Can someone help, my NIC is causing my computer to lock up?

Question

I'm working on a friend's older desktop with PCI NIC, video card and a USB card. It's an older computer and my friend has never used the NIC. When he does plug the network cable in it establishes a connection (attempts to obtain an IP address through DHCP) but then errors saying "network cable unplugged". It cycles through this a few times and then the computer completely freezes. I've tried updating the NIC driver, switching cards in slots and assigning a static IP, all with no luck

Any thoughts as to a solution are appreciated.

Answer 1

Actually, all of the answers are off base (and a couple of them are completely laughable). The problem is "network cable unplugged"....this has nothing to do with adware, viruses, etc. It means that your OS can't "see" your nic card, so it thinks it is unplugged. The most common cause is your NIC card is probably having an IRQ conflict (however, updating your drivers for the NIC card would be a good step also) with another card on the system. You need to go to your control panel, select system, go to hardware devices....highlight the nic card, and choose properties. Then in the properties, you can manually set the IRQ to a different one (make sure it's not set to the same on as the video card - they are usually 9 or 11).



That will more than likely solve your problem.



There was one good suggestion by a previous poster though...the first step in troubleshooting would be to install a NIC card that you know works. If that NIC card works in your system, then either your nic card went bad or you are having a driver problem or IRQ conflict problem.

Answer 2

Make sure the NIC is compatable with the motherboard/CPU. After you decide it is, Run a virus scan. Sometimes they can get into the spots that they see you dont use a lot. Another thing would be, attempt a sepereate NIC card. IF Dynamic IP wont work, don't count on Static, unless it's PPPoE.

Answer 3

id say do a virus scan, adware scan, and most importantly a Defrag. With older computers, little programs and files that do 1 little job within a program (such as internet or shutting down) may either get corrupted or misplaced. A defrag will somewhat "put the puzzle back together" and not have everything so messy within the millions of lines of code all the programs are running on. Also, what is the OS the computer is using. Certain modems and stuff are now only supporting windows XP. good luck

Answer 4

Check from your ISP if your system is coming online. This will determine that your NIC is fine and the problem is somewhere in the OS.

Else, test the cable connection with another system to determine if there is no problem with the connection itself. Then start troubleshooting from your own system first by reinstalling the OS.

Answer 5

there is often the "thaw" button for the frozen laptop situation. thats what i do whilst my laptop freezes,, no heavily you may ensure you have all the homestead windows updates and then power cycle each and every thing. secure mode could help. please submit the result - i dont think of its your d-link yet you may unplug for the time of boot as much as envision. WAIT ::administrator debts could continuously have a password or you're open to assaults.

Answer 6

It sounds to me that you have a bad network card. Try a different one, even if its new it can still be bad.

email if more help needed