So, recently my PC was becoming quite slow and I think it had a ton of viruses and useless autorun programs that I couldn't get rid of. I backed up all of my files including a folder containing all of the drivers for the computer, and reinstalled Windows XP Professional Media Center Edition. My PC is a Philips Freevents (from about 2005 I think). Now, my problems started in that Install Shield didn't work, it gave me messages about iKernel.exe not starting. I looked it up and the cause of the problem was that a system service that should have been running was not. I tried to start the service, but it just says "starting" and then times out -- however, installations seemed to work when it was in the starting stage, so that wasn't a massive issue. Next, I installed all of the basic chipset drivers and the RALINK wireless utility. The utility detects my network and when I press connect and enter the key it says it has connected. However, when I run firefox, it cannot connect to the internet (I am using firefox because for some weird reason Internet Explorer was not installed on my system after installing windows?). If I try to run Windows Zero Configuration Utility, it can't even find my network. Can anyone help me? PS: I saw the other thread similar to mine in this forum, but it deals with completely different hardware etc, so I figured I'd make a new thread rather than posting in that one.
Re: Reformatted hard drive, can't connect to internet
Welcome to TSF
However, when I run firefox, it cannot connect to the internet (I am using firefox because for some weird reason Internet Explorer was not installed on my system after installing windows?).
Brad, reformat and reinstall again. The install was hosed in such a way that your system is and will be unstable. IE is a huge part of the windows installation and without it being installed means the install was botched. This will save you many headaches
Brad, reformat and reinstall again. The install was hosed in such a way that your system is and will be unstable. IE is a huge part of the windows installation and without it being installed means the install was botched. This will save you many headaches
I was worried it might come to that. Do I need to do a complete reformat again or can I use the "quick" option?
I think perhaps the reason the install was botched may have been because I was prompted to enter a SP2 disk, but I didn't have one, thinking that I could just get it from windows updates. If I download an ISO image of SP2 from the Microsoft Download Center and burn it to a disk, would I be able to use that at installation?
Re: Reformatted hard drive, can't connect to internet
Sorry for the double post -- I appear to have lost the edit button?
I also cannot find a disk image for SP2 on the download center -- just a network installation package and an image for SP3. Would the SP3 one work when it prompts for a SP2 disk?
Re: Reformatted hard drive, can't connect to internet
How did you install Windows XP in the first place? If you have a Windows XP Bootable disc, then boot off of that and delete the partition, create a new partition, Format and install Windows.
Re: Reformatted hard drive, can't connect to internet
I don't have an "out-of-the-box" disk, but I do have a Windows XP Media Center Edition OEM bootable disk from somewhere (I still have my product key on the side of my PC). When I try to install off that disk, it asks me for a SP2 disk that I don't have near the end of the installation -- what should I do at this point?
Re: Reformatted hard drive, can't connect to internet
Just an update, I have deleted the partition, reformatted it (in "quick" mode -- I assume this is safe since I used the full mode first time), and started installing windows. It asked for disk 2, and I entered it, and now it wants this illusive "Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 CD", which I do not seem to have and do not ever remember having. I await instructions as to what to do next.
Re: Reformatted hard drive, can't connect to internet
When it asks for "Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 CD" toward the end it just wants the first disc you started with. Put it in and it should complete.
When it asks for "Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 CD" toward the end it just wants the first disc you started with. Put it in and it should complete.
Oh right, that was easy. I guess I was confused because I am installing Media Center Edition and it asked for a Professional disk -- that and I assumed a neat installation would not come with any service packs. I'll let you know how I get on once I install the drivers etc.
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