I've had Verizon FIOS for about 3 months now. I have the internet connected to 2 computers (one is a Dell XPS 8000 desktop with Windows 7 - my main computer connection that has the In Home Agent on it, etc. and the other is a backup computer that is older - a Dell XPS 400 desktop that has Windows XP).
The computers are connected to the Verizon router by the yellow ethernet cables. Both have been working fine in accessing the internet with no problems.
About 2 weeks ago, the backup computer (the XPS 400) went south on me and required a complete reinstallation of the operating system (Windows XP). But now I don't have the internet connection. When I click on the Internet Explorer icon, I get a message stating that it can't find the server.
My main computer (XPS 8000 with Windows 7) is working fine and connects to the internet. (Again, both of these computers connect to the router by the yellow cables).
Can someone tell me how to get the 2nd computer back online to have internet service? I don't know where to begin and could really use some step-by-step suggestions.
Thanks.
@bevbruce wrote:About 2 weeks ago, the backup computer (the XPS 400) went south on me and required a complete reinstallation of the operating system (Windows XP). But now I don't have the internet connection. When I click on the Internet Explorer icon, I get a message stating that it can't find the server.
My main computer (XPS 8000 with Windows 7) is working fine and connects to the internet. (Again, both of these computers connect to the router by the yellow cables).
Can someone tell me how to get the 2nd computer back online to have internet service? I don't know where to begin and could really use some step-by-step suggestions.
Thanks.
I would guess that you don't have a driver for the nic on the non weorking machine. You can check by right clicking on my computer, select Manage, select device manager and I would belive that you will see a device with a ? saying unknown device.
Use the other machine to go to the Dell site and download the correct drivers for the XPS 400 that you have. Move the drivers over to the xps400 then right click on the unknown device and select properties. You will find a reinstall driver button there. Some of the Dell drivers install by running them, it should be clear which method to use.
viafax999 speaks wisely on this subject.
that is the most common thing that happens after a restoral or reinstall of an OS
Thanks. I looked where you said under device manager and this is what has yellow question marks next to it:
Ethernet Controller
PCI Device
PCI Modem
SM Bus Controller
Video Controller
Video Controller (VGA Compatible)
When I go on the Dell site and pull up drivers for the XPS 400 machine, I don't see anything that looks like it would work for the above. I found 3 PCI drivers so I copied all of them over to my XPS 400 via a thumb drive but none of them were recognized by the XPS 400.
Any other suggestions?
Find the service tag number for your machine (it's a 7 digit leter/number combo on a sticker usually on the back or top of the case somewhere) and use that to pull up the info on the Dell site. You're looking for a NIC driver for that ethernet controller on your list (maybe an Intel card perhaps?).
As lasagna said.
Go here
http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/index.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
Enter the service tag, and the support system will give you the exact list of drivers for your machine, unless you've added any extra cards in which case you'll have those drivers on the cds that came with them.
In actuality you were probably given a drivers an/or reinstallation cd when you got the pc but most people just throw them away.
The one you really want is the one for the ethernet controller. Once you have that and have installed it then you can connect to the dell site and the support site can scan your machine for the rest of the drivers.
Instead of using the service tag you can search by machine type and you will find that the the driver you want is
Intel PRO/1000 - see attached picture
Download and install that and then you can connect to the Dell support site and get the rest of them.
If you're still having problems, let me know and I'll download it for you an put it on an ftp site for you.
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