network interface problem again

this happens approximately every 2 months, and somestimes the problem is solved by setting up my PC from scratch, and sometimes just by sit and wait (for a week or so) :

my NIC (PCMCIA) ist not working, the device does not show up in phlip.
I start as root io-net -del589 -ptcpip and get the message
unable to init dll devn-el589: Operation not permitted

I am prepared to search by myself, but please give me a hint : nic hardware ? hd hardware ? full moon and strange creatures roaming the night ?
damn this card works fine under WIN, and most of the time under QNX (v6), too.

thanks HELGE