This post is more than 5 years old
10 Posts
0
5199
Dell Dimention 8400 How to download drivers if I cannot connect to the internet?
I have a Dell Dimention 8400 and I reinstalled Windows XP Home Edition and now it will not connect to the internet. I am not sure why or what the problem is but I checked the device manager and it has yellow exclamation marks on "Other devices" on the Ethernet Controller, Multimedia Audio Controler, PCI Modem, SM Bus Controler, Unknown Device , Video Controler and Video Controler (VGA Compatible). How can I reinstall these drivers if the computer will not connect to the internet? Can anyone help me figure out how to resolve this problem? I have another computer that I could download onto a cd rom or dvd if I knew how and what I needed to do. Thank you for reading about my problem. Robert
tgsmith
2.9K Posts
1
September 29th, 2011 21:00
Trebormoorf,
Go to the Drivers and Downloads site: support.dell.com/.../index.aspx
Enter your Service Tag Number. The applicable drivers for your system will be listed. Download them and burn them to a CD.
Install the drivers in the order recommended here: support.dell.com/.../document
Hope this information is of value to you.
Tony
tgsmith
2.9K Posts
1
September 30th, 2011 10:00
Robert,
Join the club. Man, I've about pulled out what little hair I have left trying to install some PCI modems. About all I can recommend is to go to device manager and uninstall the PCI modem with the yellow ! mark. Then go to the subdirectory where you extracted the modem driver and see if there is a setup program or .INF file that you can install. Sometimes that's how you install those rascals. This assumes of course that the original modem that shipped with your system has not been replaced with a different one.
The Windows XP SP2 executable file can be downloaded from here: www.microsoft.com/.../details.aspx
The Windows XP SP3 executable file can be downloaded from here: www.microsoft.com/.../details.aspx
Since you cannot get Windows Automatic Update to work, you can safely ignore Microsoft's advice to not download the executable Service Pack files.
Let us know how you fare.
Tony
tgsmith
2.9K Posts
1
September 30th, 2011 18:00
Robert,
Glad you got everything working. Since you recycle used computers, you may want to review the Factory Restore options in case you get any more used Dell computers. Dell Factory Restore options are described here: support.dell.com/.../document
Also, when installing any operating system on a Dell, look for the Microsoft Product Key label as to what version of Windows was originally installed. Dell Reinstallation CDs for Windows are preactivated. For example, if the computer shipped with Windows XP Home, then you can use a Dell Windows XP Home Reinstallation CD and you will not have to enter the Product Key. If you use a Retail Microsoft Windows XP Home CD, you will need to change the Product Key to the one on the cabinet.
If you are doing a clean install of Windows XP; i.e., the previous owner completely erased the hard drive, you might want to create Dell Reinstallation CDs for Windows XP that have Service Pack 3 integrated into the Reinstallation CD. You can do this using programs such as AutoStreamer and n-Lite. Details on how to create a slipstreamed Windows XP SP3 disk are described here: www.pagestart.com/slipstreamsp3.html
Should you experience any problems with a Dell computer, feel free to post your problem here on the Dell Community Forum. One of us will be around to assist you.
Tony
Philip_Yip
7 Technologist
7 Technologist
•
16K Posts
1
October 1st, 2011 01:00
Small expansion on using nlite mentioned by Tony above. I wrote a wiki here.
trebormoorf
10 Posts
0
September 30th, 2011 09:00
This was great! Thanks Tony! I got almost all of the recomended downloads installed. One thing that is still with a yellow ! mark is Other Devices- PCI Modem. I tried to get that fixed but one problem is that I have Service Pack 1 and I can't seem to get Service pack 2 to install. The Windows Automatic Update does not seem to work with the current service pack that I have. Any suggestions for this ? Thanks again, Robert
Philip_Yip
7 Technologist
7 Technologist
•
16K Posts
0
September 30th, 2011 13:00
You have likely installed the drivers in the wrong order and hence have problems with the modem/audio. Please follow/confer with my step by step guide for a clean install of Windows XP if you want more details/are experiencing any other problems.
trebormoorf
10 Posts
0
September 30th, 2011 13:00
Thanks Tony! I was not able to get Service Pack 2 to install but I did get Service pack 3 to install and it worked out fine. It also detected the PCI modem and automatic updates updated the drivers for that so I think I am in pretty good shape now, just hope it stays stable. This is so good for me to learn as I run a nonprofit organization that recycles used computers and builds computer labs around the world. I usualy use volunteers to fix the problems but I decited to work on this myself. I really apreciate all the help! Robert
RoHe
10 Elder
10 Elder
•
43.6K Posts
0
September 30th, 2011 14:00
The D8400 requires that Dell's Desktop System Software (System Utiltiies) be installed as the very first driver after loading XP and before installing the chipset driver, which should be second driver installed after XP. If you didn't install in that order, you might have the troubles you're seeing.
If you didn't install those as first 2, reboot in Safe Mode and install them and then reboot normally and reinstall any other driver(s) that doesn't seem to be working correctly.
Note: Unless someone plans to use a dial-up internet connection (rather than broadband through the ethernet port) you don't actually need to install the PCI modem driver. You can simply disable the PCI modem in Device Manager, or physically remove the PCI card from the system.
I've disabled the PCI modem in my D8400 in Device Manager because I use the ethernet port to connect via broadband
Ron
RoHe
10 Elder
10 Elder
•
43.6K Posts
0
September 30th, 2011 19:00
@tgsmith -Did you read the PM I sent to you? - Ron
trebormoorf
10 Posts
0
October 4th, 2011 11:00
Thanks for the links. This will really help!
trebormoorf
10 Posts
0
October 4th, 2011 11:00
Thanks for all the info Tony. This will be a big help for sure. This is a great forum, unlike other forums I have tried to use. Thanks again,
Robert
tgsmith
2.9K Posts
0
October 4th, 2011 23:00
Robert,
You're welcome. Let us know how you fare.
Tony