Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum
The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
Please vote in the Forum Structure Poll. Polling will close at 2PM EST on January 21, 2025.

Windows XP Network Drivers

CristoCristo Registered User regular
edited July 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
So I just reinstalled Windows XP on my dad's desktop, from Windows Vista. He's more or less computer illiterate, so XP or Vista it's all the same to him except Vista's been acting retarded.

Anwyay, so I reinstalled Windows XP and now the computer can't connect to the internet and my friend tells me that it's almost certainly the Network Card Drivers. Quick google search doesn't really come up with any driver downloads anywhere so I was wondering if you guys know where I can get them?

And if I need to know what type of Network Card is in the desktop, could you tell how to find out?

Thanks guys!

Cristo on

Posts

  • pacbowlpacbowl Los AngelesRegistered User regular
    edited July 2009
    What make/model is the computer?

    pacbowl on
    steammicro.php?id=pacbowl&pngimg=background&tborder=0
  • GlaealGlaeal Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Are you using the onboard card or a PCI card? If it's an onboard card, the motherboard's manufacturer should have the drivers on their website.

    Have you checked in the device manager to be sure that there's actually a driver error?

    Glaeal on
  • DjeetDjeet Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    If it's a pre-built (Dell/Gateway/HP/Lenovo/etc.) check the case for a model number and go to the manufacturer website. Find the support/drivers section and look up your model. There should be network drivers there. If it doesn't list drivers for XP, the Windows 2003 drivers often work. If it only has Vista drivers, try those, but I've had pretty hit or miss luck getting Vista network drivers working on XP.

    If it's a whitebox (homebrew computer) go to the motherboard manufacturer and follow the same steps above re: obtaining network drivers from their driver/support page.

    If neither of these work you could try finding out which manufacturer made the network chip (likely Intel, Broadcom, Realtek, SiS, or Via) and trying to find the drivers on their webpage. This takes considerable more work, but is a possible workaround. If you want to try this route you'll probably need to look in the registry for the vendorID and DeviceID for the NIC.

    If you really hit a wall you can pick up a PCI or USB network adapter that supports XP for $15-30.

    Djeet on
Sign In or Register to comment.
Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum