Using a 2K/XP WDM driver in 98SE or ME

[LoneGunmen]

Just like the title says, I'm trying to use a DWA-130 (Rev.E) USB Wifi adapter with 98SE, but if push comes to shove I can install ME instead. This adapter has drivers for 2K, XP, Vista, and 7, I figured the 2K drivers would work with 98SE and the thing is, they kinda do. As in, 98SE will load the drivers, give it a name in device manager, and say it's working, but when I restart the device still has a name, but no drivers are listed as being for it and it's disabled. The kicker is that the drivers .inf files are marked with "Chicago", which is just bizarre for a whole lot of reasons.

You can find the drivers easily enough on D-Links website if you want to look at them yourself, and any help is appreciated because then I could have wireless on my old laptop, plus it's just a personal curiousity as to why the drivers are marked "Chicago", and I would love to have that resolved.

[allen2]

Here is your answer about chicago being in the inf: http://www.osronline.com/ddkx/install/inf-format_2fzm.htm

[LoneGunmen]

Well yeah, I figured that's what it meant, but why does it say chicago if it's a 2K/XP driver, and not NT?

[jds]

Well, there's a good chance the reason is that this device originally had drivers for both W9X and WNT (and no, ME will not work any better for you than 98). So try to find an older edition of the drivers, before they deleted the W9X support (I've done that previously for a similar Ralink card). Then try dropping the older INF files into the current driver file set and see if it can install and work properly (you may need to first nuke all traces of the newer INF files, and corresponding PNF files, if any, from your \W\INF and \W\INF\OTHER directories). If that doesn't work (newer DLL, VXD or SYS files are unsuitable, or 9X-specific files are missing), just go with the original, older driver file set.

Joe.

Edited June 24, 2011 by jds

[erpdude8]

I had a similar experience with using Crystal CS4299 WDM drivers on a 98se/ME system.

Certain versions of it (v6.13.10.4140 and earlier) seem to support 98se/ME/2000/XP.

anything higher than that one (like 6.13.10.4141 or greater) would only work under W2k/XP

and not under 98se/ME.