[SOLVED] Laptop freezes for 80 seconds. FAULTY HardW: 1x1 11bgn Wireless LAN PCI Express Half Mini Card Adapter. WORK AROUND: I buyed a cheap USB WiFi adapter.

[TomF]

My laptop has been randomly freezing for exactly 80 seconds since early May --- EXACTLY 80 seconds every time. If task manager is running it totally freezes - CPU, HD everything. Then after 80 seconds whatever was happening carries on as if nothing happened. I could be downloading files from some website - it will stop for 80 seconds and carry on as if nothing was wrong. In the middle of a software install - same thing.
I'm on WiFi and if I turn WiFi off it doesn't freeze. I've done everything I can think of - turning off or disabling unnecessary services, uninstalling old software, then cleaning up leftover software from the uninstall - including registry keys, running multiple AV and malware applications, checking device drivers and much more. Its a crazy problem!
If anyone has a clue I'd really appreciate it. I'm thinking I need to blow this old laptop away and rebuild from scratch.

File collection below....

 

[MrPepka]

Update BIOS - laptops and netbooks :: thinkpad t series laptops :: thinkpad t420s - Lenovo Support US

 

[TomF]

It looks like BIOS update for t420 and windows 10 isn't the easiest but I'll give it a go this afternoon...with fingers crossed and thanks.

 

[xilolee]

Try this driver: ThinkPad Wireless LAN (802.11b/g/n) for Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit) - ThinkPad - PE
ThinkPad Wireless LAN (802.11b/g/n) for Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit) - Version 2023.1.1201.2014 - 12 Feb 2015

Supported ThinkPad Systems: T420, T420i, T420s, T420si, T430, T430i, T430s, T430si (and others)

 

[TomF]

I couldn't install this driver - probably because it's for Win 7 and I'm running Win 10? Any advice?

 

[TomF]

I couldn't update the BIOS. I ran Lenovo Vantage, that didn't work. Do I need to boot from bottable USB or CD with BIOS update on that device?

 

[TomF]

SOLVED - I was sure my built in wireless adapter was somehow pooched when my laptop worked flawlessly on ethernet TP. The symptom was very strange though! Randomly freezing for exactly 80 seconds every now and then. Since I couldn't update drivers or BIOS the old work around - buy a cheap USB WiFi adapater. It works great and 2 to 3 times better throughput that the native one that came with my laptop.

Thanks for listening and your advice.