Compaq C776 Laptop Wireless Button Not Working

[FatalException]

I've solved this one already, but I wanted to post the solution in case anyone else out there is having trouble.

I have a Compaq C700 series laptop (C776TU is the official model). It has a button to the left of the power button that controls wireless functionality. Push the button - it turns off wifi and the light behind the button glows orange. Push the button again - it turns on wifi and the light behind the button glows blue.

Now for my problem - after my laptop (running Windows Vista, then upgraded to Windows 7 recently) would enter sleep mode or standby, the wireless button would light up as orange - wifi would be off. Pushing the button would not turn wifi back on, and pushing the wifi button would not change the light from orange to blue. Restarting the computer had no effect. No BIOS setting changes would fix it. The first time this happened on Vista, I had to format and restore the entire computer. That fixed it - for a while. I had to reformat 3 times while using Vista - all because the wifi wireless button would not turn the wi-fi back on!

I upgraded to Windows 7 recently. I installed all the updated drivers (most came with Windows 7). After the first time the laptop went to sleep - no wifi. Argh!

Weirdest thing - when that wifi button is used to turn off wireless, it actually REMOVES the device from the Device Manager, it doesn't just disable it. It's like the computer doesn't even see the wireless network device once that button disables it!

THE FIX: I resolved that I would not reformat this time. Instead, I went into control panel -> System -> Device manager, then removed all of the Intel devices, PCI, PCI express, PCI Bridge, and other drivers under System Devices in the Device Manager. I'm not sure which driver was the correct one to remove... but after removing all devices, then rebooting... and letting windows reinstall the devices, my wireless button started working again! No reinstall needed!

Hope this helps SOMEONE out there!

[jfw]

I've solved this one already, but I wanted to post the solution in case anyone else out there is having trouble.

I have a Compaq C700 series laptop (C776TU is the official model). It has a button to the left of the power button that controls wireless functionality. Push the button - it turns off wifi and the light behind the button glows orange. Push the button again - it turns on wifi and the light behind the button glows blue.

Now for my problem - after my laptop (running Windows Vista, then upgraded to Windows 7 recently) would enter sleep mode or standby, the wireless button would light up as orange - wifi would be off. Pushing the button would not turn wifi back on, and pushing the wifi button would not change the light from orange to blue. Restarting the computer had no effect. No BIOS setting changes would fix it. The first time this happened on Vista, I had to format and restore the entire computer. That fixed it - for a while. I had to reformat 3 times while using Vista - all because the wifi wireless button would not turn the wi-fi back on!

I upgraded to Windows 7 recently. I installed all the updated drivers (most came with Windows 7). After the first time the laptop went to sleep - no wifi. Argh!

Weirdest thing - when that wifi button is used to turn off wireless, it actually REMOVES the device from the Device Manager, it doesn't just disable it. It's like the computer doesn't even see the wireless network device once that button disables it!

THE FIX: I resolved that I would not reformat this time. Instead, I went into control panel -> System -> Device manager, then removed all of the Intel devices, PCI, PCI express, PCI Bridge, and other drivers under System Devices in the Device Manager. I'm not sure which driver was the correct one to remove... but after removing all devices, then rebooting... and letting windows reinstall the devices, my wireless button started working again! No reinstall needed!

Hope this helps SOMEONE out there!

Thanks so much--it worked for me!
I could kiss you!