Ethernet driver problem

[Gtiracer]

I have moved a hard drive from an only Dell Dimension machine into another machine for a friend, however it seems to be having problems recognising the Ethernet port meaning no internet.

It complicates things even more that windows needs re-activation because I've changed machines - to reactivate it with the same key is not illegal is it?


Also I can only get into the system without being prompted for activation in safe mode but trying to install the correct ethernet drivers the machine responds with

"The system administrator has set policies to prevent this installation"

Yes I'm logged in as administrator and have right clicked the properties to allow all users all permissions to the file.

I think there's some conflicting issue where its looking for the old motherboard driver of the Dell motherboard and cannot seem to recognise the new one.

The other hard drive also has a copy of windows xp on it (came with the machine) and the ethernet port and everything works just fine, its just the other hard drive and copy of xp that wont recognise it. (before you ask they are two completely individual copies of XP, like two machines really that can be loaded seperatley.

Not sure where to turn about the internet problem and activation if I cannot get ethernet port to work - other drivers seem to be working just fine.


Thanks for any help


TL;DR: Ethernet port not recognised and drivers wont install on old hard drive from Dell that has been moved into new machine with different motherboard. Can only boot in using safe mode because prompting for xp activation

 

[davethe11]

Bit confused with your description to be honest, you are suggesting the problem with installing the driver is to do with the hard drive? I don't quite follow.

So you have two machines, one is an old Dell and the other is a custom build?

The Dell is now not in working order as you have removed its hard drive?

You haven't touched the Windows installation on the hard drive that you have moved to the custom build (non Dell machine) and are trying to boot from it?

You essentially have a dual boot system on the custom build with two XP's on two different hard drives in the same machine?

Sorry, maybe it's me but I'm a little confused by your description, if we can get our heads around your setup you may get some solid advice.

 

[Gtiracer]

Bit confused with your description to be honest, you are suggesting the problem with installing the driver is to do with the hard drive? I don't quite follow.

So you have two machines, one is an old Dell and the other is a custom build?

The Dell is now not in working order as you have removed its hard drive?

You haven't touched the Windows installation on the hard drive that you have moved to the custom build (non Dell machine) and are trying to boot from it?

You essentially have a dual boot system on the custom build with two XP's on two different hard drives in the same machine?

Sorry, maybe it's me but I'm a little confused by your description, if we can get our heads around your setup you may get some solid advice.

The problem is sorted now but thanks for taking the time to reply.

It was a hard drive from an old dell that I put into a new machine, because that hard drive had an OS and it was configured with the Dells drivers, motherboard etc, putting it into a new machine with a different motherboard meant that a few things didn't work - weren't recognised.

Because the machine didn't recognise the ethernet port due to being a different motherboard it couldn't connect to activate windows.

The only way you could boot in was safe mode - without networking, meaning I couldn't test the internet connection.


However its all sorted now but did my head in for a day or two

 

[bledd]

You shouldn't move a system hard drive from one machine to another. Windows doesn't like the change of chipset.

W7 is a bit more resilient at it, but I'd never recommend doing it