I had XP upgrade and went with the recommended install....I take it this was a mistake. Is it possible to reinstall in a fashion that will overwrite the previous install? I just got through activating it, Office 2003 and Visio 2003 over the phone because of lack of network capability.
Dirty installs of Windows XP (installation over an pre-existing version of Windows) produce unpredictable results. Even if you fix one problem, it is likely you will continue to find other problems in the future. Thus it is always recommended that you you first, find all necessary XP compatible drivers for you system and save them to CD-R, second back up all your important data files (music, pictures, e-mail, favorites, documents, spreadsheets, etc.) by saving them to CD-R, and then installing Windows XP by formatting the hard drive, installing the operating system, installing all device drivers, reinstalling applications programs, then restoring your data files. Instructions for performing a clean install of Windows XP can be found at:
I continue to scream, "Help!" (even though I know that I shouldn't scream on the internet).
1) I ran 'ipconfig' on my 8100 and I can see the router shelling out a good IP; Subnet Mask; and Default Gateway number and the network status reports a minimal 40-50 packets both send and receive which I interpret to be protocol exchange between the PC card and the router.
2) I ran the XP network trouble shooter in the support center which reports 'FAILED' when it pings the DefaultIPGateway; the DHCPServer; the DNSServerSearchOrder; and the IPAddress. I have uninstalled the Intel 8255x-based PCI Ethernet Adapter.
3) I TRIED to Remove PRO Ethernet Adapter and Software in "Add or Remove Programs", but it refuses to remove that program (I found a link to an updated version of PRO100, but the 'update' option for the network card refuses to see this as an update).
4) I ran netsh int ip reset c:\temp\resetlog.txt in order to return the TCP/IP stack to its pristine condition.
So far, I am stumbling around and making no progress - any ideas?
Thank-you for taking the time to respond. You mentioned wiping the disk and doing a clean install.
1) Since I purchased XP Pro Upgrade, don't I have to have an older Microsoft OS on the machine in order to use the upgrade? I thought that the installation would check to see if ME (or some other MS OS) were already on the machine before it went forward with an install.
2) I will go out and get the drivers (even though the network driver doesn't appear on that list), but does XP provide the basic (albeit limited) generic drivers to support CD, display, etc. operations?
One other thing. Both the network card (hardwire) and the wireless card behave the same way. They get a good IP etc. shelled out to them by the router, they show send and receive packet activity (~ 100 packets in the first few minutes), but they fail when the OS diagnostics try to ping the various entities (IP, gateway, etc.).
This suggested to me that the software in the ISO stack was disconnected between the application layer and the network layer which is why I thought that reseting the TCP/IP stack might be useful. Microsoft is not making this 'upgrade' easy. I wish they would do away with the 'upgrade' packages if they are known to be so error proned. The Dell 8100 is a mainstream computer, this upgrade package should have worked with no problem!
So, I have given up. I am rolling this 8100 back to the previous version (uninstalling back to ME) and I will start all over again, but this time will have XP do a complete install instead of an upgrade. Thanks Steve for your help. With any luck at all, I won't have to use the knowledge I have gained from the links provided, but I suspect that reinstall won't occur without some hiccups.
Since your questions are spread out over several messages, I'll have to try to remember them. The upgrade version of Windows XP will ask you to insert the CD from a previous version to prove you qualify for the upgrade, then will procede with installing XP. If you network card is a modem/network combo card, then the drivers are listed under Communications Device, rather than network devices. Yes, XP will provide drivers for the CD and generic drivers for the graphics adapter.
Microsoft does not have a good track record with Security, operating systems, upgrading, .... (wait, does Microsoft have a good track record with anything except making lots of Money?)
Well Steve I'm happy to report that rolling back to Windows ME and doing a complete install (your suggestion) instead of an upgrade fixed all of my problems. The 8100 is now up with XP Pro; Office 2003; Visio 2003 all registered on-line and wireless up and running. Life is suddenly good again.
Congratulations! I'm sure everything will continue to be much better with a clean install. Hopefully you'll have no further problems, but if you do, come back here. The forum members do a pretty good job of helping to solve problems.
volcano11
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28K Posts
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January 15th, 2005 01:00
Did you upgrade over Windows ME (not recommended) or did you do a clean install of Windows XP, wiping the hard drive be installing (recommended)?
