Intel 2200bg problems (Random blank screens)

Hi, just bought a new laptop and have been investigating the possibility of
wireless networking as it came with a built in Intel 2200bg card. I have a
NetGear DG834G ADSL Router to connect to my BT Broadband connection. (Running
Windows XPSP2).

Setup is fine, wireless network is detected and connected to no problem.
However, once I am connected within about 5 minutes (sometimes as quick as 30
seconds) the mouse pointer freezes and the screen goes completely blank (no
blue screen or anything). All power LEDs etc stay on so I have to do a hard
shutdown (hold power button for a few seconds). Cannot do Ctrl-Scroll
Lock-Scroll Lock to force a dump either as keyboard is unresponsive.

After rebooting wireless network is OK to connect to again but same problem
happens if I connect to it again. Have looked for drwatson logs or memory
dumps but cannot find any.

Have tried all of the three drivers available on the Intel web site but all
display the same behaviour. As well as all available versions of router
firmware. Also tested it with a PCMICIA wireless card (Belkin), this worked
with no problem. Also tested it in friends house with completely different
router and same problem occured.

Vendor claims that there is no problem with the network card!? Is it a
compatibility issue, possibly with my Radeon 9700 graphics card (seems
unlikely), or the router (although I can't see why this would result in the
symptoms I am seeing)?? Any other suggestions??

I'd suspect the router. Check out this site for help:
http://kbserver.netgear.com/kb_web_files/N100772.asp
See if the router is incompatible with more advanced Intel 2200.

"chriscooke000" wrote:

> Hi, just bought a new laptop and have been investigating the possibility of
> wireless networking as it came with a built in Intel 2200bg card. I have a
> NetGear DG834G ADSL Router to connect to my BT Broadband connection. (Running
> Windows XPSP2).
>
> Setup is fine, wireless network is detected and connected to no problem.
> However, once I am connected within about 5 minutes (sometimes as quick as 30
> seconds) the mouse pointer freezes and the screen goes completely blank (no
> blue screen or anything). All power LEDs etc stay on so I have to do a hard
> shutdown (hold power button for a few seconds). Cannot do Ctrl-Scroll
> Lock-Scroll Lock to force a dump either as keyboard is unresponsive.
>
> After rebooting wireless network is OK to connect to again but same problem
> happens if I connect to it again. Have looked for drwatson logs or memory
> dumps but cannot find any.
>
> Have tried all of the three drivers available on the Intel web site but all
> display the same behaviour. As well as all available versions of router
> firmware. Also tested it with a PCMICIA wireless card (Belkin), this worked
> with no problem. Also tested it in friends house with completely different
> router and same problem occured.
>
> Vendor claims that there is no problem with the network card!? Is it a
> compatibility issue, possibly with my Radeon 9700 graphics card (seems
> unlikely), or the router (although I can't see why this would result in the
> symptoms I am seeing)?? Any other suggestions??
>

If your machine is locking up 100% - CAPS lock and Num lock cease to
function, and mouse stops moving then this indicates it is most likely an
internal hardware problem.

If it only locks up while using wireless networking then I would suspect the
wireless hardware in the laptop or the memory it is coincidentally using.

First step would be to download and run memtest86 from memtest86.com and run
it preferrably overnight. If it reports 1 error then your system will not
function correctly.

If the system passes memtest86, download Prime95 from mersennel.org and run
the CPU torture test. This will thrash the CPU and highlight difficult to
find issues that memtest86 will not fine. Also check your CPU temp and
voltages in the BIOS at boot time. If the system came with a monitor program
that reports CPU temps and voltages then run that while running Prime95
logging the results if the program supports it.

The fault may be memory, motherboard, or the wireless chip itself.

You may wish to check your graphics drivers, but name brand (is it?) laptops
tend to come with good drivers. Check for updates.

Again, it is not anything external to the laptop, it is unlikely to be a
device driver, it is most likely hardware. I suggest that if you make no
progress after these diagnostic steps, that you take the laptop back and
detail the logic expressed by your own sensible fault identification
procedures and these comments.

