Networking & wireless: Win XP Pro SP3 WZC Help

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.