Sorry - that should read "no driver associated...", not  "no controller.....".

Not sure what Operating System you've installed but using the Service Tag, you can go on the support website and using the Warranty Information option.  Enter your service tag and look at the Original Configuration.  Find the wireless card originally installed.  Look for something that lists Wireless, 802.11, network, card, etc.  You should be able to decode what kind of card you have in the laptop.  With the OS and card option, you should be able to download the right version of the driver for the OS you have installed.

If you can't figure out what driver you need, post the OS version you have installed along with the line from the configuration and someone will point you to the right file.  Please do not post your service tag.

Note that only XP and Vista are supported operating systems.  If you've loaded Windows 7, you'll need to look around on the Internet to figure out how to install the right version for Windows 7.

Thanks

The OS is Vista home premium. The original invoice for the machine and also the "scan" of my machine by Dell support centre say that there is a Dell 1395 mini-card fitted.

I have installed Marvell 88E80XX Ethernet Controller (and uninstalled and reinstalled), but it says that it has no controller associated with it and no amount of searching via Windows or the support centre can find/install one. On the resources CD there are 4 Dell wireless drivers, including 1395, although all 4 are ticked to indicate that associated hardware has been detected). None of these drivers will install - message as above - either with or wothout the Marvel Controller installed.

The Marvel 88E80XX driver is for the wired controller.  You should see that in the Device Manager under Network Controllers.  You can make sure it's working by plugging in a network cable from your laptop to the router. 

For the 1395 wireless card, download the one here.  That is the one for the Dell 1395 wireless controller under Vista.

Also, some of the devices can be enabled or disabled in the BIOS.  Restart your PC, go into the BIOS (press F2 during power up) and check that the network devices are enabled.

A last resort is to download Ubuntu here, burn it to a CD and boot it.  You can run it from the CD.  It's a different operating system (with a different look and feel) but it will detect your network devices. A further last resort is the Dell Diagnostics.  Restart the PC and press F10.  Pick the diagnostic menu and test the wireless devices.  These to things will at least confirm the hardware is working.

Spirono,

When you reinstalled the operating system, did you install the desktop/notebook utility and the chipset drivers first? If not, the rest of the drivers will fail to install. How to Download and Install Drivers in the Correct Order

Rick

I have just had a look at the instructions for download order and my first impression is that they mean nothing to me........ except that I now understand better your comment about installation order.

On the previous occasion that I had to reinstall everything, I installed drivers and utilities in the order that they are listed on the Dell drivers and utilities CD - I just started at the top and worked down. I would have thought that that is what I achieved 2 days ago, but......

I will go back through the instructions, but it seems sensible to assume that reinstalling everything, in that order, is worth trying - all else has failed. Is there a simple way to uninstall all drivers and utilities to start from a clean slate? If those instructions are on the link, I will find them, I hope.

Thanks both

I checked that the card is enabled via F2 - it is, although it states that it is 1394. The link to the Dell page comes up "Group Not Found", but I am pretty certain that I know what page was intended - a page of downloads including drivers - been there several times - it recognises there is no driver installed, starts to download the correct one, then comes up with the message as above - ".....not supported. Installation stopped...." (or very similar).

Testing the operation of the mini-card - will this succeeed if there is no driver?

Order of installation - I am 99.9% sure that that was correct - but obviously can't be 100%. I have installed from scratch before and all was OK. Would installation in the wrong order stop anything else from installing/running correctly? If so, I have yet to find anything.

 Spirono,

Most of the drivers failed to install. The Notebook system utilities and the chipset drivers have the drivers to install devices, like webcam, usb ports, wireless adapters, etc.

Just start with the desktop/notebook utility, sometimes called notebook system software(under system utilities at Drivers & Downloads) and the chipset drivers.  Then go down the list.

Processor Driver (if applicable)
Video
Audio (sound)
Input Drivers (keyboard/mouse)
Modem
Network Card

QuickSet(Laptop only)

Have any problems, let me know and I'll find them for you. Need to know the operating system and if it's 32-bir or 64-bit.

Rick

I have compared the running order required as per the link - "How to Download.....", with the order on the CD and they are not even close - the NSS software actually comes last on the CD so I would have installed it last when I previously had to reinstall all software, just as a for instance.

I have tried to reinstall the NSS software from the Dell website and that failed - couldn't make a connection, so it looks like I will have to install all of them from the CD - no problem. It will take quite some while though, so I am just checking - do I understand correctly that I do not have to uninstall anything - merely reinstalling everything, in the order as on "How to Download......", whether it is already installed or not, should allow me to install everything, and for it to work?

 Spirono,

Yes. All you have to do is start with installing the drivers in order, that is the key. The drivers may have unzipped and there is a folder there but the drivers did not install because the system utilities and the chipset drivers were not installed first.

Rick