How Do I Resolve This Error Message and Resultant Computer Crashes?

It should be using driver version 3.0.12.0, and you can check that in Control Panel -> System, on the Hardware tab, in Device Manager, click Network Adapters, right-click the adapter and choose Properties. Look on the Driver tab.

If the driver's not version 3.0.12.0, go to http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_CASupport_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1166859843775&packedargs=sku%3DWUSB54G&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper&lid=4377543775B01&displaypage=download
choose version 2 from the picklist (if that is in fact the version of the adapter you have - there's a picture there that shows where to look to confirm which version you have), and download the driver.

Then, after obtaining the latest version of the driver for the version adapter you have, with the adapter plugged in, look in Add/Remove Programs for the Linksys driver to remove it... if it's not there, return to System, on the Hardware tab, in Device Manager, click Network Adapters, right-click the adapter and choose Uninstall there.
When it's done uninstalling, unplug the adapter from the USB port and reboot. Run the updated driver install file. It should prompt you when to plug in the adapter.

Please let us know if that helps.

I checked and I am using the correct driver, so this does not correct the issue.  Thanks anyway.

Suit yourself, but if you've ever upgraded the driver, it still helps to totally uninstall it and do a clean install of the latest driver package.

But, heck... what do I know.  ;-)

Well, even though I had the current driver, I did as you suggested - uninstalled it and did a clean install with the current driver package.  I'm still having the same problem.  :(

OK, then... the only cure is going to be uninstall it all again, and this time install only the driver... do NOT run the setup program because that will install the Linksys utility.

Here are the setps:

1) Extract the driver package again if you deleted it... it should extract to
C:\Linksys Driver\ by default.

2) uninstall adapter
You can uninstall by going to START ->ALL PROGRAMS ->WIRELESS ADAPTER, UNINSTALL.

3) remove adapter for 10 seconds and re-insert

4) "Found new hardware" wizard appears

5) In the first screen of Found New Hardware, it says "Connect to the Internet" - select No, not this time and click Next

6) The next screen has 2 options - choose Install from [...] Specific Location, and click Next

7) Browse to C:\Linksys Driver\WUSB54Gv2_20040507\Drivers\WUSB54Gv2 select the WUSB54GV2.INF file and click OK

8) Reboot if it says to, but that shouldn't be necessary.

You'll have to setup your wireless profile[s] in windows (right-click the wireless adapter icon in the notification area and choose View Available Wireless Networks) instead of the Linksys utility, but you will no longer get that error.

Linksys won't be updating that utility (for v2 anyway), so your only other option would be to try a new version adapter or a different brand (I like the little netgear WG111T, myself... it usually gets 108mbps connections with AP/Routers that support 11g turbo).  Hope that helps.

I worked on this yesterday.  You're right, there was the additional step.  Windows gave me a message to check the Microsoft Knowledge Base for solution #871122.  I used our desktop computer to access the solution, printed it, and followed the steps, which are slightly different than the ones you indicated (but you had the right idea).  It works!  The only thing is now, the connection seems to drop a lot.  I suppose that is less annoying than the error messages I was getting.  The SSID is not a problem.  I named my SSID and am using WEP security.  I'm planning to get a new laptop within a year or so, so I'll upgrade everything at that time.  In the meantime, this works.  Thank you so much for your assistance.