Unable to connect to network

ShadowThomas

I just did a repair install of windows xp on my desktop and after that was completed I was unable to connect to a network. I went to the device manager and every network device has "Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device (Code 31)" error.

I've tried reinstalling the drivers, reinstalling the motherboard/chipset drivers and finally doing another repair install and the problem persists.

I just went out and bought a pci network card and after installing that it also gets the Code 31 error.

So does anyone have any ideas of how to fix this?

The OS is Windows XP Home SP3 and i'm running it on a rampage formula motherboard.

spool32

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310123

Code 31
This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)
Recommended resolution

Update the driver

You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. Windows may have the driver built-in, or may still have the driver files installed from the last time that you set up the device. However, sometimes, it will open the New Hardware Wizard which may ask for the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s Web site.

In the device Properties dialog box, click the Driver tab, and then click Update Driver to start the Hardware Update Wizard. Follow the instructions to update the driver.

If you see this status associated with a Microsoft 6to4 Adapter on a computer running Windows Vista in a home environment, you may be able to uninstall the 6to4 adapter to resolve the problem. To uninstall the 6to4 adapter, right-click it and click Uninstall. After you uninstall the 6to4 adapter (or if the problem is not associated with the Microsoft 6to4 adapter), it may also be helpful to run an automated troubleshooting service from the Microsoft Support Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=192795).

If your computer is part of a business network, consult your network administrator for the most appropriate action. There may be company tested drivers for your computer or there may be other considerations before you disable any IPv6 components.

Hope that helps... might not! But it might.

twmjr

Where did you get the drivers from when you reinstalled them? I'd suggest using another computer to get the latest drivers from the network card manufacturer's website and try with those.

Alternatively, have you tried removing the hardware from within device manager and rebooting? No idea if it will do anything, but it can't hurt to try.

AtomBomb

What prompted you to do the repair install?

Glirk Dient

It sounds like faulty drivers. Try to google your mobo and download them from the internet on another computer. If you go into device manager look at the devices with a ? mark. Those are devices with no driver. Install them. It sounds like perhaps the motherboards LAN isn't installed if you installed the other card. Just keep trying drivers and get those ? to dissapear.

ShadowThomas

A little update: Before I went to bed I connected a USB wireless adapter to see if I was able to connect through that and I was. So when I get back from work i'll see if getting Windows Updated corrects this issue.

AtomBomb wrote: »

What prompted you to do the repair install?

Windows was becoming very unstable and I was getting BSODs frequently. Eventually it refused to load unless I disconnected every SATA drive. So I did the repair install to see if that would fix the problem. That problem appears to be fixed, but now I have this new one.

spool32 wrote: »

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310123

Code 31
This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)
Recommended resolution

Update the driver

You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. Windows may have the driver built-in, or may still have the driver files installed from the last time that you set up the device. However, sometimes, it will open the New Hardware Wizard which may ask for the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s Web site.

In the device Properties dialog box, click the Driver tab, and then click Update Driver to start the Hardware Update Wizard. Follow the instructions to update the driver.

If you see this status associated with a Microsoft 6to4 Adapter on a computer running Windows Vista in a home environment, you may be able to uninstall the 6to4 adapter to resolve the problem. To uninstall the 6to4 adapter, right-click it and click Uninstall. After you uninstall the 6to4 adapter (or if the problem is not associated with the Microsoft 6to4 adapter), it may also be helpful to run an automated troubleshooting service from the Microsoft Support Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=192795).

If your computer is part of a business network, consult your network administrator for the most appropriate action. There may be company tested drivers for your computer or there may be other considerations before you disable any IPv6 components.

Hope that helps... might not! But it might.

I saw that when I was googling earlier. I'm running XP so I wasn't sure if that affects me, I also only have the Code 31 on the network adapters but, i'll see if uninstalling that fixes it.

Glirk Dient wrote: »

It sounds like faulty drivers. Try to google your mobo and download them from the internet on another computer. If you go into device manager look at the devices with a ? mark. Those are devices with no driver. Install them. It sounds like perhaps the motherboards LAN isn't installed if you installed the other card. Just keep trying drivers and get those ? to dissapear.

twmjr wrote: »

Where did you get the drivers from when you reinstalled them? I'd suggest using another computer to get the latest drivers from the network card manufacturer's website and try with those.

Alternatively, have you tried removing the hardware from within device manager and rebooting? No idea if it will do anything, but it can't hurt to try.

I've used the most recent drivers available and the ones that came with the devices and those unfortunately didn't work.

And trying to uninstall them fails with a "This device is vital to start up" type error.

twmjr

Have you tried doing any of this from safe mode?

ShadowThomas

Yep same results from Safe Mode.

Updating windows did not help, but I tried using the Add Hardware wizard rather than the driver install programs and it fails but says "Cannot find the file specified". So my guess is that the programs weren't actually installing the drivers, but thought they did.

One of the solutions that I haven't tried yet involves removing the registry's references to the devices, so i'll probably try that next.

uean

You're honestly better off backing your data up and doing a rebuild. Repair installs are poochy, and if you were having issues like you describe trying to half-ass your way out of it isn't a great idea.

Backup your data to an external drive, reinstall the OS, apply all updates, get fresh drivers, and be happy.

ShadowThomas

That's what I ended up doing and that fixed it.

I was trying to avoid doing that so I wouldn't have to reinstall everything, but this was long overdue so I needed to do it anyway.

Thanks for the help everyone.