Wireless-connected PC now won't connect

I have a problem with my son's computer which we acquired 2nd-hand about three months ago (Win XP Home SP2, which I immediately upgraded to SP3). I set it up with a wireless adapter and it was working fine initially. At some point more recently it has started to be unable to make its wireless connection (don't know how long, he only mentioned it when I asked why he was using the main house PC all the time :banghead). All three PCs in the house are using the same make of wireless adapter (Belkin wireless G USB F5D7050 adapter).

The adapter on the problem PC is getting a strong signal. However, the basic symptom was, and remains, it perpetually tries and fails to connect (alternating between animated icon and red-crossed icon in the system tray).

Here's a summary of (most of) what I have done which has not helped:

- some malware checking (nothing found)

- uninstalled the Belkin utility software and tried a driver-only installation instead (I have had problems with the Belkin software in the past)

- uninstalled the AV/firewall (BitDefender) I originally installed (I have had problems with this too, and was suspicious it might be implicated)

- installed Trend Micro Internet Security Pro, for which we now have a three-user license (didn't want to be online without protection). Have currently uninstalled it again until I can restore connectivity; don't want to muddy the water any further.

- removed all the crap that I can that BitDefender, Belkin and Trend Micro didn't do themselves in the uninstall - various non PnP drivers in the case of BitDefender, the usual reams of registry detritus in all cases

- removed phantom devices in Device Manager

- tried using alternative USB ports

- reset the TCP/IP stack

- I even tried swapping over the USB adapter with the one on this PC (to rule out the possibility that the adapter on the problem PC was damaged). That gave a weird result. The problem PC couldn't connect even with the known good adapter off this PC (which is what I expected). However, this PC also couldn't connect with the adapter off the problem PC. I didn't spend long trying to persuade it; however, on the face of it, this seems to suggest the problem PC has software and adapter issues?

None of this has helped. However, all the fiddling around in Device Manager has left me with a "Packet scheduler Miniport #5" under network devices. It wasn't there to start with. It started out as a Belkin Packet Scheduler Miniport with a yellow exclamation mark, IIRC, which turned into its current incarnation when I asked Windows to update its drivers so I could try and uninstall it. However, Windows now claims it needs the device to boot up (likely story) and won't let me remove it.

Because it was originally flagged as a Belkin device, and still has a Belkin "friendly name" in the registry, I can't help thinking this rogue device is implicated in the failure to connect. Do you agree?

Hope you can help,

Andy

 

Use system restore to go back to when you installed SP3.

Time for a do over.

 

Wise words, Sir. I've never used system restore yet so it seemed like a big step. I had a go tonight, and tried 3 different dates including the first available, all of which were able to connect. So I always have those options available. Unfortunately I can't get back to before I installed BitDefender, and when I try and remake the system to use Trend Micro instead, I end up in the same situation with the wireless adapter perpetually trying and failing to connect. I think I might have to install the adapter before the AV software. So I'm not out of the woods yet, but at least I know I have working system restore points to start from. Thanks!

Andy