Win7, VPN using client certificate. Won't save setting, insists on using Smart Card

I am working with a Microsoft VPN server setup that uses client certificates.  It works fine on all machines XP and Win 7, except for one new Win 7 machine.

This is a Windows 7 Pro laptop, an HP EliteBook 8460w.  It has a smart card slot which isn't being used.

The problem is that we're getting an error message:
Network Connections (window title)
Cannot load dialog.
Error 764: No smart card reader is installed.

It shouldn't be looking for a smart card reader.  In the VPN setup on the Security tab, Use Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) is selected and Microsoft: Smart Card or other certificate (encryption enabled).  Then under properties I select "Use a certificate on this computer" and complete the server names and root authorities.  

Now here's the oddity: if I click ok and ok again to close the vpn properties, when I go back to properties "Use my smart card" is selected not the radio button that tells it to use a certificate!

I can't imagine that this is a group policy issue, as other Win 7 pro machines are fine.  Unfortunately, there's not another HP  8460w laptop to test with.

Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1 was originally installed on the machine.  Disabling it didn't make a difference.  Now I've uninstalled it completely, still with no change.  Everything else is a basic install, no different from the other machines in the network.

There's nothing that I see in the event log that relates.

I have uninstalled the Smart Card driver software package, stopped the smart card service, and disabled the smart card in the bios (and combinations).  Doesn't seem to make a difference.

Crazy right?

Any suggestions?  Thanks.