[awdrifter]

I'm fixing a DV6000 for a friend, basically the wireless switch is disabling the wireless even when it's switched to the on position. I remember reading about a registry hack that can disable the switch, but I can't find it now. If anyone has the link, please reply. Thanks.

 

[captthunderpnts]

The...physical switch on the front of the laptop?

If so, there's no way a 'regsitry hack' would prevent that. If it's disabling with the switch in the 'on' position, then either the switch or the WLAN module is going bad.

 

[awdrifter]

Yes, the physical switch, I remember reading a while back there's a way to disable it through software. I guess it may not be a registry hack, but it's a software method of disabling it.

Edit: the model number is DV6408NR, which according to HP is not one of the recalled models.

 

[captthunderpnts]

The only way the registry hack would ever work is if the hardware switch was wired into an I/O logic gate, lol.

Take that beast apart and check for loose wires at the switch and at the header on the board. If it turns out to be the switch, you could always short the pins that leave the wireless adapter on, and just disable it via Windows' wireless manager, though I'm not sure if there will be a detriment on your battery life. Also, a thought would be to find another mini PCI-e WLAN card and perform a swap, to see if the issue still persists. Most HP laptops allow you to access the wireless card through just one small panel, so you don't have to tear the entire machine apart if you're not comfortable.

 

[ComGuards]

Any chance there's an option in the system BIOS to do what you want...?

 

[awdrifter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by captthunderpnts The only way the registry hack would ever work is if the hardware switch was wired into an I/O logic gate, lol. Take that beast apart and check for loose wires at the switch and at the header on the board. If it turns out to be the switch, you could always short the pins that leave the wireless adapter on, and just disable it via Windows' wireless manager, though I'm not sure if there will be a detriment on your battery life. Also, a thought would be to find another mini PCI-e WLAN card and perform a swap, to see if the issue still persists. Most HP laptops allow you to access the wireless card through just one small panel, so you don't have to tear the entire machine apart if you're not comfortable.

I took a few laptops completely apart, so I'm comfortable doing that, but don't want to go through all that if possible. I found that if I disable the wireless through the switch, then enable it back after a restart, sometimes the wireless will come back on. So I might just tell her to do that for now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ComGuards Any chance there's an option in the system BIOS to do what you want...?

Nope, I check the bios, there's nothing really I can change except for the date, shared ram and boot order.

Thanks for the replies.