Cant' Detect Wireless Networks: Very Different Problem

[Steven24]

I shut down my laptop on thanksgiving day and came back later that night and logged on...and My Wifi wasn't working. It doesn't show any available networks.

- My wifi switch is in the ON position
- In the Device Manager it says that it is WORKING PROPERLY
- It shows a red x in the task bar, showing that theres no connection
-When I go to Control Panel> Network and Internet> Network and sharing Center it is completely empty, nothing is there...only 4 icons...nothing else.
- It doesn't show the wireless button in Windows Mobility center anymore
- I bought a Linksys Wireless adapter and it would not work unless i enabled the windows wireless network manager...which i can't do either.
- I uninstalled and reinstalled the Drivers from the Toshiba website
- I did a system Restore
- and a bunch of other stuff.

Nothing works.

I read in other forums that its a problem with windows 7 and bad drivers and maybe a bad windows update.

If anyone can help me, I would appreciate it very much. Thank you

 

[chev65]

When you mentioned this> -When I go to Control Panel> Network and Internet> Network and sharing Center it is completely empty, nothing is there...only 4 icons...nothing else.

That would indicate a system problem where you may have lost some system files. Have you tried doing a repair install from the Windows CD? The tutorial below shows you how.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

 

[Steven24]

When you mentioned this> -When I go to Control Panel> Network and Internet> Network and sharing Center it is completely empty, nothing is there...only 4 icons...nothing else.

That would indicate a system problem where you may have lost some system files. Have you tried doing a repair install from the Windows CD? The tutorial below shows you how.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

I don't have the CD anymore. Everything was working fine all I did was turned it off and turned it back on and It couldn't detect any networks.

I got the laptop from a friend and he sold it to me because he said the wifi didn't work, but when I turned it on it was working perfect for a week and everything was normal. I think a windows update might have messed something up...I don't know.

Here's a screen shot of my network and sharing center

 

[ImJustMatter]

I don't have the CD anymore. Everything was working fine all I did was turned it off and turned it back on and It couldn't detect any networks.

Actually, you can just create a new rec cd in windows 7. Just search for recdisc.exe in the startmenu and hit enter. This assume you have a blank dvd. If you ain't got that I think you can download an iso file from microsoft that you can "burn" to a USB drive. Just search for it a bit.

Hope this helps!

EDIT: Here is a wonderful tutorial with a lot more opportunites to make a rec dvd in win 7.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

 

[Ztruker]

That will only create a Recovery disc, not an OS installation disc. Also just noticed all you have to type is recovery to get the link to Recovery Disc. Easier to remember then recdisc.exe I think.

Steven24, what is the make and model number of the computer? If it's a large box vendor like Dell, HP, eMachines, etc then you can order the recovery DVDs from their web site. I just did this for a HP computer running Vista. Had to do this when the hard drive died.

 

[ImJustMatter]

But he won't need an entire os disc. Why isn't it enough with a recovery disc?

 

[Kari]

I would suggest to run system file checker first. Open an elevated command prompt (right click command prompt, choose Run as administrator), then type sfc /scannow to command prompt and hit Enter.

If sfc tells it found errors but couldn't fix them all, run it again.

Kari

 

[Ztruker]

ImJustMatter, you're right, sorry. I forgot that Win 7 has everything it needs for sfc on the boot drive.

 

[ImJustMatter]

ImJustMatter, you're right, sorry. I forgot that Win 7 has everything it needs for sfc on the boot drive.

Its cool

How are you doing Steven24? Did you work it out?

 

[Steven24]

That will only create a Recovery disc, not an OS installation disc. Also just noticed all you have to type is recovery to get the link to Recovery Disc. Easier to remember then recdisc.exe I think.

Steven24, what is the make and model number of the computer? If it's a large box vendor like Dell, HP, eMachines, etc then you can order the recovery DVDs from their web site. I just did this for a HP computer running Vista. Had to do this when the hard drive died.

I have a Toshiba Satellite P505-S8980
Im gonna try everything you all say....thanks so much for the help

 

[Steven24]

ImJustMatter, you're right, sorry. I forgot that Win 7 has everything it needs for sfc on the boot drive.

Its cool

How are you doing Steven24? Did you work it out?

Well I tried the sfc/ scannow and it said it couldnt repair them...i will do it twice now to see what happenes

And still no wifi guys...we have to keep on keeping on...i know we will come up with the answer

 

[Steven24]

Hi everyone I have a couple of question.

Ok, If the problem is a Windows 7 problem...how will getting a recovery Disc from Toshiba help?

And if i make a recovery Disc from my laptop now...will it actually fix the problem, since i'm making the Disc while the Wifi isn't working?

