AWUS036H troubles, Win7 Pro x64

[Mav451]

Ugh, USB Wireless adapter troubles in Win7Pro x64

Background:
For about 4 years, I've been happy with my Hawking HWU54D. Great performance...but sadly no x64 drivers (Vista or otherwise). So I picked up what I believed would have at least Vista x64 support in the AWU036H. Got it from Data-alliance, so not just a random eBay purchase.

So virgin install of Win7.
1. Installed Intel chipset drivers so all my USB ports are good to go.
Plug-in the AWU036H, get the "can't install driver" message, point it to the driver folder I downloaded (12/9/2009 drivers) - and it installs. LED turns on, so I think I'm about done. Nope. Apparently while the driver supposedly installed (and they are WHQL), I have a bit red X on my WLAN connection icon. Apparently it claims they are no networks. I know this is bull since my Hawking easily picked up at least 8 AP's.

2. Maybe the latest driver sucks? I uninstall and rebooted in safe-mode (just-in case for driver-signing), this time I try a 2008 driver from the CD. No go. I try the 6/29/2009 driver. Nope. At this point, I must be missing something obvious - but for a like a split-second, I saw the bars actually go green and it actually sees at least 6 of the neighborhood APs. For a second. Then the redX returns. Using Diagnose made me feel like a noob, and with a slap in the face concludes "may have trouble with WLAN driver".

*Clunk*

I'm this close to buying a POS, thumbdrive from microcenter. I tried at least 3 different drivers. Ironically the WHQL driver, the one on their website, was just as useless as the others. Tell me I'm missing something obvious.

 

[Mav451]

Lol no responses. Looks like I'll be buying another adapter

 

[Mav451]

Bought a standard "off-the-shelf" USB adapter, AE1000 Linksys Adapter. What is comical is the "Windows 7 Compatible" sticker on the box. We'll get to that later.

Plug-in to USB. Of course Win7 does not have a driver for it, so I point it to the driver folder I downloaded (had to download the drivers at work). For some reason, Win7 deems it prudent to encrypt the extracted zip files. Why the F is Win7 encrypting folders when I don't ask for it? Stupid. Anyway that's for another thread...

Right-click and untick the encryption option on the files. Go through Device Manager "Update Driver". This is where it gets hilarious. Has anyone seen a driver install window hang? Much less in the best OS, supposedly, that MS has released? Well I did. I watched ESPN for 10mins, came back, the driver still was "installing". Lol.

I force the device manager process to quit, and restart. I go to safe-mode to uninstall it.

I reboot again. Connect it, Win7 can't install drivers. This time I point it to the folder from the CD in the box - these are older drivers. Once again, the drive install window hangs. WOW.

1) At least the crappy Alfa adapter I had, installed the drivers quickly. The drivers didn't work at all, but at least they installed quickly.

2) Once again I had to force quit out of it.

Conclusion: Seems like Windows 7 is making me revisit the days of 4in1 Via. Any driver install seems like a crazy ride into hell and hoping to god it actually installs correctly. Now it seems the only logical solution is a wireless bridge with DD-WRT since Win7 can't even install wireless driver correctly.

*Update - August 27, 2010*
I got my trusty Asus WL520gU to work as a wireless bridge, so I'm now connected (after 72 hours lmao of nonsense). My rant above is already plenty, but it should go without saying:
1) Win7 stickers on boxes mean jack shit. It's seems like rubber stamping to get it out the door (but with no accountability on functioning x64 drivers)
2) For the love of god, use ethernet only.