Win XP Pro SP3 WZC Help

I am helping a co-worker set up a laptop that she got through a Student Laptop program that was administered by her kids' school. I basically have it up and running. It is an HP/Compaq nx6310. Network adapter is an Intel Pro/Wireless 3945ABG Net

My problem is as follows:

I am currently connected to an unsecured wireless connection from someone in my building (not my own wireless network) when I try to choose another network says "No wireless networks were found in range" however I am still very much connected to the internet. (Also the laptop connected to the Guest Network at my office automatically saying "No wireless networks were found in range." I am currently using my own laptop in the same room and
have several wireless networks in range.

When I disable WZC using services.msc the laptop still connects to the same unsecured wireless connection. However the message changes to "Windows cannot configure this wireless connection"

I do not have a wireless connections tab under the Wireless Network Connection Properties window with WZC started or disabled so I cannot choose to let windows manage my wireless connections.

I have disabled all non windows startup entries in MSCONFIG...nothing...

I have updated all windows updates, all device drivers, I have checked for errors in Device manager...nothing...

Obviously if I can connect to the internet with WZC disabled some other application is managing the wireless networking. However I cannot find this application anywhere.

I have googled every running process in task manager to find it...nothing...
I have set all the services to the default based on the info at this url http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm ...nothing

I am sure this has to do with the fact that this computer used to be pretty well locked down for a middle school student to get on the schools network but nothing else.

Any ideas? My coworker has lost her XP disc so I can't do a clean install.
I worry that if I do a system restore I will lose all the work I put into getting this laptop to work like a personal laptop rather than a system administered laptop.

 

Turn every thing back on, reboot. Now bring up the WZC, under advanced properties turn off connect to any network. From the location tab delete the unprotected location.

You probably have SSID turned off (not to broadcast), turn back on. Hidding your ssid is not real security. Your router may need to reboot to broadcast the SSID. Then see if the NB can see your SSID and then connect after entering the pass key. I recommend WPA2 AES using atleast 20 chr random generated using all printable chr. I use the Key Generator on GRC.com. Copy the 63 chr key to a notepad doc. Grab all or part and save the key used. Then connect to you router using a wired connection, and enter the key in the pass phrase. XP does not like WEP, DO NOT USE, EASY TO BREAK.
transfer the key to a usb stick and setup the other NB.

Also check to make sure your not using MAC filtering. If you are you will need to add the new NB into the approved list. MAC Filtering is just a pita I do not recommend using it. Any scanner will pull your mac address and cloning is easy.

You may need to make sure the NB is 11g only, some def to 11n.