Anyone good with computers...?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>I reformatted an originally-vista laptop with an XP reinstallation CD... and I don't have the motherboard CD that has the drivers...so I have no internet connection (on the laptop that I reformatted; I'm using a different computer right now). If I go to control panels -> System -> hardware -> Device Manager, I see yellow question marks on "Ethernet Controller", "Network Controller", "PCI Device", "SM Bus Controller", "Video Controller", and "Video Controller (VGA Compatible)" </p>

<p>I've been searching google for the last two hours and it seems as though I can somehow find drivers online and download them...I tried going to the Dell website and looking for drivers but there are sooooo many even when I narrowed it down with my model number. </p>

<p>Should I take it to a technician? How much would this sort of stuff cost?</p>

2

<p>First, why install a 10 year old operating system on a new-ish computer? Get windows 7 and will most likely solve your problem because Microsoft did a lot better with their drivers in the new OS.</p>

<p>For the driver, list what drivers you found on Dell’s website for your model number.</p>

3

<p>Well, I misplaced my vista CD (the one that came with the computer when I got it), but I had an unused XP CD sitting around, so I decided to use that.</p>

4

<p>My shop downloads drivers for $45, not sure about what the price would be where you live, however, there’s usually some free software that will find the drivers. And one quick question, do you have 32 or 64 bit windows xp? Because if you are using 32 bit it can only recognize 4gb of ram; therefore, some might be going to waste if that’s a good computer.</p>

5

<p>Do you guys even know how to use computers?</p>

<p>You need to know the hardware of your computer. First get a flashdrive, you definitely need one.
Download this to your computer that you are using right now:</p>

<p>[CPUID</a> - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting](<a href=“http://www.cpuid.com/downloads/pc-wizard/2010.1.961-setup.exe]CPUID”>http://www.cpuid.com/downloads/pc-wizard/2010.1.961-setup.exe)
Click download now.</p>

<p>Take a flashdrive, copy what you just downloaded ^^^ into it, plug the flashdrive into your XP computer, and install that program.</p>

<p>Install and run it, and you should see something like this:</p>

<p><a href=“http://i613.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/albums/tt212/eurosport360/Pictureone.jpg[/url]”>http://i613.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/albums/tt212/eurosport360/Pictureone.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>You should see your network card there. If not look here,</p>

<p><a href=“http://i613.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/albums/tt212/eurosport360/Picturetwo.jpg[/url]”>http://i613.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/albums/tt212/eurosport360/Picturetwo.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>1) Once you know what your network card is, go back to your working computer with internet, and find the driver for it online.
2) Download the driver (either an exe or a bunch of files) put it on your flashdrive. Make sure its for your operating system (XP 32 bit or 64)
3) Go to xp computer and plug in flashdrive again. </p>

<p>If the driver is a bunch of files (no exe to install it)
4) Go to device manager from your control panel.
5) Right click the Network controller, update driver software (may be different for you) click browse for software, and just click your flashdrive.</p>

<p>It should then search your flashdrive and find the driver files/install. This will lead to internet access after you restart.</p>

<p>If the driver is an .exe, just click .exe and install it.</p>

<p>Once you have internet access, windows update should find the drivers automadicly, or you right click the unknown devices in device manager and click search automatically, search online, or whatever it says for you.</p>

<p><a href=“http://i613.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/albums/tt212/eurosport360/Picturethree.jpg[/url]”>http://i613.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/albums/tt212/eurosport360/Picturethree.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>If you want to install drivers individually, then just go back to the program, look at your motherboard, search your motherboard online, and find drivers for it. Plus, update your drivers for your video card. </p>

<p>All of these drivers depend on your Operating system, so find out your OS and if its 32 bit or 64 bit by using that program or right clicking my computer - properties.</p>

<p>Also, if you have a crap dell computer, just search its model number online, download its drivers for windows xp, put all of that on your flashdrive, and install them.</p>

