No Internet on Win XP Pro SP1?

[awl19]

So windows is starting up fine etc. but....the internet is not working. I use Comcast so I guess that's ethernet or broadband? Not sure but anyways after looking in the help files and what-not I assumed that in Network Connections there is supposed to be a connection already set-up...yet there was not one. So I tried to make one myself and I followed the steps in order to create a high-speed internet connection but at the end of creating it it just said that since it's a highspeed connection i shouldn't be connected automatically. so i checked my wirecable connections to see if they were still intact (night before I took my computer out) and they were fine. so i went to add/remove programs and then went to components and added Internet Information Services and then restarted my computer for good measure. Still...no luck. oh yah and in run -> cmd...all ipconfig commands come back with the response: "Windows IP Configuration"....so idk? Any help is welcome and appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Andrew L.

 

[LookinAround]

make sure you have the drivers for your network adapter installed.

Look in device manager under Network Adapters see if its there, installed, and OK

 

[awl19]

Thanks LookinAround, I looked under Network adapters and here is what was in the list: Direct Parallel, WAN Miniport (IP), WAN Miniport (IP) - Packet Scheduler Miniport, WAN Miniport (L2TP), WAN Miniport (PPPOE), and WAN Miniport (PPTP).

I don't know if those are the correct drivers I am supposed to have though.

Thanks,
Andrew L.

 

[LookinAround]

In Device Manager, click View and Uncheck Hidden Devices
Then click View->Devices By Type
Now what do you see?

And what make/model network adapter is it? if not sure download / install Everest Home Edition. Start it, click, Report->Report Wizard. then select a System Summary in plain text and attache the file to your post (use the paper clip icon when you use Advanced display when posting here)

 

[gbhall]

A recent critical update from MS concerned the whole communications stack, which was completely changed from top to bottom because of a discovered vulnerability. Now the update, if you got it, could have been assuming you had at least SP2 installed.

If you did not get this critical patch, then you are (a) vulnerable, (b) incompatible with the whole web. I think you should immediately install SP3 and start from there.

NOTE: you should carefully read http://windowssecrets.com/2008/09/11/02-Dont-let-XP-Service-Pack-3-hose-your-system and take all the advice available before installing SP3. This effectively means do it offline, with nothing whatever running on your PC. no firewall, no anti-virus, no anti-spyware, nothing.... You could even remove the network driver before you start, so you get a new one when Windows restarts.

 

[awl19]

LookinAround and gbhall, thank you both for your posts. Sorry I got back to you so late, I live in Houston, Texas and Hurricane Ike disabled our power for 2 days and then we had no internet for 2 more days...so yah lol.

LookinAround: I would try Everest Home Edition BUT my laptop is not burning CD's and I do not have a flash drive. =[

gbhall: Thank you very much for your response, this is what I was hoping for because in a couple days my cousin is getting me a copy of the Vista Ultimate Upgrade from XP. So I won't be using XP SP1 anymore! I would download SP2 or SP3 but since I can't get internet on my computer..I can't! And I can't burn cd's on this laptop and don't have a flash drive! So I think I'm stuck until I get the Vista Upgrade.

 

[gbhall]

MS is supposed to send you an SP3 install CD on request by phone - maybe shipping cost charge.

I would also warn that a laptop running XP SP1 may be so old that (a) Vista may not install (driver availability) and (b) you may be extremely disappointed with performance if you do.

Some things you should do in advance of the awful process of installing Vista. Download a free PC imaging software solution and take a complete copy of your current PC to a USB hard drive (pretty cheap). That way, you can get back to where you are now in a few minutes if it all goes sour.

Research Microsoft Vista hardware compatibility site to get a feel for whether your PC is up to it (and really, nothing older than 2 years is very likely to be)

Research your laptop manufacturer's driver site to obtain (or discover the non-availability of) all needed drivers.

Good luck, I think you are taking an unwise step personally, but wish you well anyway.....