.tw area,) with the famous 3 mirror DL links, etc., always have a hard time getting the one I need!

Everything from your basic AC'97 Audio Driver to the elusive Realtek 8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC is there, but the cooperation of their website/server is fickle, or at least that's what I've gotten every time! Hopefully it worked.

I love the BIOS/CMOS idea... I'd have never even thought to enable the on-board support, or whatever the proper term was for that. It sounds like AMI BIOS. Personally, that's something I wish we could get more whitepapers on, as overclocking (forget that, just optimization without 3rd party software,) starts at CMOS.

Good thread, guys. I certainly learned a lot. So, is this resolved for the initial poster?

With appreciation,
OceanicAirlines

unreal2011 said:

I got this working by enabling the onboard lan controller funny i tried it when i first installed ultimate 7 but didnt work few weeks later it worked thankfully i have a extra usb etherney hub that I was using always handy to have if your ethernet port or card goes down as a backup. Cheap and easy to install no software.

What mobo are you running on and what BIOS, if I may ask?

Also, is it x64?

I'm only a few months into Windows 7, but I gotta say... x64 is very uncooperative. It's Home Premium and it's OEM Dell, so that probably has a thing or two to do with it.

Ultimate x64 is outrageously priced. I refuse to buy an "upgrade" or anything in download-only form; but, to get a true blue OEM CD, it's way out there. (Even through a wholesaler.) (!!!)