Need help with computer with Win xp..

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eldacheese

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I'm not sure if this is the right place for this or not, if not let me know and i can post it in another location.
Anyway, we had a virus a really bad virus, assumed we got rid of it but we didnt. and figured that out after paying $50 someone fixed it and yet then the virus was still there.. that was a waste of $50. I had already removed most of it thanks to techspot so when he got it it looks fairly clean except it was really embeded into stuff so he removed some of hte programs I was using.. Anyway. i was living with it but it got worse and wouldnt load webpages. SO i saved all I could and then reinstalled the OS (it took like 8 tries to get it to work). But stupid me forgot to make sure I had the driver cd's and I can not find them anywhere. So I got on my hubbies computer and downloaded the drivers from dell but it wont work. IT says it doesnt recognize the file type and then tried to open it with internet explorer. Can I get some help?
I know for sure the sound isnt working and the internet is not noticed. We called our isp and they tried to help. we ran the command prompt and tried to get the ip address but it doenst work. and the ping yahoo.com it didnt work but when we did the ping and then the loopback test # it worked fine.
its a Dell Dimension 5100 and I hve the serial # if you need it too.
thanks so much.
 
Do you have a high speed internet connection.
You need to install to a clean drive. Keep all those Dell Drivers you have downloaded, byu saving them to Disk or to a flash drive. All the Dell drivers for the Dimension 5100 are found on the Dell Support site for that service tag of Dell computer. They are all good. If you didn't save them before, download them again and save them to a disk or a flash drive.
So you are dealing with a corrupted system.
Suggest you invest a little money, as it will be less costly in the long run.
Do you NOT have the Dell blue disk of drivers for your computer?
If not, here is what I would do if it were my machine.
But a new hard drive as an EXTRA If and only if you have valuable files still remaining on the Dimension 5100. Use the Dell disk to install Windows. If you do not have the disk, Call Dell and they will send you one copy. After the first copy, they charge you a lot.
Otherwise, keep the old drive and reformat it as follows.
First, check your boot order by pressing <F2>, <F10>, or <F12> to be sure your first boot device is the CD/DVD drive. Once that is set, you are on your way.
Shut down the computer and reboot to the Windows Disk. When you are offered the opportunity (and it won't necessarily be easy to see), select Delete Partition by pressing the letter of the alphabet... often L...
Once the partition has been removed, Install a partition, or reboot to the CD and create a partition.
Next, format the partition... This could take 30 minutes to over an hour, depending on the size of the hard drive you are formatting.
Eventually, you will have the drive formatted and Windows will install. This could take another hour, but eventually you will get the standard Windows XP screen.
Usually on the Dimension 5100, The Dell WXP disk you are using will install most of what you need. But you may need to update several things.
Look at your Device Manager by going to Start->Control Panel->System->Device Manager and look for any yellow or red flags. Those with flags need drivers installed first.
Otherwise, start with these drivers in this order:
1st, install the Chipset drivers
2nd, install the video graphics driver.
3rd, install the ethernet drivers so you can get online.
Then install everything else... follow the directions that come with each driver.
Once the drivers are installed, Connect to www.microsoft.com and download all the updates. Think about what you are doing.
This will take several hours, as you may have as many as 148 updates to install, including Service Pack 3...
Now you can install your software.
Questions?
 
Ok, i have my reinstall disk just not my drivers disk and I downloaded them and put htem on a cd and cant seem to get them to work on my computer htey are really small files should it be a really small file?

when I went to the Device Manager these are the ones that had the yellow by them.
Ethernet Controller
PCI Device
PCI Modem
SM BUS COntroller
Universal Serial Bus (USB) Controller
VideoController
Video Controller (VGA Compatible)


And I do have a second hard drive. both are installed on the computer nad both are coming up on it now. I already have all the documents and pictures I needed to save saved. My computer is like brand new now with nothing on it.

Anyway, any ideas why the drivers I downloaded arent working?
 
Your Windows XP is a full disk... either Blue, Green, or Orange.
The drivers are all small files... Everything you need will fit on a small portion of one CD, or flash drive.
There will be need for other files such as Sonic CD burner, CyberLink video graphics player, and some other utilities... those files, too, can be downloaded.

But first you have to use the Windows XP install disk... We may need to know the Service Pack... if your disk reports Service Pack 2, you are in good shape. If it reports Service Pack 1 or 1a or 1p, you will need to buy Service Pack 2 disk from Microsoft for $10, or Service Pack 3, or you can download them if you have a fast connection.

The important thing is knowing whether you have the other files or programs you need, such as Microsoft Office, etc.. Good to have an inventory before you start.
 
Raybay.. Let me see which service pack it says.. I have a disk with service pack 3 in it but it doesnt have an authentication code. its a burned copy that was left in our computer by the person who thought they fixed it before. I do have microsoft ofice, i have the older version (2003) and I have 2007.

Tmagic I just downloaded it and I'm going to try again. but when I go to my computer it changes the icon and opens ie and just has a whole bunch of stuff written there it wont run it.. at least thats what It did last time.
 
ok tried both the network one nad the chipset but both are trying to open with EI and wont run it just opens a page with a whole bunch of information.. like when you open an older file and it cant be read and its all random characters and letters and stuff.. should i try and just reinstall the OS again?
 
Yes eldacheese,
do a fresh OS install, and keep those drivers (Chipset, and NIC) handy. Good luck!
 
Ok did a fresh install, and went to install the drivers and it shows them on the flash drive as Dell applications but it wont open them it does a pop up to either browse and find a program to use or to open internet explorer to find a program to use. Any ideas how to get it to open and install?

and when i put the reinstall in it had a 2 at the end of windows xp so i'm assuming that's service pack 2?
 
Just tried to download it again it looks exactly the same and not in a zipped file.
It has a sheild and says delldriverdownloadmanager but when I go to put it on mine it shows a square with tiny objects in it like the ones for unknown file type, i'm sure you know the icon i'm talking about. anyway, they are .application files instead of what they shoudl be.
 
I was thinking about old HP/Compaq drivers... not Dell. You have access to a working computer. You had downloaded and burned them to a disc, but your "sick" computer can't open or install them
 
exactly.. and after my husband got home from work I tried his flash drive and its the same thing. IS there a program I need to download and install in order for my computer to recognize the dell file?
 
Go back to the Dell site and select a driver. Go down the page and open "installation Instructions"
 
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