jasonbeaird
asked on
Win XP error "Dell WLAN has encountered a problem"
I'm on a 2003 Dell Latitude laptop. I recently re-installed the Win XP OS from original disks and then uploaded the drivers manually from the Dell site. I also ran Windows Update. The machine worked beautifully for 2 weeks and then all of the sudden at bootup I get the message "Dell Wireless WLAN Card Wireless Network Controller has encountered a problem and needs to close". If I close the message the OS will contiue to boot but it is running very slow. There is also a quiet hum like the HD is turning which I haven't heard before. The computer is so slow that nothing seems to be able to work. It takes several minutes for it to shut down. Not sure where to start on this problem. Do I need to reinstall drivers? Is it a virus? I do not have any anti-virus running. Please advise.
Can you disable the WLAN card and see if the system boots normally? If so, I would downgrade the driver to a previous version. I would doubt this is a virus/malware. You can certainly use COMBOFIX (make sure you download from bleepingcomputer.com) this will check for any malware, and is a great removal tool.
ASKER
How would I disable the WLAN? Through Device Manager? It is taking forever to get into that window to do that. Can I/should I try to do that in Safe Mode?
Yes. I would go to Safe Mode. From there open Device Manager, find your WLAN device and disable it.
First.... Have you tried to do a system restore from last week? This would undo any microsoft or driver update that may have impacted this.
First.... Have you tried to do a system restore from last week? This would undo any microsoft or driver update that may have impacted this.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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I forgot to write you to replace the inf folder content in the original folder once you installed the driver of your choiche, nothing special happen if you don't, but in future your system will claim them when having to reinstall devices for any reason, so place them back in their folder.
Bye
Bye
If you do not have any anti-virus running on your system most likely you are infected too.
Get any of these free anti-virus:
http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download
http://www.free-av.com/en/trialpay_download/1/avira_antivir_personal__free_antivirus.html
http://free.avg.com/au-en/homepage
If you are unable to install these then definitely your system is infected and needs to be clean
Sudeep
Get any of these free anti-virus:
http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download
http://www.free-av.com/en/trialpay_download/1/avira_antivir_personal__free_antivirus.html
http://free.avg.com/au-en/homepage
If you are unable to install these then definitely your system is infected and needs to be clean
Sudeep
ASKER
I booted into Safe Mode and disabled the WLAN devices in the Device Manager. I also went into BIOS and disabled the network cards. However, I am STILL getting the error message after normal bootup which says "Dell Wireless WLAN Card Wireless Network Tray Applet has encountered a problem and needs to close. The computer is still running extremely slow. I can't really open any programs and to shut down it takes about 2 minutes. HELP#$#_$%#
Get any of the AV as suggested and check if there are some viruses on your system which are making it run slower
Sudeep
Sudeep
ASKER
Is there an Antivirus program that I can download and install in SAFE Mode. I tried Avira but it wouldn't load in Safe Mode
You would need to install them in Normal mode however if you are unable to install them in Normal mode then definitely your machine is infected
Sudeep
Sudeep
Use clamwin it is one of the safest and lessinvasive antivirus in the world, actually still without on acces scanning straight what you need to do this job in critical enviroment, it is manual , so install it, go to preferences and choose to move viruses to quarantine, save config and start a full scan, (make sure to have latest virus definitions).
Download also this: http://www.virussecurelab.com/downloads.html
It contains a script that removes common damages done by viruses to registry and also vaccinate from common usb transmitted viruses + more tricks...
Let us know about
Bye
Download also this: http://www.virussecurelab.com/downloads.html
It contains a script that removes common damages done by viruses to registry and also vaccinate from common usb transmitted viruses + more tricks...
Let us know about
Bye
ASKER
Can I install Clamwin in Safe Mode?
I guess yes, it is a professional tool
try it, you discover it immediately, I try to see for you if some know solution is there for such a case, otherwise a sure way to definetelly clean your hd is to remove it from the laptop and with a usb adapter attach it to another pc and scan it from there, but let's see if it possible to do it directly first
SOunds like a hardware issue.
heat/ hard drive/ motherboard.
I would run the Dell diagnostics and see if there are any issues or the UBCD diags
UBCD Free with Disk tests, hardware diagnostics and Vendor utilities
www.ultimatebootcd.com
I hope this helps !
heat/ hard drive/ motherboard.
I would run the Dell diagnostics and see if there are any issues or the UBCD diags
UBCD Free with Disk tests, hardware diagnostics and Vendor utilities
www.ultimatebootcd.com
I hope this helps !
Attached you find a zip with a program that might help you, can work also in safemode, in the folder it creates you find a pdf with detailed instructions, give it a try if unseccessful up to now... Let us know if it worked for you in case you give a try
Multi-AV.exe
Multi-AV.exe
Hi.
You wrote:
"which says "Dell Wireless WLAN Card Wireless Network Tray Applet has encountered a problem and needs to close. "
So you have some app/ service/ driver trying to access your HW, wich may be faulty. You should try to remove that app/service/driver.
If u have the same behaviour _in_ safemode, the driver isnt the problem
If ur OS works ok in safemode, the app/driver/service/HW is the problem
in normal mode, go to devicemanager, find the card, deactivate the drivers. -> works OK?
in normal mode, go to taskmanager, find the process associated with "Dell Wireless WLAN Card Wireless Network Tray Applet" and kill it -> works ok now?
In normal mode, go start-> run -> type msconfig -> autostart tab -> deactivate the "Dell wirelss..." -> reboot -> OK now?
see if u, in the startmenu or in the, install/ deinstall programs, have a listing for DELL Wireless WLAN applet or the like, deinstall the thing -> reboot, Ok now?
If you didnt have any antivirus and been surfing normally for two weeks, or been visiting any "backstreet ally" on the internet, do the antivirus thing.
You wrote:
"which says "Dell Wireless WLAN Card Wireless Network Tray Applet has encountered a problem and needs to close. "
So you have some app/ service/ driver trying to access your HW, wich may be faulty. You should try to remove that app/service/driver.
If u have the same behaviour _in_ safemode, the driver isnt the problem
If ur OS works ok in safemode, the app/driver/service/HW is the problem
in normal mode, go to devicemanager, find the card, deactivate the drivers. -> works OK?
in normal mode, go to taskmanager, find the process associated with "Dell Wireless WLAN Card Wireless Network Tray Applet" and kill it -> works ok now?
In normal mode, go start-> run -> type msconfig -> autostart tab -> deactivate the "Dell wirelss..." -> reboot -> OK now?
see if u, in the startmenu or in the, install/ deinstall programs, have a listing for DELL Wireless WLAN applet or the like, deinstall the thing -> reboot, Ok now?
If you didnt have any antivirus and been surfing normally for two weeks, or been visiting any "backstreet ally" on the internet, do the antivirus thing.
ASKER
The WLAN card is bad as I disabled it but it still gives me the same error message. I'm trying to get a System Utilities disk from Dell to properly diagnose this issue.