My LAN is missing...please help

LaRockLaRock TX, USA
edited March 2009 in Internet & Media
Recently my computer was running very slowly. I posted a HijackThis log on this forum and was told to delete certain items. One of the items caused my copy of XP to be "not genuine." Eventually I couldn't update XP and I lost Internet connectivity.

So, I had to get my original XP installation CD, reinstall XP, resulting in me losing several program files. When I tried to connect to the Internet for the first time, I couldn't. I called my ISP and they discovered my LAN was missing. All other computers connected to my wireless router can still connect, but my main desktop is missing its LAN.

He told me I needed to call Dell, but I wanted to see if anyone here could help me get my LAN back.

Please let me know if I need to provide any other information.

Thanks!

Comments

  • MiracleManSMiracleManS Chambersburg, PA Icrontian
    edited March 2009
    It sounds like you'll need the driver for your ethernet card. What model of Dell is this particular computer?
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2009
    Yep, sounds like the drivers for your network card are missing. If you get the make/model of your dell machine from it's service tag you can log onto dells website (from another computer obviously). Go into their suppor/drivers section find your machine and download the network drivers for it. There could be a few of them so download them all. It's probably easiest to put them on a USB thumb drive to transfer them, but burning them to a CD would also work.

    Put them on your dell and they should be .exe files run them and they will extract the drivers to a directory usually c:\dell\drivers\win\lan, however it will tell you where they are going and just make a note of it.

    Open up windows explorer go to those directories and look to see if they have a setup program in them. If they do run it and it should install the network drivers for you. If you've downloaded more then one run them each until it finds the best one for your network card, which will be the first one that actually successfully installs the software.

    If those drivers don't have a setup program to install them, then you have to do it the manual way. Go into start, right click on My Computer and choose properties. Go into the Device Manager Tab, then device manager. This will bring up a list of all the hardware on your machine. You will likely have one or more devices that have exclamation marks by them. Find your network card. Then install the driver for it and when it asks to search for it just tell it specifically where to go to find the driver.
  • LaRockLaRock TX, USA
    edited March 2009
    It's a Demension 2400.

    I forgot to mention...I'm pretty much a novice when it comes to this.

    I work for a company that provides XP for its employees. The only CDs I have are:

    Windows XP Volume License
    Microsoft Office Volume License
    Application--for reinstalling Cyberlink PowerDVD 7.0 software (CD says it's already on my computer)
    Operating System--reinstallation DVD (CD says it's already on my computer)
    User Documentation for Dell E153FP LCD Monitor--User documentation

    Thanks for the fast response!
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2009
    This is the driver you should need

    Dell Dimension 2400 Broadcom NIC

    Download this and get the file to your computer some how. Then run it.
  • LaRockLaRock TX, USA
    edited March 2009
    Tried that...it couldn't connect after trying.

    Now--the router in the pic when that program ran was different than the one I have. I have a LinkSys router. Does that make a difference?

    PS--I also found out my monitor resolution can't change and my sound doesn't work... :-(
  • MiracleManSMiracleManS Chambersburg, PA Icrontian
    edited March 2009
    Be sure you're restarting your machine, as some hardware drivers require a restart.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2009
    You are definitely missing drivers. You'll need to get them from dell for your model, but to do that first you need to get that network card working. The fact that the picture when that program ran looked different doesn't matter.

    When you ran the program on your 2400 did it actually install the drivers or just extract them?

    Go into start>Right click on My Computer>Go into properties>Hardware>Device Manger>Under Network Adapters does it show your network card by make or does it show an unidentified network card somewhere?
  • LaRockLaRock TX, USA
    edited March 2009
    OK...

    First off, THANK YOU for all of your patience and help. I got my network driver working, and I was able to get my sound driver working.

    Now all I have to do is get my monitor resolution working again...

    I have a Dell E153FP monitor. I went to Dell's site, found the only download for that monitor, and extracted it. There was no exe file, but the read me file said to follow these directions:

    1. Open the Display window from Control Panel.
    2. On the Settings tab, click Advanced.
    3. On the Monitor tab, click the Properties button.
    --Here is my problem. The Properties button is there, but it's grayed out. I can't click it at all. So my monitor is stuck at 640 X 480.

    Also, I don't know if there are any other drivers I need to install. I just got my network, sound, and monitor issues. If there are other drivers I need please let me know. I'm not sure what else I'd need to check for.

    I'd appreciate any help on the monitor issue as well. In the meantime I'm headed off to re-download my spyware, firefox, etc.

    Thanks again!
  • MiracleManSMiracleManS Chambersburg, PA Icrontian
    edited March 2009
    You still need your video drivers. Those are what is keeping your resolution so poor. If you go back to the page again and look for video drivers, there should be some drivers for you to download. If there are multiple drivers, we'll be happy to walk you through the process of figuring out which ones to use.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2009
    MiracleManS's right. you don't need to worry about your monitor issues. It's your video card that controls the resolution.

    This Link will take you to the video card drivers for your system.

    The one you likely need is the 845 G/GL integrated driver (the 2nd one from the bottom).

    As for other drivers, that page has all the other drivers you need. But unless you have unknown devices in your device manager you don't have to get the drivers. Also windows does detect some hardware with it's windows update tool and may have installed them for you already.
  • LaRockLaRock TX, USA
    edited March 2009
    kryyst:

    When I tried installing that video driver it said I would be replacing a newer version...should I still do that anyway?

    Other than that everything seems to be working just fine.

    Thank you both again so very much. If you can guide someone like me through this mess you've got to be pretty good communicators. I really do appreciate it!
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2009
    If you right click on your desktop go into properties then go to display properties does it list your video card or does it say something like Generic VGA? If it lists your display driver then you don't need to install that driver I linked to. You should also be able to change your resolution there.
  • LaRockLaRock TX, USA
    edited March 2009
    It's got a driver listed..."Plug and Play...82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV graphics."

    I was able to change resolution there as well. So I guess I'm all set?

    Thank you so much...I was able to fix this when I thought I'd have to buy a new computer or at least pay Geek Squad to fix it. You guys rock!
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2009
    Yep sounds like you are back to where you need to be. Just make sure you've done all the windows updates and that's about it.

    Not to worry you'll be getting our invoice in the mail soon enough.
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