Barry,

 

You said you recently reloaded the system from the XP Home CD. Since you used the CD this would create a new master boot record (MBR). Since there is a new MBR the PC Restore is typically corrupted, but if you want to try to reinstall that turn your system completely off, then back on. When it begins to boot hold down the CRTL and the F11 to initiate the PC restore. Since this probably will not work I'll answer the other questions too.

 

First after you loaded the operating system you must load the drivers in a specific order. Here is a link on how to load the drivers. What order do the drivers need to be installed in Windows XP on my Dell desktop or portable computer? If you did not load the Notebook System Software first and then the chipset you may need to reload the OS again. You may go ahead and load them at this time, but if there are other problems later on you may decide to redo the install.

 

In order to determine your wireless NIC you can go to this site and enter your service tag and choose original configuration and look down the list. It will identify all the parts that were on your system originally including the wireless card. The other way is to open the door where the wireless card is located and look at the chip.

 

You ask if you can put another wireless nic in your system and you can through the expresscard slot, but there is really no reason if we can get your system reloaded correctly and the correct driver installed.