Error 6 Handle is Invalid

Question

Ok, this one has me completely baffled.  A customer brings me a laptop and simply tells me that the internet isn't working.  Yes, I can help with that.  The internet on this laptop is via a Kyocera KPC680 Wireless airtime card and came with Quicklink Mobile software.  

1. Uninstalled software, drivers, everything associated with the card and this particular dial-up connection.  After reinstalling everything, the result is the same.  Error 6: Handle is Invalid
2. Found information online stating that a registry error could be the cause of errors with this particular type of connection.  With that information, I got CCleaner and did a registry check and fix.  Still getting, Error 6: Handle is Invalid.
3.  After that I got to thinking, maybe it's the card.  Let's try the card in another computer and see if it does work.  And in the other computer, connects and works just fine.  So the issue is with the computer...somewhere.
4. After talking with the customer a bit they tell me the issue started when he installed Norton.  Ok, uninstall Norton and everything Symantec.  Went through and made sure it was all gone including all registry entries.  Still the same Error 6: Handle is Invalid.
5.  Scoured the internet for answers and found mention of rarepair.exe, a file that has been shown to work in fixing this exact issue in Windows XP and in a few cases Windows Vista.  Little more research links back to the same forum thread with the same download and the same steps.  Download the file, scan it on another computer and it's virus free.  Right now I'm thinking that I've tried everything else, so what can it hurt.  Run the file and it goes through it's thing.  It uninstalls, reboots, the reinstalls and after setting it all back up.  Error 6: Handle is Invalid
6.  Tried resetting the tcp/ip stack as suggested by a tech friend...still the same Error 6: Handle is Invalid

I'm at a loss.  I've tried almost everything I can think of and find(or gets suggested by fellow techs) and none of it has worked.  The only thing I can think of right now is updating the firmware on the card, but if that were the issue, wouldn't there be problems on other computers?

Anyone have any other suggestions?

Answer 1

Hi RKCompServices,

1. Is the Wireless airtime card detected in the device manager?

2. When exactly do you receive the error message?

First check if the air card is been detected by windows in the device manager.

1. Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Device Manager. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

If the air card is been detected in the device manager then refer the below link and check if there is any update available for the air card download and install, check if it works.

http://www.kyocera-wireless.com/kpc680-pc-card/firmware.htm

Use the below link to download the Norton removal tool to completely remove Norton from the computer.

Download and run the Norton Removal Tool

http://service1.symantec.com/support/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

Hope this helps!

Halima S    - Microsoft Support.

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Answer 2

I note that this wasn't resolved and now I got that error message when trying to print from Notepad running my laptop.  I tried restarting the spooler, rebooting the laptop, rebooting the printer all to no avail.

The printer is on a server running windows server 2012.  I can print from my desktop machine with no problem.  Both machines are Dells running Windows 10.