Missing Drivers after reinstalling Windows XP

[AryahMallory]

I recently had to reinstall Windows XP after getting struck with a virus. My system now seems to have no drivers installed for audio, video, WiFi, etc.

What can I do to restore my original drivers?

[r_poisson]

There are several ways especially if you have the disc for your mother board.  Try reinstalling each one from microsoft or the manufacturer of your computer.  Most have a support/drivers site.  You can also run a program called everest whice is probably downloadable.  This program ids all your drivers by name.  Just go to those sites.  Windows Updates can help you sometimes.  Good luck! 

[AryahMallory]

Thanks for the advice, but it's pretty hard to download anything when I can't access the internet because none of my internet connection drivers are installed.

[bobgar34]

friends computer?save downloads to disk!!!

[Broni]

Where are you posting from?

Do you have drivers CD, which should have came with your computer?

What's computer brand, and model?

[AryahMallory]

I am at work right now and I did download something from a drivers sight which claims to have all the drivers in existence. I'm going to try it when I get home.

I searched and searched but I can't seem to locate a disk with drivers on it among the disks I got when I bought my computer. The Windows XP reinstallation disk does say it contains no drivers.

I have a Dell Inspiron 1501. I got a virus about a year ago and thought everything was fine after installing a virus cleaner. But I recently moved and had to set up an account with a new ISP. When I tried to log on to the internet, I couldn't connect. My system settings appeared to show a strong connection but every time I "logged on" I got the message that my I had "little or no connectivity" and I couldn't actually use my browser.

So I spent about six hours on the phone with Dell tech support and we tried everything to solve the problem. In the end, the tech support guy said I had to reinstall my operating system. So I bought an external hard drive, copied all my personal files and then reinstalled Windows XP using the disk provided to me by Dell.

When Windows was installed, it seemed to be an older version than what was originally installed on my computer. And I very quickly noticed the only Internet connection settings were for a dial-up connection. There seems to be nothing there that would allow me to set up a WiFi connection (I have a wireless router in my house and it works fine  for other systems.) There also seems to be no video capability (I tried to install a computer game and it said my video capabilities were out of date) and I have no sound control at all. I can't even watch a DVD in the DVD drive.

Are there places I can go online, download the drivers I need to a jump drive and then install them on my home system?

[Broni]

I did download something from a drivers sight which claims to have all the drivers in existence

I can bet you $5, it won't do it for free. What's the name of that program? Driver Agent?

When Windows was installed, it seemed to be an older version than what was originally installed on my computer

What do you mean? You don't know, what Windows version you had, and you don't know what version you just installed? Did you use Windows CD, or...?

Your best bet is to go to Dell's web site, enter your computer service tag, and you'll get all drivers, you need.

[AryahMallory]

I just mean the way Windows is displaying looks different from the way it displayed when I first got my computer. There aren't nearly as many applications and nothing seems to work the same way.

I just went to the Dell website and it seems they have 40 drivers for Windows XP available for my system. If I download them to my work computer then copy them to my jump drive, is it as simple of attaching my jump drive to my home computer, opening up the drive and clicking on each exe file?

[r_poisson]

You can buy a lan to usb cable.  Belkin makes one.  costs about 25-30 bucks.  You hook up your internet lan line on one end and plug the usb in your computer.  Run the usb drivers that come with the package and you'll be connected to the internet and download to your hearts content.

[JJ 3000]

If I download them to my work computer then copy them to my jump drive, is it as simple of attaching my jump drive to my home computer, opening up the drive and clicking on each exe file?

Yes.

After you have all of your drivers installed, go to windows update and download all of the available updates for your machine. You will have to keep restarting after each round of updates. Keep going back until it quits finding  updates for your machine.

The very next thing you should do is install an antivirus program.

As for your applications, you have lost them
You will need your program disks to reinstall.

[Broni]

they have 40 drivers for Windows XP available for my system

Don't install them all. Go to Device Manager, and look for yellow "?", and "!" marks. Install drivers for those devices only.

[patio]

You can buy a lan to usb cable.  Belkin makes one.  costs about 25-30 bucks.  You hook up your internet lan line on one end and plug the usb in your computer.  Run the usb drivers that come with the package and you'll be connected to the internet and download to your hearts content.

Not to sound silly or nothing but why should they buy a 30 dollar cable when they can just DLoad the drivers and save them to a flash drive ? ?

Or are you on commission