Netgear drivers

Error 1609

If you try to install Netgear drivers for the WG511v2 WLAN card (and most probably other types from Netgear as well) on a non-English Windows you run into an Error 1609 complaining about the non-existence of the Guests user group. Installation fails.

What's going on?

That these group does not exist is quite normal, user groups do get different names in different languages. A multilingual msi (Microsoft Installer) package (even one with an English GUI!) needs so-called transformations to match the localized names of certain groups and folders to the English originals. (e.g. Documents and Settings, Programs, Users, Guests, Administrators, ...) Otherwise the Microsoft Installer will be lost like a tourist without dictionary. Netgear fails to provide these transformations, therefore installation fails as well.

The solution - quick version

Netgear.de now offers version 3.0 of the software for download an. Installation works on a localized Windows, but the wizard is in English only. If you would rather have a different version or language, please read on.

But this version too is not without problems. It deactivates both Fast User Switching and Welcome Page. This is due to a registry entry under
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows NT/Current Version/WINLOGON. If you delete the key GINAdll you can activate both features again.

Disclaimer

You are tinkering with system settings and driver-related software. If you do not know what you are doing, better do not try it! Blechtrottel brodaktschns cannot take over responsibility for any damage that might be caused to your system. You have been warned!

The solution - for version before 3.0

Here is how to install the Netgear driver. (This method works for versions 2.5.11, 2.4 and 2.3)

This steps work on a German XP Prof SP2. You have to be logged on as an administrator. (If you are happy with a working English GUI skip steps 1-4 and 10-12. If you are not sure follow steps 1-4 but leave out 10-12, you can always do that later :-) Or check the download section of this page, we can save you some of the work.

1. Install localized driver and wizard from CD (version 1.0 in our case). If you already have a localized version on your pc, skip this step.
2. Save Start Menu settings of this version to somewhere safe.
3. Save about.rtf, networks.rtf, settings.rtf, statistics.rtf, MultiLanguage.tmp from the Netgear/wg511v2 directory to a safe place.
4. Uninstall Netgear wizard.
5. Create a local user group named Users and another named Guests.
6. Install new driver into the same folder (default is: C:\Programme\Netgear\WG511v2) until you reach a Success! window. Don't click Next here! Leave this window alone for the moment!
   
7. Add the group corresponding to the English Users in your localized Windows version to the OEM.tmp in the installation directory. Grant Full Access to this group.
8. Continue installation from the Success! window as prompted right through to the end.
9. Close the Netgear wizard.
10. Copy rtf's saved in step 3 to C:\Programme\Netgear\WG511v2 (Overwrite existing ones.) This will give you help messages in your language.
11. Change MultiLanguage.tmp according to your localized copy. Be careful! The new wizard has new features and a slightly different structure. You have to check and change the file line by line. You will have to translate new features yourself.
12. Overwrite links in Startmenu with the ones you saved in step 2.
13. Enjoy :-)
    

Note

If you have XP Home on your machine you will have to boot in Safe Mode to access the security tab for a file. There is a lot of information on that on the net, we will not go into detail. If you don't know how to add user groups check the web or Windows Help. Or read on.

Download

You can use our usersguests.exe to create the Users and Guests user groups.

Users running a German Windows XP can download the rtf's and Multilanguage.tmp from blechtrottel brodaktschns. This will not be of much use to you, or else you would be reading the German version of this page, wouldn't you. But if you want to offer help in your language just send us the files. We will gladly put them here for download. You could even do a brand-new translation into a language Netgear does not natively support yet! Make sure it is version 3.0 or 2.5.11, though.