Network driver not installing - need urgent help

[saxnix]

Hi, I have a bit of a problem. I am running the oem version of WHS. I just tried to do a restore of one of my pcs, but the network drivers didn't load and I wasn't able to do the restore.

Here is what I did

1. Started PC with Restore CD in drive and booted from disc.
2. Selected Region and keyboard layout
3. No netowork device was found so I selected the option to install drivers.
4. Inserted USB drive (containing drivers) as requested.
5. Network adapter now appears in network section
6. Select continue
7. No server found.

Note that while drivers were installing, Router light for computer to be restored was lit, but when step 5 above appears on monitor, computer light is no longer lit - therefore network not being detected and I can't continue with the restore.

I believe I have the correct drivers as I just downloaded them from the Asus website (P5K), but they just don't seem to want to stick. I repeated the process 3 times all with the same outcome.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks

[pistnbroke]

Did you try another cable ?

You should still get lights even with no drivers installed...

[Sutty]

G'Day saxnix

This may be telling you to suck eggs - if it is, then I apologise.

Did you remember to install the drivers using elevated (administrator level) privileges? I had a similar problem trying it install the drivers for a huiwei e220. My problem occured on Vista Ultimate. (Yes I know that WHS is based on Server 2003 - but they didn't write all of Vista from scratch). The installation program appeared to run, but the drivers never loaded (and there was no error message to tell you that!!). I re-ran the installer several times, but it was not until I elevated and manually pointed Vista to the drivers that it all came together.

Might help.

Sutty

[saxnix]

Originally Posted by pistnbroke

Did you try another cable ?

You should still get lights even with no drivers installed...

The cable is ok. When the process aborts, the computer reboots, starts vista and the network is fine, so it is definately a problem with the drivers loading. But thanks for the suggestion.

[saxnix]

Originally Posted by Sutty

G'Day saxnix

This may be telling you to suck eggs - if it is, then I apologise.

Did you remember to install the drivers using elevated (administrator level) privileges? I had a similar problem trying it install the drivers for a huiwei e220. My problem occured on Vista Ultimate. (Yes I know that WHS is based on Server 2003 - but they didn't write all of Vista from scratch). The installation program appeared to run, but the drivers never loaded (and there was no error message to tell you that!!). I re-ran the installer several times, but it was not until I elevated and manually pointed Vista to the drivers that it all came together.

Might help.

Sutty

I am not quite sure what you mean? When you run Restore process (listed in 1st post) the computer boots from the Home Computer Restore CD and not vista. During that process you aren't presented with different user levels. Howerver you did give an idea - I had been trying the driver load from a new USB drive - I will try it again with an older one I have used in the past and know works fine. Thanks for the suggestion. Greg

[GlenR]

Hi saxnix, do you have another PC to coonect to the WHS server? If so try and get the drivers from the backup of the PC you are trying to restore.

WHS kindly creates a folder of all essential drivers and stores it on the client PC. If you open the last backup of the PC you wish to restore you will find a folder "C:\Windows Home Server Drivers for Restore". This is a copy of all the drivers that you actually had installed on the PC. Copy this folder to your USB stick then place the USB stick in the PC you are restoring, boot it from the restore CD and the restore CD will use these drivers which are, obviously, known good drivers.

Good luck.

[saxnix]

Originally Posted by GlenR

Hi saxnix, do you have another PC to coonect to the WHS server? If so try and get the drivers from the backup of the PC you are trying to restore.

WHS kindly creates a folder of all essential drivers and stores it on the client PC. If you open the last backup of the PC you wish to restore you will find a folder "C:\Windows Home Server Drivers for Restore". This is a copy of all the drivers that you actually had installed on the PC. Copy this folder to your USB stick then place the USB stick in the PC you are restoring, boot it from the restore CD and the restore CD will use these drivers which are, obviously, known good drivers.

Good luck.

Thanks Glen. I do have another computer connected to WHS (and I am actually still using the PC that I want to restore), so I will give it a shot. Thanks for the tip. For the sake of testing, I might try it from the USB I have been originally using, and if that doesn't work, try it from the old one I know has worked in the past. Thanks, Greg.

* Update * That did the trick. I opened the file, copied the driver folder to the new USB drive, and this time it worked. Looks like it had to do with the driver I had downloaded seperately. Thanks for all the help