Thanks so much for all the replies once again.

 

[ImJustMatter]

And if i make a recovery Disc from my laptop now...will it actually fix the problem, since i'm making the Disc while the Wifi isn't working?

Yes. It probably will. I can't see why it wouldn't. What you do when you use the recovery cd is that you reinstall some parts of the windows 7. But off course that isn't effecting your personal files or settings.

It doesn't matter what´s working or not when you make the recovery cd, if it would, their would be no point of making it. Right?

Hope this solves your problem!

 

[Steven24]

And if i make a recovery Disc from my laptop now...will it actually fix the problem, since i'm making the Disc while the Wifi isn't working?

Yes. It probably will. I can't see why it wouldn't. What you do when you use the recovery cd is that you reinstall some parts of the windows 7. But off course that isn't effecting your personal files or settings.

It doesn't matter what´s working or not when you make the recovery cd, if it would, their would be no point of making it. Right?

Hope this solves your problem!

I thought that u were supposed to make a recovery CD when everything was in good condition (when u first get the laptop) so if anything does go wrong, then u can fix it.

Didn't seem like u could repair a missing or corrupted file with a recovery disc that was made from a system that has missing or corrupt files in it already...cause wouldn't it still be corrupt since u created the disc while it was corrupt?

 

[chev65]

And if i make a recovery Disc from my laptop now...will it actually fix the problem, since i'm making the Disc while the Wifi isn't working?

Yes. It probably will. I can't see why it wouldn't. What you do when you use the recovery cd is that you reinstall some parts of the windows 7. But off course that isn't effecting your personal files or settings.

It doesn't matter what´s working or not when you make the recovery cd, if it would, their would be no point of making it. Right?

Hope this solves your problem!

I thought that u were supposed to make a recovery CD when everything was in good condition (when u first get the laptop) so if anything does go wrong, then u can fix it.

Didn't seem like u could repair a missing or corrupted file with a recovery disc that was made from a system that has missing or corrupt files in it already...cause wouldn't it still be corrupt since u created the disc while it was corrupt?

The recovery CD doesn't work like that. It only allows a copy of your original OP system on your harddrive to be moved onto your primary partition thus replacing the messed up one on your primary partition. You aren't making a copy of the one you have now which is obviously messed up.


Most every laptop comes with a recovery CD rather than the original OP system CD, so in order to perform a recovery the recovery CD is used to move that original copy from your harddrive to your primary partition.

It would be good if you could find or borrow a copy of Win7 for this rather than having to mess with a recovery CD.

 

[Steven24]

Yes. It probably will. I can't see why it wouldn't. What you do when you use the recovery cd is that you reinstall some parts of the windows 7. But off course that isn't effecting your personal files or settings.

It doesn't matter what´s working or not when you make the recovery cd, if it would, their would be no point of making it. Right?

Hope this solves your problem!

I thought that u were supposed to make a recovery CD when everything was in good condition (when u first get the laptop) so if anything does go wrong, then u can fix it.

Didn't seem like u could repair a missing or corrupted file with a recovery disc that was made from a system that has missing or corrupt files in it already...cause wouldn't it still be corrupt since u created the disc while it was corrupt?

The recovery CD doesn't work like that. It only allows a copy of your original OP system on your harddrive to be moved onto your primary partition thus replacing the messed up one on your primary partition. You aren't making a copy of the one you have now which is obviously messed up.


Most every laptop comes with a recovery CD rather than the original OP system CD, so in order to perform a recovery the recovery CD is used to move that original copy from your harddrive to your primary partition.

It would be good if you could find or borrow a copy of Win7 for this rather than having to mess with a recovery CD.

So if I created a recovery CD from my laptop now, it would still repair my files?

 

[ImJustMatter]

So if I created a recovery CD from my laptop now, it would still repair my files?

Yes, but you have still nothing to loose even if it wouldn't.

If you don't won't to waste or don't have a cd you can use a usb memory as described in the link above.

 

[Ztruker]

Have you already made a backup of any data you don't want to lose? If not, do that now, before doing anything else.

You should also contact Toshiba and see about getting a set of recovery DVDs just in case.

You could also make an image backup of your existing system, then try the recovery DVD you create. If things don't work out, you always have the image backup you can restore to get back where you are now.

 

[fadli sheikh]

I hv just solved d problem guys.
U should go to control panel and then find ''administrative tool'' (u will find it d third from the left if ur control panel is set to the small/large icon style, not the category style). Then after entering the administrative tool, choose ''component services'' then choose ''services (local)'', then u enable the wLAN component (it is in the third line from the last if I am not mistaken, containing the word ''wireless'') may it help you, thanks