For the past several days I've been trying to find a solution to get several older network cards- Brand Name, and NO-Name working with:

WINDOWS 7 RC 7100 (32-bit)

(Was very surprised that Windows did not pick up the below cards- as many hundreds of thousands of these cards were probably made.)

Netgear FA311 rev B-1 * Link at bottom of page"
Linksys LNE 100TXRev2.0


HOW TO get the:

Linksys LNE100TX, REV 2.0 (and possiblly v1.0, or 3.0 cards also) to work in WIN 7

(Short version is use the 4_2 Win2000 drivers as the 5.12 driver pack does not support early cards. (Below ver 3 I think)

1: Go to the LINKSYS site- search with LNE100TX as search term.
2: On the Linksys US site, when asked for your cards ver number select Ver 1.0-
(It is the ONLY option that appears LOL)
Once you select 1.0, scroll down the page to see what files are available.
(Note: When you select 1.0 the page refreshes so fast you miss the fact the page has changed- unless you scroll down.)

3: Download lne100txv42_4.exe, and extract from it the WIN2000 drivers. (XP drivers would not work for me.)


4: Install drivers.

5: Reboot your router /dsl modem.

6: Send a e-mail to Linksys asking them on how to get the LNE100TX Rev 2.0 0 "working",
When told it won't work inform them it does, and demand they update the product page, and readme files accordingly.
If told it does work- ask them if they've read the readme files- I saw no mention of Vista, nor Win7 in the readme files.
(Not surprising there is no mention of WIN 7 at this time since it hasn't been released, but NO excuse for not updating their docs regarding Vista for cards that were sold by the MILLIONS...)

Addtional info:

1: As a rule you should to make a dedicated install folder to install apps /drivers, etc from instead of installing from a directory in which the files are BURIED many levels deep.

2: You should create a folder named INSTALL- installing apps /drivers etc from it whenever possible.
(Best if you give this "INSTALL folder" a SHORT name- and locate in the ROOT directory of the drive.)

Example: C:\INSTALL

(*BTW Extracting your install files all to (1) place enables you to back-up those files very easily.)

2: Better option yet is creating a INSTALL folder on another drive (or partition), SEPERATE from were your OS is installed. (Putting those files on a NON-OS partition -enables ACCESS to those files for re-installs.... and they don't get wiped when (not if) you have to reformat the primary drive due to a Windows manfunction)

Example D:\INSTALL

.

Link for get the Netgear FA311 rev B-1 working in WIN 7 RC 7100:

http://windows7forums.com/windows-7-networking/6777-solution-netgear-fa311-v1-no-internet-rc-build-7100-a.html#post34639


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