Problem adding network protocol

This question relates to an AMD-450 running Windows 98SE. The network card used is a D-Link DFE 530TX+ Rev. 2.

In the course of assessing the machine for upgradability, I pulled the NIC and didn't make a note of which PCI slot I pulled it from. It seems that when I put it back in, I put it in the other of the two available slots, because Windows then saw it as new hardware and installed the drivers for it -- thus duplicating the entry for the NIC that was already showing in the Network Components list. We quickly found that no entry for the card appeared when running WINIPCFG. Only the PPP entry for the dial-up adapter appeared.

I deleted the NIC from the Network Components list. On re-start, Windows found the card and re-installed the drivers, but complained of a missing .INF file, which we replaced from the Windows distribution CD-ROM.

No luck. We still had the same problem. I deleted the entry for the NIC again, shut down the system, and pulled the card and re-started. Then shut down and re-installed the card in the system. Windows found the card and installed the drivers again (without complaining about missing files) -- but WINIPCFG still did not show the card.

We then found that no TCP/IP protocol was installed. Clicking on the "Add" button in the Network Components dialogue brought up the "Select Network Component Type" dialogue, but the "Add" button does nothing at all when "Protocol" is selected.

Is there another way to install the TCP/IP protocol?

Or is there another problem I must resolve first?

 

Well, First thing I would try is booting in safe mode. Right click my computer and click properties> click the device manager tab > look for your NIC there. You might find multiple entries there. it could also be listed as an unknown device. Delete all the networking devices (ie new NIC and OLD NIC if one was present. Also if you see unknown devices it is a good idea to delete those too. Windows will detect them again at next boot up. After doing this reboot and as i said windows should detect the NIC again. Install the drivers again. (you might even go to Dlink's website and download the latest drivers for your NIC before doing this) See if that helps...

If any of this was confusing just reply and I will try to explain better.

 

Tried that -- but not in safe mode. Who knows -- it might have turned the trick.

But it was my son's machine we were working on. He gave up and re-installed Windows. Of course, that resolved the problem with the NIC, but caused others.

Oh, well....