WFWG Err Msg: "Failure: Hardware Not Found..." with Intel EE16

 Last reviewed: November 21, 1994
Article ID: Q94896
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11

SYMPTOMS

If an Intel EtherExpress 16 is installed on a machine and there is a hardware conflict, such as an I/O Port address or an interrupt request line (IRQ) being duplicated on two devices, the following error message may occur during startup: 

   Failure: EtherExpress 16 Hardware Not Found, Driver not loaded.
   Failure: NDIS environment invalid, Driver not loaded.

WORKAROUND

Because the Intel EtherExpress 16 is a software-configured network card, the only workaround to this error message is to put the card into another machine and use the following steps to reconfigure it.

NOTE: This message may occur if the network card isn't seated properly in the machine. Check to be sure that this isn't the problem before reconfiguring the card as discussed below.

  1. On the first machine, load Windows for Workgroups.

  2. Run Control Panel.

  3. In the Control Panel window, choose the Network icon.

  4. Choose the Adapters option to remove the driver for the Intel EtherExpress 16 network card.

  5. When prompted to Restart Computer or Continue, choose Continue, then exit Windows and turn off the machine.

  6. Remove the Intel card from the first machine, turn off a second machine which doesn't have a hardware conflict, remove any network cards from the second machine, and place the Intel card into the second machine.

  7. Turn on the second machine and load Windows for Workgroups.

  8. Run Control Panel.

  9. In the Control Panel window, choose the Network icon, and choose the Adapters option to remove any other network card drivers and install the driver for the Intel EtherExpress 16.

  10. Change either the I/O Port address or the IRQ to an unused value on the first machine.

  11. When prompted to Restart Computer or Continue, choose Restart Computer and then let the machine restart. Once it has restarted, turn the second machine off and remove the Intel card.

  12. Place the card back into the first machine, turn it on, and load Windows for Workgroups.

  13. Run Control Panel.

  14. In the Control Panel window, choose the Network icon and choose the Adapters option to add the driver for the Intel EtherExpress 16. Use Setup to configure it for the new settings, which were set up on the second machine.

  15. When prompted to Restart Computer or Continue, choose Restart Computer and then let the machine restart. The error message should no longer occur and Windows for Workgroups should operate normally.

  16. If the error message still occurs, there may still be a hardware conflict and the above steps should be repeated until it is resolved.

The Intel EtherExpress 16 network interface card is set up exclusively with software, either with Windows for Workgroups or Intel's Softset utility. If there is a hardware conflict, the options changed by the Setup software are never written to the card because the software can't communicate with it due to the I/O Port address or IRQ conflict. Because there is no other way to adjust the hardware settings on the Intel EtherExpress 16, it has to be configured in another machine and then moved back to the original machine.

KBCategory: kbnetwork kb3rdparty kbhw
KBSubcategory: wfw wfwg
Additional reference words: 3.10 3.11 Ether Express 3rdparty boot bootup
software configured

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Last reviewed: November 21, 1994
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