Windows 7 wireless wpa2-psk remembers password after HD format!?

[greyghost_6]

Ok I joined this forum to get assistance/knowledge for this issue.

Long story short, I upgraded hard drives in my laptop (TOTALLY DIFFERENT HD), installed drivers and BAM, I was connected to my wireless router. I was just so used to it connecting I didn't think much of it today when I realized I never put the password in. So is it possible my NIC card has some kind of flash non volatile ram that stores this info? I checked my routers config page, sure enough wireless encryption is enabled and password is there. I dont want this to be a flame the new guy war about why wpa2 is unsecure/good enough, the bigger issue here is that I reinstalled Windows and it remembered my password. I use a DELL XPS M1330 and a netgear router flashed with ddwrt v24-sp2. Any takers? I do have one other thought about whats happening , (which is a scary thought) but I want you guys to give me your input too, I may be wrong.

P.S. If you must, you can comment on my wpa2 psk TKIP choice. Im only still using it because my last pcs had that as their strongest encryption

 

[Celegorm]

Well that would be a first.

Encryption shouldn't have anything to do with this so I'd say your safe from that argument.

As for how it happened, I have one theory. At some point during the hard drive changing I'm assuming you moved your personal data over. My theory is that maybe, just somehow, a config file for the driver itself got copied over so when you re install the wireless driver it saw that and took off.

Now that is absolutely theoretical and I have no proof to back up that it's even possible but it's the best I can think of.

 

[cboucher]

Does your router have MAC filtering enabled? Maybe since your wireless card is already seen as a known device on the network it is automatically let through. Just a guess, though. The MAC address of your wireless card is the only thing I can think of at the moment that wouldn't change with a new hard drive.

 

[sgtwhtie]

Do you have a Windows.old?

 

[greyghost_6]

No, I dont have a windows.old, its a totally new hd and I barely moved any files over. Yeah, my last thought was that the router caches Mac addresses, but still it should at least ask for a password in case someone just spoofs the mac address :/