HTH
- Tim


"chriscooke000" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:FF024C72-3E9D-4E52-BE07-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi, just bought a new laptop and have been investigating the possibility
> of
> wireless networking as it came with a built in Intel 2200bg card. I have
> a
> NetGear DG834G ADSL Router to connect to my BT Broadband connection.
> (Running
> Windows XPSP2).
>
> Setup is fine, wireless network is detected and connected to no problem.
> However, once I am connected within about 5 minutes (sometimes as quick as
> 30
> seconds) the mouse pointer freezes and the screen goes completely blank
> (no
> blue screen or anything). All power LEDs etc stay on so I have to do a
> hard
> shutdown (hold power button for a few seconds). Cannot do Ctrl-Scroll
> Lock-Scroll Lock to force a dump either as keyboard is unresponsive.
>
> After rebooting wireless network is OK to connect to again but same
> problem
> happens if I connect to it again. Have looked for drwatson logs or memory
> dumps but cannot find any.
>
> Have tried all of the three drivers available on the Intel web site but
> all
> display the same behaviour. As well as all available versions of router
> firmware. Also tested it with a PCMICIA wireless card (Belkin), this
> worked
> with no problem. Also tested it in friends house with completely
> different
> router and same problem occured.
>
> Vendor claims that there is no problem with the network card!? Is it a
> compatibility issue, possibly with my Radeon 9700 graphics card (seems
> unlikely), or the router (although I can't see why this would result in
> the
> symptoms I am seeing)?? Any other suggestions??
>

Sorry, www.mersenne.org. Excuse my typos....
- Tim

"Tim" <Tim@NoSpam> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> If your machine is locking up 100% - CAPS lock and Num lock cease to
> function, and mouse stops moving then this indicates it is most likely an
> internal hardware problem.
>
> If it only locks up while using wireless networking then I would suspect
> the wireless hardware in the laptop or the memory it is coincidentally
> using.
>
> First step would be to download and run memtest86 from memtest86.com and
> run it preferrably overnight. If it reports 1 error then your system will
> not function correctly.
>
> If the system passes memtest86, download Prime95 from mersennel.org and
> run the CPU torture test. This will thrash the CPU and highlight difficult
> to find issues that memtest86 will not fine. Also check your CPU temp and
> voltages in the BIOS at boot time. If the system came with a monitor
> program that reports CPU temps and voltages then run that while running
> Prime95 logging the results if the program supports it.
>
> The fault may be memory, motherboard, or the wireless chip itself.
>
> You may wish to check your graphics drivers, but name brand (is it?)
> laptops tend to come with good drivers. Check for updates.
>
> Again, it is not anything external to the laptop, it is unlikely to be a
> device driver, it is most likely hardware. I suggest that if you make no
> progress after these diagnostic steps, that you take the laptop back and
> detail the logic expressed by your own sensible fault identification
> procedures and these comments.
>
> HTH
> - Tim
>
>
> "chriscooke000" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:FF024C72-3E9D-4E52-BE07-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Hi, just bought a new laptop and have been investigating the possibility
>> of
>> wireless networking as it came with a built in Intel 2200bg card. I have
>> a
>> NetGear DG834G ADSL Router to connect to my BT Broadband connection.
>> (Running
>> Windows XPSP2).
>>
>> Setup is fine, wireless network is detected and connected to no problem.
>> However, once I am connected within about 5 minutes (sometimes as quick
>> as 30
>> seconds) the mouse pointer freezes and the screen goes completely blank
>> (no
>> blue screen or anything). All power LEDs etc stay on so I have to do a
>> hard
>> shutdown (hold power button for a few seconds). Cannot do Ctrl-Scroll
>> Lock-Scroll Lock to force a dump either as keyboard is unresponsive.
>>
>> After rebooting wireless network is OK to connect to again but same
>> problem
>> happens if I connect to it again. Have looked for drwatson logs or
>> memory
>> dumps but cannot find any.
>>
>> Have tried all of the three drivers available on the Intel web site but
>> all
>> display the same behaviour. As well as all available versions of router
>> firmware. Also tested it with a PCMICIA wireless card (Belkin), this
>> worked
>> with no problem. Also tested it in friends house with completely
>> different
>> router and same problem occured.
>>
>> Vendor claims that there is no problem with the network card!? Is it a
>> compatibility issue, possibly with my Radeon 9700 graphics card (seems
>> unlikely), or the router (although I can't see why this would result in
>> the
>> symptoms I am seeing)?? Any other suggestions??
>>
>
>