Device Manager window appears and disappears repeatedly.

[wumply]

Hi:

Here are the details!


First, my computer is working normally as far as surfing the net, writing emails, downloading stuff, using my printers and scanner, ICQ,. Sounds, cameras work normally.

I have XP by the way and broadband. And a 100 NIC card and my own modem.

But In Device Manager recently I noticed the following entry:

Network Adapters:
Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC.
WAN Miniport Network Monitor.

Next to the WAN Miniport line was a Yellow circle with a ! in it. OK, what was happening was this: the list of devices would be on the monitor and suddenly they would vanish (except for the very first entry), only to immediately reappear. This sequence repeats itself every 10-20 seconds.

So I double clicked the WAN Miniport entry and up comes the WAN Miniport Network Monitor Properties window, General Tab. A message said: "This device is not working properly as Windows can't load drivers--Code 31. Click the Troubleshoot button." I do that and get taken to XP's Help and Support page. That says "uninstall and reinstall your device" and it gives me precise detailed steps for both procedures. (But I fear WAN Miniport is not a device!!!) Re reinstalling, I get told to use the Add Hardware Wizard.

So I click the Drivers tab and click the Details button. There are 3 other buttons btw: Update, Rollback and Uninstall. The drivers tab lists 2 drivers which are:

C;\Windows\System32DRIVERS\ndistapi.sys
C;\Windows\System32DRIVERS\ndiswan.sys

I tried 3 System Restore Rollbacks but none of them corrected the problem. While I CAN access the windows/menus that result from clicking on Device Manager entries and while I can surely use my computer, I would like to get the entries to stop disappearing and reappearing.

Questions:

1. Am I correct that trying to uninstall and reinstall a non-physical device is inappropriate?

2. Is deleting the driver with the letters "wan" in it the way to go...and then insert my XP disk and reinstall XP? I mean that driver must be on the disk as XP was installed by the dealer from that CD when I bought this computer. Should I uninstall BOTH drivers, do you think?

3. This reinstall of XP--that should automatically reinstall the driver(s), right?

4. Or how would you advise me to proceed?

5. By the way, what IS the WAN Miniport Network adapter?


John

[Big Booger]

What I would do is:
Download the latest drivers for your card:

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/...&Software=True
They were recently updated.
Description Version Update Time File Size FTP(TW) FTP
(CN) FTP
(HK)
Auto installation program(support Win95/Win98/WinME/Win2K/WinXP) ver.5.05 4.51.5.05 2003/01/06


completely unistall the Realtek device.. From windows

Then shutdown the PC.
Then move the card from the current PCI slot in your PC.
Turn the PC on,
Reinstall the latest drivers. When you reinstall it, don't let XP do the hardware wizard, if you can stop it, then stop it. IF not, then tell the wizard to install the drivers from a specific location and choose the place where you unzipped the drivers from the downloaded driver site at the link I listed above.

Go into Hardware device list and check to see if wan mini port is still not installed.
If it is installed, problem solved.

If not, you have ruled out the drivers, the PCI slot, etc...

It could be an issue with your modem or OS.

If it is working fine, you can surf the internet, you're not getting any errors, it might be something you can live without fixing.

Keep us updated.
BB

[wumply]

Hi BB:

Thanks for your reply. Read it carefully. Have a couple of questions before I go ahead.

1. The yellow circle with the exclamation point is still there, but the list of devices is stable; it no longer disappears and reappears. My guess is an unrelated reboot changed something. I didn't change anything myself.

2. Now, in Device Manager I was given the option of uninstalling the Realtek RTL1839 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC AND/OR the WAN Miniport Network Monitor. Am I correct that I ONLY need to uninstall the Realtek RTL1839 device, NOT the WAN Miniport thingy?

3. This question is probably obvious but as I am in New Hampshire and you are in Japan (and not in the room with me), I'll feel more comfortable if I ask. You write:

Uninstall Realtek RTL 1839 device
Shut down PC
Remove the card
Turn PC on
Reinstall the drivers.
Check to see if WAN Miniport is still not installed.

At what point do I reinstall the card.

John

[Big Booger]

hehehe,
Sorry about forgetting the reinstall, after you have uninstalled it, reinstall it in a new PCI slot, while the PC is turned off and unplugged. Then restart, and install the drivers.


When you uninstall the adapter, it will automatically remove the WAN miniport. SO just uninstall the adapter. Then shut the PC off. REmove the card, change to a new PCI slot, start the PC, when the hardware wizard starts, try to stop it, and install the driver manually.. from the updated driver link.

If you can't stop it, try to tell it to install from a specific location and choose the new driver you downloaded.


The circle with the exclamation point simply means the driver for that item hasn't been installed. If everything is working fine, it may not be a problem.. I mean if it ain't broken, don't fix it

Keep us updated on your progress.
BB

[wumply]

Hi BB:

Got your latest post at 3:30 am, ET this morning...and went to bed. It's 6:30 PM now.

As my Device Mgr has continued to behave (no more appear-disappear as it was doing when I first wrote), I decided to take your advice re "If it ain't broke..." Also I was reassured when you said that the presence of the exclamation point in the yellow circle only indicated a driver had not been installed. So all is well and I thank you.

One brief further question on this topic: can you tell me what the WAN Miniport thingy was meant to do IF installed?

And I have this question if Techtonez rules permit you to answer it and you can take the time - it's a curiosity question, not a computer-related question.

You are in Japan, Egghead in British Columbia, Xsivforce in Florida and Conan in the Philippines. How are things set up so you all get to see my posts? Do my posts all go to a central location somewhere and you guys are all tuned in to that site? Or how does it work.


John

[Conan]

Originally posted by wumply


And I have this question if Techtonez rules permit you to answer it and you can take the time - it's a curiosity question, not a computer-related question.

You are in Japan, Egghead in British Columbia, Xsivforce in Florida and Conan in the Philippines. How are things set up so you all get to see my posts? Do my posts all go to a central location somewhere and you guys are all tuned in to that site? Or how does it work.


John

If I tell you, I'd have to kill you, just kidding! Well, it really doesn't matter where we are located because everyone is logged on to the message board which is hosted on a server in a top secret place. You are right in your statement that all posts go to a central location and everyone who is a member of Techzonez is tuned in to that site.

Oh and the reason for the varied locations of the Techzonez staff is since we all live in different time zones, there is an increased possibility that one of us will be online to attend to the board.

[egghead]

I think that we all wake up at the same moment but different time zones.

if its night here its day their and vice versa. hehe

I am here sometimes days sometimes night but i always run into the group online here. Weird...?>>...!!!....???

This internet thing is neat.


interesting question.

thanks wumply!

[Big Booger]

As far as I know,
WAN miniport drivers allow modems to connect to the internet through your PC using a variety of protocols.

WAN stands for Wide Area Network.

A little more information form MS:

WAN miniport driver uses links to send and receive data. Links are logical, point-to-point bidirectional communication channels. There can be many links per NIC. Links are dynamically established and torn down. The link speed and quality of the link can vary for each connection.

So it allows your NIC to send and receive data over the net. However, if your modem doesn't require it, then, you don't necessarily need it.

On many modems use different methods:

WAN Miniports and RAS Components
WAN Miniports and the RAS Async Adaptor components have indirect dependencies on Internet Explorer. Unless WAN miniports are required, you can remove the following components to avoid adding in Internet Explorer and all of its dependencies:

RAS Async Adapter
WAN Miniport (L2TP)
WAN Miniport (IP)
WAN Miniport (PPPOE)
WAN Miniport (PPTP)

Hope that helps,
BB