Steve
Wireless_Proble
8 Posts
0
January 15th, 2005 03:00
volcano11
2 Intern
•
28K Posts
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January 15th, 2005 16:00
Dirty installs of Windows XP (installation over an pre-existing version of Windows) produce unpredictable results. Even if you fix one problem, it is likely you will continue to find other problems in the future. Thus it is always recommended that you you first, find all necessary XP compatible drivers for you system and save them to CD-R, second back up all your important data files (music, pictures, e-mail, favorites, documents, spreadsheets, etc.) by saving them to CD-R, and then installing Windows XP by formatting the hard drive, installing the operating system, installing all device drivers, reinstalling applications programs, then restoring your data files. Instructions for performing a clean install of Windows XP can be found at:
http://www.djdenham.com/Install%20Procedures.htm
XP compatible drivers for the 8100 can be found at:
http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/devices.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&SystemID=INS_PNT_P3CT_8100&category=0&os=WW1&osl=EN
Steve
Message Edited by volcano11 on 01-15-2005 12:57 PM
Wireless_Proble
8 Posts
0
January 15th, 2005 16:00
I continue to scream, "Help!" (even though I know that I shouldn't scream on the internet).
1) I ran 'ipconfig' on my 8100 and I can see the router shelling out a good IP; Subnet Mask; and Default Gateway number and the network status reports a minimal 40-50 packets both send and receive which I interpret to be protocol exchange between the PC card and the router.
2) I ran the XP network trouble shooter in the support center which reports 'FAILED' when it pings the DefaultIPGateway; the DHCPServer; the DNSServerSearchOrder; and the IPAddress. I have uninstalled the Intel 8255x-based PCI Ethernet Adapter.
3) I TRIED to Remove PRO Ethernet Adapter and Software in "Add or Remove Programs", but it refuses to remove that program (I found a link to an updated version of PRO100, but the 'update' option for the network card refuses to see this as an update).
4) I ran netsh int ip reset c:\temp\resetlog.txt in order to return the TCP/IP stack to its pristine condition.
So far, I am stumbling around and making no progress - any ideas?
Regards
AS8100
Wireless_Proble
8 Posts
0
January 15th, 2005 17:00
Steve,
Thank-you for taking the time to respond. You mentioned wiping the disk and doing a clean install.
1) Since I purchased XP Pro Upgrade, don't I have to have an older Microsoft OS on the machine in order to use the upgrade? I thought that the installation would check to see if ME (or some other MS OS) were already on the machine before it went forward with an install.
2) I will go out and get the drivers (even though the network driver doesn't appear on that list), but does XP provide the basic (albeit limited) generic drivers to support CD, display, etc. operations?
Wireless_Proble
8 Posts
0
January 15th, 2005 17:00
One other thing. Both the network card (hardwire) and the wireless card behave the same way. They get a good IP etc. shelled out to them by the router, they show send and receive packet activity (~ 100 packets in the first few minutes), but they fail when the OS diagnostics try to ping the various entities (IP, gateway, etc.).
This suggested to me that the software in the ISO stack was disconnected between the application layer and the network layer which is why I thought that reseting the TCP/IP stack might be useful. Microsoft is not making this 'upgrade' easy. I wish they would do away with the 'upgrade' packages if they are known to be so error proned. The Dell 8100 is a mainstream computer, this upgrade package should have worked with no problem!
Wireless_Proble
8 Posts
0
January 15th, 2005 18:00
So, I have given up. I am rolling this 8100 back to the previous version (uninstalling back to ME) and I will start all over again, but this time will have XP do a complete install instead of an upgrade. Thanks Steve for your help. With any luck at all, I won't have to use the knowledge I have gained from the links provided, but I suspect that reinstall won't occur without some hiccups.
Regards,
AS8100
volcano11
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28K Posts
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January 15th, 2005 19:00
Wireless_Proble
8 Posts
0
January 16th, 2005 00:00
johnallg
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7.3K Posts
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January 16th, 2005 01:00
volcano11
2 Intern
•
28K Posts
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January 16th, 2005 01:00
Congratulations! I'm sure everything will continue to be much better with a clean install. Hopefully you'll have no further problems, but if you do, come back here. The forum members do a pretty good job of helping to solve problems.
Steve