Problems with my dell computer, have reformatted twice now, now can't get ethernet adapter to work

kiwiwdoc,

Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.

What is your system service tag number? I will need that to see what hardware you have in your computer.

Kiwidoc,

Did you install the chipset drivers for your motherboard as the first drivers installed after reinstalling Windows?  If the network card is integrated on the motherboard, the drivers for the network adapter will not install correctly until the chipset drivers are installed.

Steve

Hi, My service tag number is: 3H9ZQ41.  Thanks! :)

And, Steve, yes, the ethernet driver was the last one I tried to install.  The first being the audio, video, intel chipset and intel 10/100 LOM drivers.

I have also tried removing the ethernet device, and trying again from the cd, but still the same thing occurs (can't install new hardware found).

Thanks again,

Message Edited by kiwidoc on 10-14-2004 04:09 PM

Are there any other devices shown in Device Manager as being problem devices?  If so, what are they?  Have you tried using the ethernet driver that can be downloaded from the Dell Support site?

Steve

Steve, thanks for your reply.  I downloaded that driver, and installed it from the folder's setup file as directed, restarted the computer.  It again found the new hardware (ethernet, and now the digital camera (web cam) - I didn't have this installed before, but tried it after you asked me if I was having any other problems, thought I would put EVERYTHING on that used to work before), but again, it said it couldn't install the hardware. 

Windows has just shown some updates to download, i'm not sure if it is the service pack 2 coming through or not.  I will let this happen, then try again.

Any other ideas?  I just don't why this is happening.  4 weeks ago, when I had to reformat, and I reloaded everything, it all worked fine.  I am doing/have done exactly the same this time, but can't get things working again.

I just sure hope that the computer doesn't completely die on me again.  Like I said, I NEED it for work.....

thanks again for all your help!

Audra

kiwiwdoc,

You can download the network drivers by clicking the link below.

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/type.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&SystemID=DIM_P4_4600&category=5&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=2834&devlib=5

Click the link below to download the chipset drivers. These should be loaded before any other drivers are loaded.

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/type.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&SystemID=DIM_P4_4600&category=0&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=3268&devlib=27

Jesse, thanks for those links.  I downloaded and installed them according to their instructions, uninstalled the yellow-questionmarked ethnet controller (and the web cam while i was at it), restarted the computer, and the same thing happened,  'unable to install new hardware'.

You mention the order they must be done.  Am i able to 'uninstall' all the drivers, and 'reinstall' them, without copying a new copy of windows xp into the windows folder....when you do that, you lose the links to 'my documents' and the programs i have installed e.g. for work, won't run, without also being reinstalled etc...

Thanks again,

Audra

Is the webcam a USB device?  Do any other USB devices work on this computer?  If USB devices don't work and the integrated ethernet driver doesn't install, again these are symptoms of not having the chipset drivers properly installed. 

Steve

Hi Steve, yes, i have a digital still camera, a printer, another digital camera, the optical mouse and the dsl modem temporarily running via usb, the last usb is the web camera, the last thing i tried to install (it was not as important, so left it until last).

How do I then reinstall the chipset drivers???  I have tried to twice already, going by the above posts.  It says that it was 'successful' but nothing changes. I uninstall the hardware from device manager, reboot, it finds them again, but won't install.

Do I need to replace my copy of windows (have done that twice by reformatting, and twice by reinstalling into the same folder, and twice by reinstalling into a different folder (all from the previous two computer 'deaths' this last month, where it wouldn't reboot, so installed spare copy to rescue photos/documents etc, then tried repairing windows using the CD - never worked - then new copy in same folder 'Windows' then finally a reformat! and reload) I don't want to go through that again if I don't have to.  You lose the 'links' to all your programs that were installed in the registry etc.

Can I uninstall the drivers and reinstall them without killing windows/replacing windows to do it???   I still don't understand why the computer died twice in the first place.  I wouldn't have thought a windows update would do that.

I just want it to work again, and to keep working. 

Hello again Steve,

I tried what you said.  I was a little hesitant too, in-case of causing a problem/crash, so waited until the weekend where if window's died again, I could reload everything during the weekend, and not miss out on any work.

It didn't make any difference though.  I uninstalled both the ethernet adapter, and the webcam from device manager, unplugged everything but the mouse, restarted the computer....it found the 'new hardware'..the ethernet adapter again, and the SAME message about not being able to install the new hardware, and that I might have trouble with it!  yeah.

Dell actually rang on Friday, and wanted me to sign up for a broadband internet deal, um, no thanks. 

My second back-up computer should be delivered this week.  Once I get all of my work-related software onto it (the DSL modem driver, a Citrix connection program, and Microsoft Word is all I need) I will call the Dell service line to see if I can have it looked at. 

Thanks again,

Audra