Can’t connect to internet

[Bobbyml]

Hi Paul

I think I found it:    RG341UA#ABA

i’m thinking it may be my IntelWi-Fi driver that I can’t update or I should say there are no updates available until you get to Windows 7. Do you think that’s the reason I can’t connect my Wi-Fi to the Internet. 
let me know if that’s the correct number.

Thanks 

Bob

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Bob:

Yes, that is the number, and this is the exact model...HP PAVILION DV9033CL NOTEBOOK PC.

The parts list is below.  It's interesting that the parts list indicates your notebook came with a Broadcom wifi card, yet you indicated there is an Intel card installed.

HP PartSurfer

No telling why it doesn't work, because with the driver I gave you and you having SP3 installed, there is no reason why it shouldn't work.

I have the same model wifi card in an old HP nc6400 notebook and it works fine on XP SP3 all the way through W10 (which it currently has installed now).

So, a couple of  things for you...the service manual...It has tidbits like the list of supported processors, memory upgrade info, etc.

HP Pavilion dv9000 and dv9200 Notebook PC: Maintenance and Service Guide

The last BIOS update HP released for your notebook...an earlier update allowed for a change in the memory upgrade specs.

With the latest BIOS update, which is cumulative, you can install 2 x 2 GB of DDR2-5300 memory in your notebook.

The service manual indicates the max is 2 x 1 GB.

Info: F.2E

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp48001-48500/sp48121.html

Exe file;

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp48001-48500/sp48121.exe

Again...if you want to update the BIOS, do it before you install W7 or newer.

[Bobbyml]

Hi Paul

Thanks for all your help and info you gave me.

The service manual link was awesome, it always helps to have that.

Looking at my network connections I have three different ones  1)wireless network connection 

Intel (R) Pro/Wireless 3945ABG   2)  1394 Connection.      1394 Net Adapter.       3) Local area connection.      intel (R) Pro/1000 PL

What is the 1394 Connection ? It says it’s connected. Is this the wifi connection you are talking about. Am I barking up the wrong tree trying  to connect to 3945 ABG?

Since you didn’t mention changing the hard drives I take it you don’t think I need to do that?

As you can probably tell I’m a novice at this stuff so please bare with me.

Thanks again 

Bob

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome, Bob.

You the wifi adapter is the Intel (R) Pro/Wireless 3945ABG , and that is the one you should try to connect with.

Did you install the updated driver for it that I posted the other day?

That was the latest one for XP.

It should be from around 2009 or 2010.

As far as hard drives go, I don't know what your needs or plans are as far as storage capacities are concerned.

I would normally recommend a solid state drive (SSD), but that model series is very old and some of the dv9000's support SSD's and some don't.  That is because most SSD's only go back to being SATA II compatible and your notebook's drive controller is SATA I.

I would have recommended this one as a boot drive, but it states backward compatible to SATA II.

pny-ssd-cs900-sell-sheet.pdf

PNY 240GB Internal SATA Solid State Drive SSD7CS900-240-RB - Best Buy

You could experiment if BBY will take returns, but I don't know of any currently sold SSD's that work with SATA I drive controllers.

I have an Intel 535 SSD in my old nc6400 notebook which has a SATA I controller like yours, and it works fine, but the Intel specs don't mention backward compatibility and they don't make this drive anymore.

Intel® SSD 535 Series (240GB, 2.5in SATA 6Gb/s, 16nm, MLC) Product Specifications

However, I did find Intel 535 180 GB SSD on eBay.  In new condition too...

*UNUSED* INTEL SSD 535 Series 180GB SSDSC2BW180H601 - FREE SHIPPING | eBay

[Bobbyml]

Hi Paul

I didn’t realize that was an update to my driver.

I’ll try that and see if it works.

Could I have something messed up in my wireless Network connection 2 properties? Also what is that 1394 connection?

Thanks Again

Bob

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Bob:

A 1394 Net Adaptor Connection is basically Win2k/XP's way of telling you that you have a Firewire interface installed in your PC.

Regarding the SSD, if you opt to buy the 180 GB Intel SSD from eBay, and 180 GB is enough storage for your needs, I would remove the second hard drive that is installed in your notebook, because all that is doing is draining battery power and introducing more heat into your notebook.

Unfortunately there is nothing more I can do to help you with the wifi, if after installing the Intel wifi driver I gave you still doesn't allow you to connect to the internet.

The wifi driver you have installed now, is probably so old that it does not support modern security protocols like WPA.

I have never in my life experienced wifi connection problems as long as the wifi adapter had the driver installed.

[Bobbyml]

Eureka !!!  Finally got it connected to my wifi.I found the Intel setup to be tricky but worked my way through it. I think it was previously using the Windows setup.

Thank for all your help !!

I take it you think I should update the Bios first , then upgrade to windows 7 , then to W10. After that, the 2 memory cards and see how it runs before I do the SSD? Or should I just do the SSD ?

Thanks Again for all your help. It's people like you that make the internet great. I hope the good guys win out over the hackers.

Thanks

Bob

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime, Bob.

Glad to have been of assistance.

Yes, update the BIOS first while on XP.

Then I would do the SSD and W10 simultaneously...in other words, clean install W7 on the new SSD.

Then do the memory upgrade, then try W10 if you want.

This would be a good quality and inexpensive memory kit.  The problem is that it ships from China.

Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) 200-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Laptop Memory Model ...

Two of these should also work and they ship from the USA.

Kingston 2GB 200-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Laptop Memory Model KVR667D2S5/2G - Newegg.com

[Bobbyml]

Hi Paul

I bought the 180GB ssd on ebay like you suggested. Also put a bid on W7 OS .

Quick question I read that if I use the 32bit w7 I

should only use 3 GB of memory  and if I use the 64bit I can use the 4 GB. Does that sound correct to you?  My current XP is the Media version it doesn’t say whether it’s 32 or 64.

Thanks for your help !!

Bob

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Bob:

Even with 4 GB of memory, your notebook is only going to be able to use about 3 GB of it, regardless of whether or not you install a 64 bit or 32 bit OS.

The memory will automatically be allocated by Windows.

About 1 GB disappears for support of various hardware components such as the graphics.

What I can tell you is that a 64 GB OS requires more memory and disk space to run than a 32 bit OS.  Not double, but more.

That is why the Microsoft system memory requirements for 64 bit OS' vs 32 bit OS' are double.

I believe you will get slightly better performance from a 32 bit OS on your machine than a 64 bit OS, but in today's day and age 64 bit OS' are much more mainstream and popular.

Your WXP is 32 bit.  They did not make a XP 64 bit Media Center version that I know of.

I think that was a good idea to buy the Intel 535.

Hopefully it will work for your notebook like it did for my nc6400.