How to:- Installing Ethernet (LAN card) Drivers

[psychedelic_fur]

Hi All,

Recently I had to reinstall windows XP on one of my friend's PC. I actually didn't do a complete fresh install but re-installed in the hope it will fix various registry errors and system stability error.

So during the installation when the user is asked to specify the network configuration details like IP address, DNS, gateway etc, I had supplied the correct details. Once the installation was over I thought things will be fine, they were except that the windows did not installed the network card properly.

I checked Hardware manager to see if there is a conflict or not, it was not. Clicking on network connection icon in the tray revealed that the IP address, gateways etc settings were there as I had entered during the installation. So I could not figure out the problem. Later running the ipconfig /all command from the command prompt revealed that physical address (MAC) of my network card is zero !

I have no idea why that happened but anyways I tried to reinstall the network card drivers, I even pulled out the network card from the pci slot inserted in a differernt slot hoping windows will recognize it as a new hardware but not luck. The MAC address was still coming to be zero.

Ultimately I had to do a fresh install and configured the network card again to get things working. Now my net connection is working fine.

So I want to know if such things happen again i.e. MAC address becomes zero, what files, drivers I should install, delete and which registry entries shall I remove so that I am able to setup my network card again without having to go through the process of reinstalling windows again which is obvoiusly pain.

Sorry if I had posted in wrong section.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks and Regards.

[newcomer]

when the user is asked to specify the network configuration details like IP address, DNS, gateway etc,

I always install my OS without giving setup network configuration details before the reinstalltion is completed.When it is completed, I give correct network configuration details.

It seems that my net card always works fine.

[psychedelic_fur]

Hi newcomer,

Yes I have also noticed this fact. But I just wanted to know in case you have specified the network details during the installation.

I don't know why Windows installation asks for Network details when it cannot configure it properly. It has never worked for me atleast.

So in case you come across some information on how to do it please let me know.

Regards.

[newcomer]

I don't specify network details during the installtion,but do it after the installtion is completed.

It's difficut for me to let ur know.

Maybe some native speake can explain this better.