Can a fresh install of windows XP access the internet?

[Fuzojix]

I'm in the process of reinstalling my windows XP, and was wondering if I would be able to access the internet through my DSL router from that fresh reinstall?

Or would I have to download drivers n' such beforehand?
If so, which?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Yes and no. Unless you live in Europe and your copy of Windows doesn't include a browser, you're good to go.

 

[Fuzojix]

Oh... shit, really ?!?!
Christ, here I was thinking I'd have to download all kinds of drivers beforehand, thanks mate, you've saved me hours of frustration.

Though, if I do install it and cannot access the web, I'm going down to my library, and will send you angry PM's.

 

[nickbits]

You need the driver for your modem if using usb, you need your network card driver otherwise. No idea if xp has yours oob or if you need them beforehand. Probably better to download them first. Check device manager to see what you have b

 

[Fuzojix]

Ah, damnit.

Not entirely sure where I would check for the device manager, I'm using Ubuntu right now, as I cannot boot up through my installed XP.

Will consult google...

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

You need to address the inability to boot from XP before you worry about getting online or, are you not planning on using XP as your primary OS?

 

[Blazer]

I'm in the process of reinstalling my windows XP, and was wondering if I would be able to access the internet through my DSL router from that fresh reinstall?

Or would I have to download drivers n' such beforehand?
If so, which?

NO, fresh install of XP will require related drivers, which has to follow a certain method, posted a guide on another thread, you either follow, OR suffer a corrupted install, after which you will have to reinstall everything.

nuff said !

 

[TJCS]

if your system does not recognize the network adapter, you won't be able to get online without installing the proper drivers first.

 

[jackschmittusa]

Blazer

Not completely true. XP has a set of generic nic drivers that worked for a lot of discrete cards, but not so many built in ones.

If he has an actual router it may work. If it is actually a modem, he will need to configure PPPOE in XP first.

 

[Blazer]

Blazer

Not completely true. XP has a set of generic nic drivers that worked for a lot of discrete cards, but not so many built in ones.

If he has an actual router it may work. If it is actually a modem, he will need to configure PPPOE in XP first.

i wonder sometimes where in the hell some of the members here spend thier time, with such a high post count ! i cannot count the times i have installed XP, NEVER and i repeat NEVER have i encountered a single time that network drivers were installed by DEFAULT, whatever your smoking must be dam good.

 

[pcgeek11]

i wonder sometimes where in the hell some of the members here spend thier time, with such a high post count ! i cannot count the times i have installed XP, NEVER and i repeat NEVER have i encountered a single time that network drivers were installed by DEFAULT, whatever your smoking must be dam good.

Dude you must have some real oddball NICs. Most of the time I install the Network connects out of the box.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Depends. If it's a custom built PC chances are good, if it's prebuilt, you'll spend a couple hours reading numbers off the motherboard and hunting online trying to find drivers for a built on network card that is proprietary. Worse is HP, Compaq, packard bell etc. Dell is not too bad, often you can just go on their site and punch in the model, then you need to download all 20 nic drivers until one works.

Of course, you need another PC that has internet access for this.

But yeah most of the time if the PC is using fairly standard parts it should detect the nic.

 

[Fardringle]

i wonder sometimes where in the hell some of the members here spend thier time, with such a high post count ! i cannot count the times i have installed XP, NEVER and i repeat NEVER have i encountered a single time that network drivers were installed by DEFAULT, whatever your smoking must be dam good.

I've never had it work immediately with onboard NICs (except for OEM restore discs that have slipstreamed chipset drivers), but Windows can and does install basic working drivers for many different PCI network cards so the computer can get online and download updated drivers.

 

[jackschmittusa]

Blazer

If it helps you in some way, I spend a lot of time in P&N, expounding my views on the state of the world.

I doubt if you have installed XP more times than I have, and I really doubt if you have discussed the topic at hand with other experienced builders or you would know better. When XP came out, there were few built in nics. Most manufacturers knew what generic drivers it included and made their cards to work with them. Motherboard makers didn't seem to follow along with that idea as much when they incorporated nics into their boards since they knew that you would need to load chipset drivers and such anyway.

On a personal note, I don't smoke anything special; whiskey is my drug of choice.

 

[Gunbuster]

Why are you so gun shy about this reload? You can always boot to your live cd and pull down the correct driver if it does not auto detect.

I would suggest you pull down a XP SP3 install cd if you don't already have one. Better driver support and less updating...

 

[Fuzojix]

I'm so gun shy because I have no other way to access the internet, than through this computer.
So if I fuck it up, then I've got no way to pull up the necessary drivers for internet access.

Anywho, I've got the latest LAN, VGA, and Chipset drivers for my motherboard sitting on a flash key, would this be all I need to get on the net with the fresh install?

 

[Fardringle]

I'm so gun shy because I have no other way to access the internet, than through this computer.
So if I fuck it up, then I've got no way to pull up the necessary drivers for internet access.

Anywho, I've got the latest LAN, VGA, and Chipset drivers for my motherboard sitting on a flash key, would this be all I need to get on the net with the fresh install?

If you have the drivers already downloaded, then yes, just install Windows and then install the drivers from your flash drive.

 

[Gunbuster]

I'm so gun shy because I have no other way to access the internet, than through this computer.
So if I fuck it up, then I've got no way to pull up the necessary drivers for internet access.

Anywho, I've got the latest LAN, VGA, and Chipset drivers for my motherboard sitting on a flash key, would this be all I need to get on the net with the fresh install?

I think you may be confused (or maybe I am...) You said in your other post that you were getting to the internet via a ubuntu live CD. It in no way uses drivers from your XP install. Heck you dont even need a hard drive in your machine to use it.