Installing PCWA-C300S wireless lan card

[RobFox]

Hi,

I've just bought a Sony PCWA-C300S wireless ethernet card, and I can't install the drivers on my Vaio GRS515SP running Windows XP Professional SP1. The installation routine on the driver CD failed, so I tried to install the driver using the Add New Hardware wizard. This appeared to work, but the driver wouldn't work (device manager status: "This device cannot start (Code 10.)").

I uninstalled this driver, and tried downloading the latest version from www.vaio-link.com. The new one won't install at all; the wizard fails with the message "Cannot install this hardware; the hardware was not installed because the wizard cannot find the necessary software."

Can anyone help? I've tried to use e-support from www.vaio-link.com, but i can't register as my email address isn't in their database.

[mrshrek]

you most install the driver first before inserting the pcmcia card, possibly the wireless card is already installed on the pc as unknown device, so delete it under hardware profile then try reinstalling it from the cd and from the web, make sure you install the driver before inserting the card

[RobFox]

mrshrek,

Thanks for the advice. There aren't any unknown devices in my device manager. I've tried installing both versions of the software, both with the card in the computer and without it. To install the driver, I bring up the list of available drivers that come with XP, click Have Disk, browse to the Sony driver and click OK.

If the card is installed, this results in the message "Cannot install this hardware; the hardware was not installed because the wizard cannot find the necessary software." that I mentioned before. If the card isn't installed, I am taken back to the device list, which is now empty, and the Next button is greyed out so there is nothing that I can do except click Cancel.

[mrshrek]

maybe the windows data is damaged, if you cant install it, have you tried installing other pcmcia card? also it will be good idea to check windows support site, finally you can get a replacement card then try again but i doubt pc card is making the problem,

[mrshrek]

ok here is another idea,
first download the newest driver from the site then save it in desktop, ( if compressed then unzip first) then insert the pc card, when it ask for driver choose the driver you downloaded from web. this way should be no problem installing it.. have a try, that is what i did whit my netgear pc card as i did not have my cdrom at time of installing :smileygrin:

( i see you tried this one already, but try again as the driver could have been corrupted while downloading)

[RobFox]

mrshrek,

I have tried my father's Netgear wireless lan card in my computer. The driver installs perfectly, but refuses to start. I get exactly the same symptoms, the device manager status message "This device cannot start (Code 10.)".

I don't have access to any other PC Cards to conduct further tests. Do you think that there is a hardware problem with the laptop? I'll try contacting Sony's support line tomorrow.

[kee-lo_]

This might help you find a suitable solution:

http://search.microsoft.com/search/results.aspx?st=b&qu=This+device+cannot+start+(Code+10.)&view=en-...

[mrshrek]

hello, i think its possibly windows registry is damaged, it will be good idea if you reinstall the windows if you can to se eif it fix the problem otherwise have a look at microsoft support site