<p>The end.</p>

<p>Why the H_ELL would you spend money to do this, when all it takes is patience/time/and research on the internet. Hour at max if your new. Just google the right things, and problem solve.</p>

6

<p>eurosport, do I have to install ALL the drivers on the dell website? I installed the chipset and network and now I can get the internet to run if its connected to the router, but without the chord, it won’t run. Also, when I try to install the wireless card, it say something like wireless adapter 1515 cannot be found…</p>

7

<p>Tell me if your operating system is 32 bit or 64 bit, what wireless adapter you have, and the model of your computer, and I will find the right driver for you to install. Maybe your computer does not have a wireless adapter? Install that program and tell me, or if you know what the wireless adapter is just tell me. Your computer’s model number is better too if you know that.</p>

8

<p>eurosport, I have a Dell Inspiron 1545. I went to their website and downloaded all the drivers in the chipset and network categories. I can run the internet only if I have the blue chord from the router plugged in. As soon as I plug that out, internet does not work, but I’m still connected to linksys. When I try to install Dell Wireless Driver, an error pops up saying I don’t have a 1515 Wireless Adapter Device plugged in.</p>

<p>As for the operating system, it’s an XP. I don’t know if it s 32 or 64, but the website didn’t ask; it simply had one XP option.</p>

9

<p>You need to know if you have either of these</p>

<p>Dell Wireless 1397 802.11g Mini-Card
Dell Wireless 1515 Wireless-N Mini-Card
Intel® Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-card</p>

<p>You might not have gotten the 1515 adapter when you bought. You might have bought it with one of the two other cards.</p>

<p>You need to identify to me which specific adapter you have.</p>

<p>If you are positive you have the N-speed adapter (1515), then download and install this.</p>

<p><a href=“http://i613.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/albums/tt212/eurosport360/picture4.jpg[/url]”>http://i613.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/albums/tt212/eurosport360/picture4.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>[Dell</a> Wireless 1515 (11agn) WLAN half mini-Card (Atheros) Driver | Wireless Driver & Software](<a href=“http://www.wireless-driver.com/Dell-Wireless-1515-11agn-WLAN-half-mini-Card-Atheros-Driver/]Dell”>Dell Wireless 1515 (11agn) WLAN Half Mini-Card Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Win7 Drivers | Wireless Drivers)</p>

<p>It says it does not detect that you have that wireless card there, so you must have another one, unless you are positive you have the 1515 one. < If you are positive, then install what I sent you, if not, you need to find out what it is using PCwizard, and then search for its drivers on the internet.</p>

<p>Also, when you bought this laptop, you needed to pick which network adapter you wanted, so if you had a wireless connection before you installed Xp, then you definitely have an adapter in there.</p>

<p>Again, to see if your OS is 32 or 64 bit, right click My computer, then click properties, and you should see it there.</p>

10

<p>okay, it’s 64 bit and the PC wizard is telling me that I have a 1397 WLAN mini card but when I went to download it, it says the operating system is not supported…</p>

11

<p>You need to do some research yourself…</p>

<p>just search in google</p>

<p>Dell Wireless 1397 802.11g Mini-Card driver</p>

<p>Or go to dells website, search your system’s model number and download the driver directly from there. They legally have to support that OS, so it has to be supported.</p>

<p>Better yet, go to a forum, like tom’s hardware, make a thread titled:
Dell Wireless 1397 802.11g Mini-Card driver needed for XP 64 Bit, and someone will find it for you.</p>

12

<p>[Ubuntu</a> homepage | Ubuntu](<a href=“http://www.ubuntu.com%5DUbuntu”>http://www.ubuntu.com) </p>

<p>Make a live usb and get rid of Windows. It will solve all of the problems in your life.</p>

13

<p>If you have a Dell, there should be a sticker on it somewhere with the “product code” for your exact configuration. My ancient computer has one on the side and all I need to do is enter that in on Dell’s website and they’ll lead me to all the drivers available.</p>

<p>Then again, my computer is barely stock anymore so it doesn’t help me now…</p>