Locate registry entry for Realtek Ethernet/lan driver?

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HI,
I need some help with Realtek Ethernet/ Lan driver . I have XP PRO SP3 running on an ASUS motherboard desktop.
PROBLEM: I am unable to connect to internet through the cable running to router from desktop. I have isolated to Realtek Ethernet/Lan driver. Router is good since I can connect to internet with wireless laptop and plugging in cable from desktop to laptop.
Using new driver install download from ASUS produces an error that driver file cannot be found. Have worked with ASUS support and they have (quickly) “given up”, saying that if the install software will not work it is a XP “system” problem.
I would like to find and remove all registry, system32 folder and other references to the Realtek Ethernet/lan driver and start with a “clean” registry. I tried the Realteck website to find where the Realtek info is stored with much luck.
Can someone supply information on how to locate the Ethernet/lan registries and location of the driver files (system32 or other system folder). Would appreciate any help, suggestions.

Thanks

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First, ensure you have the correct drivers ready to install. List your motherboard details, please.

Check that you have got the correct drivers for the device. Tracking down Device Drivers.

Sometimes all it takes to remove Registry entries for a buit-in device is to use Windows’ Device Manager to uninstall the device and all its’ files, reboot and disable the device in the BIOS and then reboot into Windows and try to install the correct drivers.

What error messages are you getting? Any related errors listed in Windows logs?

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satrow
Thanks for the reply (sorry for the delay in my reply –hetic work schedule last week). I am sure I have the correct drivers because I downloaded the XP driver files for my motherboard directly fron ASUS website. I did use the Device managet to uninstall the ethernet device. Then ran the windows install new hardware, pointing to the ASUS file as the source. The driver seemed to load –here is a screen shot of the “load” . Then when the install finished I receive this error message –. Error says “it can not find the file specified”, but it was loading files from the ASUS driver files. So I do not know what file it was tring to find.
Here is a screenshot of the device manager showing the controller and the driver files. The first file listed

is one of the files in the ASUS download under the XP section.

I was asking if I could find all the registery entries for the Ethernet and Lan controller and system 32 and remove them and start with a “clean” slate. Notice the device manager shows three files listed in the system32/drivers directory. I do not know if those are the only files . Also see my answer to th ipconfig /all question.

Thanks again for your help and any additional suggestions are appreciated.

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You should check Device Manager to see if the Realtek port is working – a yellow exclamation mark tells you it’s not happy.
If it’s not happy delete it and re-boot to re-install the drivers.
If it’s happy you should check your Windows IP information to see where the problems are occurring. Follow these steps.
1. Open a Command Prompt.
2. Type: ipconfig /all
3. Post the result here and we’ll advise.

cheers, Paul

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Paul T,
Thanks for your reply and suggestions. Please see my reply to satrow showing the error when I delete the ethernet device and try to reinstall (guess I could make a single reply including answres to both you and satrow). Here is a screenshot of the command prompt and ipconfig /all. It appears ipconfig has nothing to report, which seems to match that I can not access the internet. 36654-Screenshot-of-ipconfig-all-command.

Thanks again for yourhelp and suggestions. Do you have any comment about my question to satrow about removing the registry and system 32 entries? Any additional suggestions and,or directions are appreciated.

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Definitely a driver issue according to Device Manager.
Do you have any details about the file not found when you install the drivers?
Can you post the hardware IDs for the device? Open the device properties and select the Details tab, then the Hardware Ids property.

cheers, Paul

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Reply to Paul T and Sudo15,

Thanks for the replies, I have posted the information below. Also, I have attached a “History of configuration” showing how I arrived at where I am today. Might help with the troubleshooting.

Paul T: No I do not have any additional information, just what is in the jpeg screenshot. Here is a screenshot of the device ID
36674-Screenshot-of-PCIe-GBE-Family-Controller-Device-ID

Sudo15: You wrote “You will be able to confirm its RTL number in msinfo32/Components/Network/Adapter prior to downloading.” I went to the msinfo32 link and the Realtek Ethernet Controller was not listed, at least I could not find it. Here is a screenshot of that section of msinfo32:36675-Screenshot-of-msinfo32-Components-Network-Adapter-033114. It is interesting to note the Linksys LNE100TX Fast Ethernet Adapter was the plug in Ethernet Adapter card used in the previous motherboard and not installed in new motherboard (because of built in adapter in new motherboard). See “history of configuration” write up.

Thanks to all for your help!

