• Hi there and welcome to PC Help Forum (PCHF), a more effective way to get the Tech Support you need!
    We have Experts in all areas of Tech, including Malware Removal, Crash Fixing and BSOD's , Microsoft Windows, Computer DIY and PC Hardware, Networking, Gaming, Tablets and iPads, General and Specific Software Support and so much more.

    Why not Click Here To Sign Up and start enjoying great FREE Tech Support.

    This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Solved Trouble with win 7 not finding wireless adapter

Status
Not open for further replies.

olddude

PCHF Member
Nov 24, 2017
58
4
76
I have a Win 7 computer that run a CNC plasma table. The computer is a dell optiplex 386, 32 bit with 2 gigs ram. This machine is hardly ever hooked to the internet. The table was down for some repairs and I decided to take the computer to my house to give it some TLC, a good cleaning and and to do the normal updates. a couple of the cad programs needed to be updated and while I was at it let windows do it's update thing also.

I have a wireless DLink adapter that I use on a XP machine another Win 7 machine and also a Win 10 machine so I know the adapter is ok. Normally all I have had to do plug the device into a USB port and the computer finds and installs what it needs and then all I have to do is log on to wireless network. When I tried it with this machine it would not work. I can hard wire it straight to the wireless router and get internet but I would like use the wireless adapter because I don't want to be tied to a ethernet cable. Someone told me that my plug n play option on this computer may not be enabled. I don't know if that is true or not and if it was I can't figure out how to fix it.

My main goal was to be able to put a bunch of training videos on either an external hard drive or some USB sticks so I could have them to look at out in the shop where there is no internet. Hopefully it is something I can fix and not have to send it to a shop. Thanks for looking.....
 
Ok can we look at device manager.
  • Click the Start button located on the far left of the Taskbar.
  • Right-click Computer.
  • Left-click Properties.
  • Device Manager will display in the menu. Click Device Manager.
Go down to networks and click to expand does the device show in networks.
Please take a pic and post.
  1. Open Snipping Tool. Press Esc and then open the menu you would like to capture.
  2. Press Ctrl+Print Scrn.
  3. Click on the arrow next to New and select Free-form, Rectangular, Window or Full-screen.
  4. Take a snip of the menu.
 
Ok can we look at device manager.
  • Click the Start button located on the far left of the Taskbar.
  • Right-click Computer.
  • Left-click Properties.
  • Device Manager will display in the menu. Click Device Manager.
Go down to networks and click to expand does the device show in networks.
Please take a pic and post.
  1. Open Snipping Tool. Press Esc and then open the menu you would like to capture.
  2. Press Ctrl+Print Scrn.
  3. Click on the arrow next to New and select Free-form, Rectangular, Window or Full-screen.
  4. Take a snip of the menu.
Thanks but I've about given up on trying to put this computer back on line. I've read a bunch of post today and spent about 6 hours trying to get all of the recent updates that were downloaded once I finally got on line. This computer runs a CNC plasma table and the program 'Mach 3', that drives the table does not like the latest updates or better, the latest updates does not like Mach 3. Mach 3 was working just before Christmas and I forgot to shut the computer off and I also left the ethernet plugged in and over night several more updates downloaded themselves witch made the computer useless. When I would try to start Mach 3 it would cause the computer to reboot. After pecking around on the net I found out this is a common problem with computers that have Mach 3 on them. Windows security does not like this program to take control of the system and all sorts of weird stuff happens. They say you should not even run any anti-virus programs and they say never ever hook up to the net especially with a wireless adapter.

I spent the day trying to figure out how to uninstall these latest updates. I never did uninstall several of them but I finally did remove one of them that I hope was causing the problem. At least I was able to start Mach 3 without it shuting the machine down But I won't know for sure until I can take it back to the shop and hook it up to the controller and see what happens.

I guess I need to do some searching about how to properly uninstall updates and also how to reset the computer back to an earlier date and how to set restore points. I won't be trying to get back on the internet with this machine and will have to figure out another way to get my training videos out there for reference. Thanks
 
System restore should be made by windows before it installs updates.
Close any open software windows. Click Start ( ), click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click System Restore. The Restore system files and settings window opens. Select Choose a different restore point, and then click Next.
 
System restore should be made by windows before it installs updates.
Close any open software windows. Click Start ( ), click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click System Restore. The Restore system files and settings window opens. Select Choose a different restore point, and then click Next.
When I tried that there was only one restore point in the box and it was dated 1/1/2022. I did get three updates at 3 AM on that date. I went ahead and clicked restore and shortly a box popped up saying something to the effect that it had failed and nothing was changed on this computer. When I rebooted another box popped up saying the computer was restored successfully so I don't know what to think with that.

The last time this computer was connected to the internet was some time in 2018 and I can see what updates that were installed to that point. Looking at the installed updates in control panel I could see that there were 5 new updates that were installed from 12/18/2021 to 12/24/2021. Then on 1/1/2022 at 3 AM three more updates hit and the next day I noticed that something was wrong. I spent the day trying to uninstall them and had a heck of a time trying to uninstall them. I would uninstall them but on reboot they would reinstall themselves even with the computer off line. The last three updates still show up in the installed updates box but I noticed that after 4 or 5 times trying to uninstall them, now when you click on them the uninstall button does not pop up anymore. I did manage to get all of the rest of the new updates uninstalled and they no longer show up in the installed update box. It was one of these updates that was causing the problem because once I got rid of that one Mach 3 would load without shutting the machine down.

I'll wait for your next response before I address the next thing on my list.
 
Some things to think on.

Will the machime run off one of the other systems?

Have you tried combatality moded?

Why not just hook the maching to the computer?

