First NIC installation...is this normal?

dial_up_dude · Post by **dial_up_dude** » Wed Dec 12, 2001 4:24 pm

Okay, I'm new to networking, so take it easy on me...

I'm preparing for cable service, and just installed a Linksys NIC I've had lying around. Now, when I boot up Win98, it sits for ~2 minutes when loading one of the drivers for the NIC (???.vxd).

I assume its looking for a network. If I remove the card, windows boots up like normal. Reinstall the card, and I have to wait.

Is this normal?

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Wed Dec 12, 2001 6:21 pm

One thing that slows Windows up when you install a NIC, is since TCP/IP it set to obtain an IP address automatically, half way booting up, it will sit and yell out "Hey, I need an IP address, any DHCP servers out there?" It sits and waits for about 30 seconds....if it doesn't get assigned one, it will assign itself a 169.xxx.xxx.xxx address.

So, if you aren't getting DSL or a router inplace anytime soon to do the IP assigning, and you can't stand the longer bootups, disable the NIC for the time being in Device Manager, or assign it an IP address like 192.168.1.11 with 255.255.255.0 subnet....just change that back to "auto" when the time comes for DSL.

I'm not sure what you're talking about "loading one of the drivers".

eddiec · Post by **eddiec** » Wed Dec 12, 2001 9:42 pm

Try this in regedit. HKEY_LOCALMACHINE>System>CurrentControlSet>Services>WinSock2
Highlight WinSock2 and delete it. Then go to Network Neighborhood and delete Clients, Protocols and Adapters. Click OK and reboot. Plug and Pray should pick up your ethernet card and install the network anew. Use your Win98 disc if prompted just to be sure all files go in clean, rather than from the Windows\system directory.

dial_up_dude · Post by **dial_up_dude** » Thu Dec 13, 2001 9:23 am

Thanks guys...that makes sense. I'll just disable it for now.

Syclone_A · Post by **Syclone_A** » Sat Dec 15, 2001 10:30 am

hey yosc do network adapters really talk? lol! j/k