I need a driver for the 531 Inspiron network Controller driver

You checked this page?

Well, I tried three times to install that driver, and it keeps saying that there is no driver.

 

Is there a tech around who can offer some solution?  Everything else works on this PC except the internet connection.   I cannot install Cox Cable until I get a network card up and running.

 

I would even install a third part card except that I am not prepared to spend $30 on one. 

First no Dell techs monitor or work these board. These boards are worked by other users who try and help others. There is a wealth of knowledge on these forums so one would be wise to ask kindly for help..

it will get you further...

 

now i see you mentioned you reinstalled your os. when you reinstalled did you install things in this order...OS, Chipset, Sound video and other drivers. It is important to install the chipset drivers right after the OS. This could be a good reason as to why you get the no device errors as the Os and the chipset do not see the network adapter.

I didn't mean to sound rude. But, I am becoming frustrated.

 

I've worked on many computers,  and built one, but this one is driving me crazy!

 

 

Thanks all for your kind attempt at help.

 

Truth be told, I was commissioned to remove Vista Home and install Windows XP on that Inspiron 531! :smileyhappy:  Microsoft apparently will not allow Dell to support XP on those machines. So, I spent hours looking for the correct XP drivers on the web. Finally, I stumbled accross a guy who did the same thing to the same exact machines-twenty of them for his school system. He didn't like Vista, but he liked the computers. So, in his frustration, he compiled the correct drivers and provided them to anyone who needed them. Seems a LOT of people prefer XP over Vista.

 

So, I downloaded the package and installed it. Now, everything's cool...except for that one PCI device I can't identify that still has no drivers. But, everything works, and my client will be happy! I just finished installing all those MS updates and installed and updated the antivirus and firewall.

 

Call this case closed!

I am facing exactly the same challenge, I just bought a 531s and need to make it work with XP insterad of Vista. I collected video and audio drivers, but the network controller driver is not as easy. It's not a wireless, but an nvidia nforce controller embeddded in the motherboard. I am new to this, can you point me to where you found the solution you wrote about in your post?

Thanks in advance. 

LJOL:

Take a look at the following site in which a customer documented his installation of XP on the 531:

http://outerheaven.c-reality.com/archives/84-Dell-Inspiron-531-Windows-XP-Driver-Pack.html

Hi Chris!

 

This is the exact same page and package I used!  The package is a .rar file, so one will need Winrar to uunpack it.

 

 

Hi Chris!

Thanks ofr the link. It does exist, but for an unknown reason the link in that page to download the drivers is not working. I even posted there a comment as some other people did, but as today (may 8th) the link is still dead.

What worked very well, is is to search for a torrent with "inspiron 531 win XP drivers". It seems someone posted the drivers package there, So I got them anyway!

I downloaded the package from the site mentioned.  It also refered to a SP2 slip (?) you could download to put XP with SP2 in the system as the OS loaded off a disk.  The site is not working as of this morning, do you know where this other site for SP2 can be found?

Thanks

JS

ew issue with the same computer: I cannot get any printers to install, nor their drivers.  Everything starts just fine, and then half way through, it says there is a problem.  This happens with Dell and an HP printers with the most current softwere and drivers.  I do not have the original discs handy.  I'm thinking it has to do with the USB ports and 2.0.  Unlikely, but...

 

Any ideas?