GA-P35-DS3L + 4GB RAM + Netgear WG311v3 + Win7 Ultimate x64 = "Code 10" Error

[Kragen2179]

my Hardware...

Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L Mobo

Intel  Pentium Core2 Duo E6600 @ 2.4GHz

PNY GeForce 8600GT 512MB DDR

4GB DDR2 PC5300

 

I wiped my drives and did a clean install as moving from temporary XP Home to my win7 Ultimate x64, then found out that my Belkin network card was not supported (Belkin F5D7000v6 - only v7 or v8 cards of this model supported)

so off I trot to my local computer store for an upgrade and I see the Netgear WG311v3 on the shelf with a sticker on the front proclaiming Win7 support (visit www.netgear.com/win7) now as I currently had no internet I had to go round a friends to make sure I got the latest drivers

I get home with said drivers stored safely on my USB stick, Uninstall the Belkin card, reboot and run the netgear program I downloaded round my friends. This then tells me to shut down and installl the card and then follow the on screen prompts when I restart.

So having shut down, installed the card and restarted I am starting to wonder why nothing has happend. Going into deice manager I noticed that there was a yellow exclamtion over my network card, when I look to see what the problem is, I am greeted with the code

"Device cannot start (Code10)"

having rootled around on the internet via my phone (thank god I have a HTC Desire) I came across many referrences to this issue with this and other makes of Wifi card, there were, however 2 common issues... either the driver was not signed, or the machine was running with 4gb of RAM.

Having read that some people had got cards working by dropping down to 2gb, I decided to give this a try.

Dropping to 2gb worked and I now have internet on my PC again - currently trying to work out how to get my other 2gb back in and keep the internet running.

I have heard mentioned a few times that the Code 10 is normally an IRQ error which suggests to me a conflict in IRQ address between the 2nd 2gb of RAM and the Wifi card but not sure how to get round this as yet. hope that is of some help.

[Kragen2179]

I should say I have contacted both Netgear and Gigabyte directly about this but figured it was worth postinghere too.

[Dark Mantis]

Now that you have gopt the card working does it stop if you insert the other 2Gb of memory?

[Kragen2179]

Hi, yes with only 2GB all works ok I go to 4GB get code 10 back to 2GB and all ok again

[Kragen2179]

also if it helps, my mobo is rev 2.0 and updated BIOs to F9

[Dark Mantis]

Was the problem there before you updated the BIOS?

[Kragen2179]

Hi ys BIOS versin seems to be irrelevant - I was on F7 when I installed Win7, thinking it might be a BIOS issue I flashed the BIOS to F9 but this has not resolved it.

A poster on another forum suggested I make sure "Memory Remapping" is enabled in the bIOS but am not sure where to find it.

[Dark Mantis]

I don't think that memory remapping would help but I can't find it in your BIOS anyway so it would appear that it's not an option.

[IceColdBeer]

Back to basics.    Is the memory working properly with all 4GB of RAM installed - test using the program which can be downloaded from memtest.org - you can make a bootable USB flash stick.    Make sure at least two passes are successful.

I've had blue crash screens displayed using Windows 7 specifying it was related to an IRQ, when in fact is was because the memory wasn't working properly.

Worth checking and doesn't take long.

If it is working, you may need to reinstall Windows 7, but it does seem strange that it works with only 2GB installed.

[Kragen2179]

I will try the memtest thing later - otherwise when 4GB installed everything else works fine and windows reports 4GB - I have read on otherforums people having similar issues when they go above 2GB but no resolutions yet

[Dark Mantis]

You have just purchased the card why don't you just take it back and tell them that it doesn't work alright at all. Change it for a different make and maybe you will have more luck.

[Kragen2179]

I might end up doing that, but I hate having to admit defeat lol. Anyway the shop has a 14 day no quibble returns policy so if I haven't solved it by Sunday I will be taking it back. It's a shame because I've been a netgear fan for years but if I have to return this i can't say how long it will be before I can trust them again, some of the faults date back nearly 3 years on other forums

[Dark Mantis]

I can understand you not wanting to admit defeat as I am the same but on the other hand this is something that could give you grief for years to come. Just not worth the trouble, get something that works.

[Kragen2179]

So I finally gave up, no response from Netgear, no response from Marvell (who produce the Libertas chipset used on the Netgear card) and whilst Gigabyte's support centre has responded, their response was to ask me if I'd done all the things I'd already told them I'd done when I sent the support ticket.

So I took the card back this morning and exchanged it for one of Maplin's Value cards. The Maplin Value 11n PCI Wi-Fi card which which runs the RaLink 2670t chipset. This installed and configured successfully in under 5 minutes and seems to have stronger signal than the netgear did when it was working.

[absic]

So I took the card back this morning and exchanged it for one of Maplin's Value cards. The Maplin Value 11n PCI Wi-Fi card which which runs the RaLink 2670t chipset. This installed and configured successfully in under 5 minutes and seems to have stronger signal than the netgear did when it was working.

Makes you wonder sometimes if the big companies are really only after our money, doesn't it?