Is there a patch or update out for the CNC software that may help?

Run the repair and or reinstall the CNC software?
 
Some things to think on.

Will the machime run off one of the other systems?

Have you tried combatality moded?

Why not just hook the maching to the computer?

Is there a patch or update out for the CNC software that may help?

Run the repair and or reinstall the CNC software?
From what I have read people have had the best luck running XP SP1 AS Mach 3 basically takes control of the computer. Win 7 works good if you never let it download updates or connect it to the net. They came out with a patch that will allow it to run on Win 10 but it still is buggy. I'll have to check what version of Mac 3 I am running to see if it is the best for my operation. Like I said I never had any problems before I decided to get on line to do some updates on my two CAD programs and to try and get some of the utube self help videos downloaded so I could have them out in the shop. That became another whole bag of troubles all in itself. I never did figure out how to get that done.

I guess I'll ask this now as I may have screwed up somewhere else. When I was trying to uninstall these latest updates the first line I saw with a new date marking was one of the Microsoft Net Framework 4.6.1 lines. There were 4 different lines or updates listed and now there is only 3. Is that something I should worry about?
 
Updates will reload when you are offline as they are on your computer.
  1. Step 1: Uninstall the offending update. Open the Control Panel and (in small or large icons view) select Windows Update. ...
  2. Step 2: Check for updates again to locate (but not reinstall) the offending update. ...
  3. Step 3: Hide the update.
Also when you checked for roll back of system restore and there is only one restore point down the bottom of the box is a small tick box for show more restore points.
 
From what I have read people have had the best luck running XP SP1 AS Mach 3 basically takes control of the computer. Win 7 works good if you never let it download updates or connect it to the net
I have never let updates run on my computers until windows10/11 which do not turn off updates.

1) Do you still have the software for Mach 3 and the cad programs.
2) Is the dongle working now you have uninstalled some updates.
3) When you ran the driver did it put a D-Link program on the computer to control the wifi (D_Link used to do this all the time.
4) Did you check in device manager that it is using the D-Link driver and not a windows driver
  • Click the Start button located on the far left of the Taskbar.
  • Right-click Computer.
  • Left-click Properties.
  • Device Manager will display in the menu. Click Device Manager.
  • Click the arrow next to Network adapters
  • Right click on the wifi dongle
  • Click on propertities
  • Click on driver tab and check it is the dlink driver
get some of the utube self help videos downloaded so I could have them out in the shop. That became another whole bag of troubles all in itself. I never did figure out how to get that done.
I do not think it is against site rules for us to show you how to do this as they are instruction video's for equipment you have purchased.
I will ask an Admin.
If we get this all working again then the next thing to do is a BACKUP - one that is called a bare bones backup.
 
I have never let updates run on my computers until windows10/11 which do not turn off updates.

1) Do you still have the software for Mach 3 and the cad programs.
2) Is the dongle working now you have uninstalled some updates.
3) When you ran the driver did it put a D-Link program on the computer to control the wifi (D_Link used to do this all the time.
4) Did you check in device manager that it is using the D-Link driver and not a windows driver
  • Click the Start button located on the far left of the Taskbar.
  • Right-click Computer.
  • Left-click Properties.
  • Device Manager will display in the menu. Click Device Manager.
  • Click the arrow next to Network adapters
  • Right click on the wifi dongle
  • Click on propertities
  • Click on driver tab and check it is the dlink driver

I do not think it is against site rules for us to show you how to do this as they are instruction video's for equipment you have purchased.
I will ask an Admin.
If we get this all working again then the next thing to do is a BACKUP - one that is called a bare bones backup.
1) No all of the programs were loaded on the computer when I got it.

2) As far as I know I really won't know for sure until I get it hooked up to the table controller but it will start the program now without crashing the computer.

3) It would show up but when I tried to use it I got a messages Network authentication and password needed. I tried for a day to get by that one but never did. Also after I downloaded the driver I started getting error messages (The procedure entry point ApsSearch interface could not be located in the dynamic Linl Library Wlanap.dll. I researched that one an from what I got out of it that the DLink drivers I downloaded were corrupted so I uninstalled them. The only thing I needed wireless for was so I could get that computer up to my office where my other computer was because it was a pain to keep going up and down stairs between computers. With the computer hooked straight to the cable box by eithernet cable I could get on line ok

4) Not sure, I do remember it was listed in the control panel where you uninstall programs because that is where I finally uninstalled the DLink drivers/program.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Click the Start button located on the far left of the Taskbar.
  • Right-click Computer.
  • Left-click Properties.
  • Device Manager will display in the menu. Click Device Manager.
  • Click the arrow next to Network adapters
  • Right click on the wifi dongle
  • Click on propertities
  • Click on driver tab and check it is the dlink driver
Also when you checked for roll back of system restore and there is only one restore point down the bottom of the box is a small tick box for show more restore points.
 
I'm not sure if you are asking me to do this again. But, since I have uninstalled the DLink driver/program I don't think it will show up in device manager.
There are only two restore points that I can find. One that was done when those last updates were done that crashed the computer dated 1/1//2022 and there is one dated 1/2/2022. I'm thinking the one (1/2/2022) is where I tried to restore the computer. I guess that would mean that it was successful after all.
 
I could do that but I'm afraid to open that can of worms again. I thought I had posted earlier that I had given up on the idea of going the wireless route. I can get internet through my eithernet connection so that I can update a couple of my CAD prograns and also my Mach3 program. I've been trying to get up with the vendor who I got the table from to find out what updates might be needed. Once that it is done I can take it to the shop and see what I end up with.

I'm still wondering what you came up with about the u-tube download thing.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.