Summary

Windows XP provides no driver support for the 3C509 (though it does support the “B” varient of this card). Additionally 3Com provides no driver support for the 3C509 under Windows XP. How to get the 3com Etherlink III (3C509) working in Windows XP: 1.) You will need access to a PC running Windows 2000. 2.) Copy X:winntsystem32driverselnk3.sys from the Win2k machine to X:WINDOWSsystem32drivers on the WinXP machine. 3.) On the WinXP machine rename X:WINDOWSinfnetel5x9.inf to netel5x9.inf.old. 4.) On the WinXP machine rename X:WINDOWSinfnetel5x9.PNF to netel5x9.PNF.old. 5.) Copy X:Winntinfnetel5x9.inf and X:winntinfnetel5x9.PNF from the Win2k machine to X:WINDOWSinf on the WinXP machine. 6.) Now run the "Add Hardware Wizard" in WinXP by right clicking "My Computer" > select "Properties" > Click the "Hardware" tab > click the "Add Hardware Wizard" button). 7.) Inside the Add Hardware Wizard: 7.a) On screen one: click "Next" 7.b) On screen two: Select "Yes" and click "Next" 7.c) On screen three: at the bottom of the hardware list select "Add new hardware device" and click "Next" 7.d) On screen four: select "Install the hardware that I manually select from a list" and click "Next" 7.e) On screen five: from the list select "Network adapters" and click "Next" 7.f) On screen six: Highlight "3Com" in the left pane. You should see a list of 3Com NICs appear in the right pane. Select "3Com Etherlink III ISA (3C509/3C509b) in legacy mode" and click "Next" 7.g) On screen seven: click "Next" 7.h) when prompted about driver signing click "continue anyway" 8.) In Device Manager (Right click "My Computer" > select "Properties" > click the "hardware" tab > click the "Device Manager" button) you will notice that the 3C509 is listed but has an error. Device manager reports that it cannot determine the setting for the NIC, and suggests you set them manually. 9.) To manually set resources for the 3C509: 9.a) Double click it's listing in Device Manager. 9.b) A window appears. Select the "Resources" tab. 9.c) On the "Resources" tab double click "I/O Range" under "Resource type". 9.d) In the "Edit Input/Output Range" window that appears, scroll through the available values until the box at the bottom of the window reports "No devices are conflicting." and then press the "OK" button. 9.e) You should now be back on the "Resources" tab. Double click "IRQ" under "Resource Type". 9.f) In the "Edit Interrupt Request" window that appears, scroll through the available values until the box at the bottom of the window reports "No devices are conflicting." and then press the "OK" button. 9.g) You should once again be back at the "Resources" tab. Click the "OK" button 9.h) close Device Manager 10) reboot Windows XP

The ISA 3com Etherlink III 3C509TP network adapter works in W2k3 if the elnk3.sys file from a W2k-installation is used. You should also look for the installation file netel5x9.inf on the net. For more info, see the XP section for the same adapter, the solution is more or less the same but you won't need the .pnf-file.

I can't find the driver for card 3COM EtherLink III 3C509TP (ISA). My OS is Windows XP SP3.