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You can download the 10/100/1000M Gigabit Ethernet Controller from http://www.realtek.com/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=7&PFid=10&Level=3&Conn=2

Download the auto installation file for XP and Save it to Downloads where you will be able to extract the .zip to locate the Setup.exe Application file to either double click on or right click on and Run as administrator to execute the installation.

You will be able to confirm its RTL number in msinfo32/Components/Network/Adapter prior to downloading.

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Krazycat:

Here’s an easy way that you can update the ethernet driver. It has never failed for me.

You said in your original post that if you run a cable from the desktop to the laptop, you can get on the internet on the desktop. Do that, and then do a Windows update on your desktop. When Windows update has finished finding all updates, look in the Hardware / Optional updates. See if there is one listed for your NIC. Download and install only that update.

You should now be back in business with your onboard NIC.

Jim

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Jim,

There may have been some confusion in what I ment about changing the Ethernet cable to the desktop. What I was saying is I unpluged the Ethernet cable fron the desktop — the other end of the cable is still connected to the router. I then plugged the free end of the ethernet cable into my laptop and the laptop was able to connect to the Internet. This was confirmation of a good connection to the router and the router was connecting to the internet.

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Jim,

There may have been some confusion in what I ment about changing the Ethernet cable to the desktop. What I was saying is I unpluged the Ethernet cable fron the desktop — the other end of the cable is still connected to the router. I then plugged the free end of the ethernet cable into my laptop and the laptop was able to connect to the Internet. This was confirmation of a good connection to the router and the router was connecting to the internet.

If you have a USB NIC, you could use it to get on the internet, and you could then do a Windows update for the built-in NIC driver. Or you could just download and install the one that Paul recommended in the above post.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Hi,
Reply to Paul T —- Did the install with the driver download you suggested. Same error as before using the ASUS supplied driver. I believe there is some registry error that is confusing the install. Would still like to find a way to clear the registry of the Ethernet and /or Lan driver(s) and also the system32 directory, but have not been able to locate a way to identify the registry keys.

Reply to mrjimplelps: Thanks for the information. Was not aware of a USB NIC. I assume there is a USB connection between the laptop and the USB NIC and then a ethernet connection between the USB NIC and the router? What software is involved? Will do some research, do you have a product
suggestion?

DIFFERENT question maybe someone can help: I mark my replies to receive “Instant email” notification of posts to this thread. I have made changes to my Lounge settings to accept instant email notifications, but I do not receive any email notifications. Obviously I am missing somthing; is there a check list of instant email notification settings?

Thanks

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Reply to Paul T —- Did the install with the driver download you suggested. Same error as before using the ASUS supplied driver. I believe there is some registry error that is confusing the install.

The registry does not hold details on the driver install, that is all in the “.inf” file with the driver software. If the driver is missing a file it should tell you what that file is. It is possible your anti virus software is preventing the installation. Can you turn it off whilst you install the driver?

cheers, Paul

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The VEN 10EC & DEV 8168 identifies it as a Gigabyte LAN driver but possibly Russian.

For some reason when trying to upload images, it just hangs so am unable to attach the snip which identifies it from http://www.pcidatabase.com/search.php?device_search_str=8168&device_search=Search but that link should do.

Try the download from Realtek after creating a restore point and it does seem strange that it’s still showing a LAN adapter for what is from a different motherboard.

Is the Linksys driver still showing as installed in Programs and Features ?

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The Win XP / Server 2003 driver (Driver_XP_5820_11222013.zip) from this Realtek site seems to be the correct one for your device.

cheers, Paul

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Thanks Paul,
Will give it a try.

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A USB NIC (Network Interface Card) simply plugs into one of your USB ports. It comes with the necessary software. Once you get it installed, you simply plug your ethernet cable into it, and you’re online.

By doing this, you can then download the driver for the built-in NIC.

Here are some which are sold at Newegg.com:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=usb+nic+adapter&N=-1&isNodeId=1

Most if not all will be fine. I’d get a cheap one and use it as needed, such as what you need it for now.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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You should find the Realtek drivers in System32/drivers listed as rtl items, but reading through the History of configuration, the Found new hardware should have been accepted as you have rejected the installation of the Realtek GBE Family Controller and from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307736 would seem that you need the NIC1394, but if it finds new hardware to what it previously had, then you should accept the installations and is probably why it can’t find the folder to stick the Ethernet driver into and probably why the Realtek GBE isn’t listed in msinfo32.

I don’t know why the Linksys was still showing unless that driver is still installed, but you didn’t answer if that driver was still listed in Programs & Features.

The new found hardware can’t be from your old motherboard when that is no longer in the pc.

What happens in Device Manager when you go Action/Scan for hardware changes ?

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