WIRELESS REINSTALL - any experts

espresso

virgin_moneysaver wrote: »

I had to pick up our connection name & the blu light came on to signify it was picking up the signal, but it still won't connect to the internet

Have you entered the encryption code correctly? You should have to enter the WPA passphrase before you can connect to your router and surf the net.

virgin_moneysaver

kwikbreaks wrote: »

It means that the switch isn't turning the card on so it isn't being detected. It seems likely to me that the button operates some software that should be running rather than directly switching the wifi card on and off. For instance the netbook I'm currently using has no switch at all and the wifi is turned on and off by software controlled by a function key.

I remember when you originally brought up the subject of wiping this laptop and recommended at the time that you check to see if it had a recovery partition because resetting to default configuration from that would include all the required drivers and accessory software. It may be that reinstalling XP has wiped out any such partition that it did have but it may not have - does it come up with any options at boot time which mention repairing the computer or something other than normal or safe mode boot?

will have a look next time I can get it out in secret

virgin_moneysaver

kwikbreaks wrote: »

The other problem here if the laptop was originally Vista (possible if it was bought at the end of 2006) and XP has been installed on it then then it won't pass MS key validation when it eventually does get online.

if that is the case how do i get around it, if i can?

JasX

When you look under 'Device manager' there should be no devices with yellow question marks listed as 'unknown device'. anything that is indicates your computer has detected 'something' is there but XP can;t find a driver for it so has no idea what it is.

I'm guessing you'll have at least 1 of these corresponding to the wireless card. to get it working you'll need to hunt down the right driver -either from intel, the PC manufacturer/vendor, or some 3rd party file hosting/sharing site (Intel went thru a phase of not releasing drivers when people were buying cheap non-wifi laptops and self upgrading)

Making sure you've updated/patched windows to the latest version using windows update 'might' help.

Are there any other 'unknown devices' under device manager? you're not done till you've got drivers for all of them, I've read about free 'XP unknown device identifier' software you can get to try and work out what your unknown devices are but have no experience using them....

espresso

JasX wrote: »

When you look under 'Device manager' there should be no devices with yellow question marks listed as 'unknown device'....................

Keep up at the back!

Read post #21

:rolleyes:

JasX

espresso wrote: »

Keep up at the back!

Read post #21

:rolleyes:

yes sorry....

still might be worth checking he's not got any other unknown devices tho

kwikbreaks

I think the lack of ability to spend much time on it is leading to some contardictary info being given here...

If there is only a 1394 adaptor showing under network adaptors then there is a problem turning the wifi on. But there is now mention of the wifi light coming on.

Then there is the question mark over which version of windows it was originally running - if the key on the machine was for Vista I don't think it would work on an XP install so was it Vista? what key was used?

Has the software pointed to by espresso been tried?

Until these and probably more is all clear we are shooting in the dark.

-TangleFoot-

Is this of any use to you?

virgin_moneysaver

I'm really sorry if you find my lack of computer savvy frustrating - I just wanted to delete all items from the laptop & give it to my son without anybody's name being on it & as I've had to reload my windows XP on the family pc on the advice of Dell I thought it would be the simplest thing to do, little did I know I've now rendered the machine useless

virgin_moneysaver

this is what I find confusing - post 3 talks of downloading the driver, but how can I do this on the laptop if I can't logon to the internet to access the download page

& the 1st reply talks about a wifi card being loaded, I don't know what card he's talking about?