Cable Forum - View Single Post - Mostly good news, W2K laptop out in the cold: anyone connected W2K via ethernet?

windbag · 15-05-2011, 11:56

Thanks, Zing & Kymmy.

I'm a little hesitant applying the "sp5" (which seems to be a collection of hotfixes, not a real sp) for two reasons:
1) it keeps warning you not to apply them unless you have "that specific problem", and the language for most of the problems is pretty opaque, and that error isn't among them
2) the lack of "undo" if it goes horribly wrong. Yes, I know I can back up the system, but the consequences of the backup not restoring are too big for this laptop (especially feeding everything through existing USB1.1 ports).

Thanks for the hotfix rollup link, though.
I have now got that ready on a USB stick, but I'd already got another "version", and it's not clear which version I should throw at it. I was hoping that being able to connect directly via ethernet would enable the Windows system interrogation software to help specify it, but no-one's giving advice with how on earth to do that.

Thanks also, dave6x.

You've got a good point; there are two differences on the old laptop, it is W2k AND only has USB1.1 ports. The others have USB2 PCMCIA cards, and the WiFi adapter instructions do say "plug into a USB2 port". I was hoping that a USB 1 would do (I thought USB2 stuff was supposed to be backwards compatible, albeit at slow speeds) - so it COULD be that.

So, I'll start by getting a PCMCIA USB card for the W2k and see if hat sorts the problem - if it works, it would also upgrade connection speed, which was rather the point of getting Virgin broadband!

I'll come back here when I've got that installed.

Still like to know how to get a direct ethernet connection into the router on the W2k, though.

15-05-2011, 11:56	#7
windbag Inactive Join Date: May 2011 Location: Loughborough-UK Midlands Services: Virgin 10M Broadband Posts: 13	Re: Mostly good news, W2K laptop out in the cold: anyone connected W2K via ethernet? Thanks, Zing & Kymmy. I'm a little hesitant applying the "sp5" (which seems to be a collection of hotfixes, not a real sp) for two reasons: 1) it keeps warning you not to apply them unless you have "that specific problem", and the language for most of the problems is pretty opaque, and that error isn't among them 2) the lack of "undo" if it goes horribly wrong. Yes, I know I can back up the system, but the consequences of the backup not restoring are too big for this laptop (especially feeding everything through existing USB1.1 ports). Thanks for the hotfix rollup link, though. I have now got that ready on a USB stick, but I'd already got another "version", and it's not clear which version I should throw at it. I was hoping that being able to connect directly via ethernet would enable the Windows system interrogation software to help specify it, but no-one's giving advice with how on earth to do that. Thanks also, dave6x. You've got a good point; there are two differences on the old laptop, it is W2k AND only has USB1.1 ports. The others have USB2 PCMCIA cards, and the WiFi adapter instructions do say "plug into a USB2 port". I was hoping that a USB 1 would do (I thought USB2 stuff was supposed to be backwards compatible, albeit at slow speeds) - so it COULD be that. So, I'll start by getting a PCMCIA USB card for the W2k and see if hat sorts the problem - if it works, it would also upgrade connection speed, which was rather the point of getting Virgin broadband! I'll come back here when I've got that installed. Still like to know how to get a direct ethernet connection into the router on the W2k, though.