IBM T41 - wireless not detected after reinstallation

[gmail2]

I've just had to reinstall windows XP on my IBM ThinkPad T41 (type 2372-3HG) after being infected. After using the IBM recovery disks, the laptop is back up and working. However, the internal wireless adaptor which previously worked is now not available. It's enabled in the BIOS, but doesn't appear in Windows Device Manager. If I press FN & F5 it just says that there are no wireless or bluetooth adaptors installed.

I've checked ThinkPad Configuration in Control Panel but there's nothing here (that I can see) which could disable it. I've looked in "Drivers not installed" under TP Configuration, and this says drivers for modem are not installed (although it doesn't show up in Device Manager at all) but it can't seem to find the driver under C:\IBM Tools (although I hvaen't worked very hard on fixing this as I'm not overly concerned with this at the moment).

Apart from the modem, there is no indication what so ever of any missing devices. Can anybody explain what's going on as I'm at a complete loss

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[wahnula]

My thoughts:

Try downloading and running the wireless software for that model:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-62875

In my experience when hardware isn't recognized at all, not even a yellow!, then either there's actual hardware damage or the OS does not see the device.

The wireless card is usually quite accessible, it's a daughtercard that lives under one of those bottom panels with a little chip icon. You could also power down and re-seat the card if the driver does not help. Why it's not seen by restore or Windows is beyond me, unless there's a replacement non-standard (like Pre-N) wireless card in that slot.

You should be able to visually ID it to be an Intel, maybe run the model # at the Intel site for more current drivers.

Alternatively, you could replace the WLAN card, they're only about $30 these days for replacement internal cards:

http://www.directron.com/wm3945agm1gen.html

Best of luck!

Tony

"...an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind" - M.L. King