I prefer using a USB flash drive for drivers...

I already did everything in the video above.  Win XP SP2 is installed and running, but there don't seem to be any drivers.  I can't connect to the internet with wireless or Ethernet.  I have all the Dell drivers on a CD, but I don't know how to load them so that they work.  The first one I tried said that I must have the latest SP (SP3 in this case) first.  How can I get it when I can't even connect?

I'm about ready to tell the charity that they'll have to take the machine with Ubuntu.  I can have that up and running in 30 minutes!!!

I'm not understanding why the extreme difficulty you are having witn Windows. Have you never used Windows ever before in your life?

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?docid=179256#Issue5

That link I posted is working again.

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?docid=179256#Issue5

The chosen document is not currently available. Please try again later.

:emotion-55:

... I must have the latest SP (SP3 in this case) first.  How can I get it when I can't even connect?

You'll need to take a pendrive with you to download it to of course, but use a friend's PC, or a PC in a library, internet cafe... or anywhere else where computers are accessible to the general public :emotion-55:

Donating to charity? Good for you.

But you kinda have me lost...

You burned the drivers to a cd and said, now what.

Well, install them! Unless you are saying you need a driver for CD/DVD. If so, get that to and put them all on a usb thumbdrive.

Also, Why saying Micro$oft and Windowze. You must be a Hard Core linux User!

Finally figured it out on my own. As usual, it was pretty simple after that. The first driver file I tried to install aborted and told me that I had to have SP3 to run it. I had installed from a SP2 disc and couldn't connect to the internet to get SP3! With some research I figured out which driver I needed to get my Ethernet card working, installed it from the CD, then downloaded SP3, and the rest was just the usual Windoze installation ceremony with a kazillion re-boots. Took about 2 hours total, and sent laptop off to charity this morning on FedEx.

Almost 30 years of dealing with Micro$oft software finally sent me looking for alternatives a couple years ago. Mac was nice, but too overpriced and limited in software. I had played around with Linux in the mid-90's, so when I saw that Dell was offering pre-installed Ubuntu, I decided to give it a try. No going back! I still have a few Windoze programs that I run in VirtualBox when I need to, otherwise I stick with Linux. A year ago I switched to Kubuntu because I prefer the KDE desktop.

Last week I received a new Vostro v13 from Dell. I bought it because the form-factor is perfect for working in an airline coach seat: It fits perfectly on the tray table, and the screen can be angled toward you even if the person in front of you has their seat reclined. Dell offers a stripped-down v13 with Ubuntu for only $450. I bought the top-of-the-line package with Windoze7 in order to get a better hardware package. Installation of Kubuntu 9.10 from the live CD and partitioning for dual-booting only took about 30 minutes. Kubuntu works right out of the box on the v13. Much easier than Windoze!!!