Hello,

I'm having various problems trying to recover a working PC following a forced reinstallation of XP. The latest of these problems seems to missing drivers for some devices.

Under Device Manager, I can now see a category of "Unknown Devices" with accompnaying big yellow question marks beside the list. The list considts of the following devices:

**Ethernet Controller,Multimedia Controller, Network Controller, PCI Simple Communications Controller, Unknown Device, and USB Receiver**.

I was trying to add this PC to my existing wireless home network, which is still working fine with my mum's laptop. When using USB Flash to try and add this PC to the network, I see the following error messgage;

"The wizard cannot create a wireless network, either because a wireless
network adapter is not installed or because software for the wireless adapter
is not installed."

I'm guessing that the two problems above are related: can anyone confirm this for me, and possibly suggest a solution please?

I'm really bored having to fight to get this working again - any advice will be very gratefully received!

Many thanks in advance,

Susan

All those drivers will be on the initial motherboard installation disk - do you have it??

If not then go to

http://www.uktsupport.co.uk/advent/pc/t9.htm

Read the "article" then go to the bottom of the page and go to the driver pack. The "Unknown device" you mention is likely to be the modem.

You will also require all/any drivers for your other peripherals - printer/scanner etc

Thanks Ray,

I only have the Advent Recovery CD that came with the machine. I've run that as far as the recovery process asked me to.

I've also downloaded the driver pack from the site you pointed me towards. However, not being familiar with driver installation at all, I'm unsure as to how to install them and where.

The driver pack contains a zip file with drivers for "VIA Rhine Family Fast Ethernet Adapter" - Is this the missing driver for the "Ethernet Controller" device with the yellow question mark beside it? And where should I install these drivers to?

Again, any advice is very much appreciated!

Susan.

Presume you have opened the RAR file download and know exactly where they are stored - ie Drive C in My Documents or whatever???

Go into Device Manager and, for each of the exclamation marked devices (one at a time) right click then left click on "Update driver", select not to go onto the internet, choose "Select from a list or specific location" then in "Include this location in the search" use the browse button to find the downloaded file wherever you put it and left click on it to put this location in the box. Then click "Next". The process should start automatically and the driver be loaded. The yellow exclamation mark should have disappeared from the device just updated and you can do the same for the next one.

Is this all as clear as mud???

If necessary email me - click on my name.

Hope you got my e-mail Ray?

Another update!

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/Repeat3/DeviceManager.jpg

Having tried the driver installation process again, I've got rid of the unrecognised "PCI Simple Comms Controller" entry - this refrred to a modem driver. Howver the rest remain stubbornly.

Susan