Identify Network Card in XP

axel · 8 Sep 2011 at 20:25

Hi,

I have just done a clean reinstall of XP SP2 and the network card drivers have not been installed. Device Manager just shows yellow question marks and device unknown. The card is installed and working fine as I can boot to a Ubuntu CD and surf the web no problem. How can I get the information on the network adapter so that I can download the drivers and get on line with XP?

Axel

maj · 8 Sep 2011 at 20:32

Try System Information.

Start > All Programs -> System Tools -> System Information. On the left hand side menu under Components there should be Network. Might be listed there.

Crowort · 8 Sep 2011 at 21:04

You should be able to check for 'hardware ID' in device manager. Googling that should give you the info you need.

axel · 8 Sep 2011 at 21:19

Thanks for the replies.

Under systemtools / information /components the adapter name is "not available"

As noted in my post Device Manager only gives yellow question marks.

I have tried Sisofsandra but it crashes the computer when it starts. Is there an alternative that works?

Axel

Crowort · 8 Sep 2011 at 21:26

Here is a link on how to do it. Been so long since I've done it I'd forgotten how messy / complex it is.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-find-unknown-device-drivers-by-their-vendor-device-id/

nightmare99 · 8 Sep 2011 at 21:26

You should be able to check for 'hardware ID' in device manager. Googling that should give you the info you need.

This is what you need to do, then google the device id.

bledd · 8 Sep 2011 at 22:07

Download a trial of Aida64 (it works on 32bit), that will tell you what it is

Or, this is what I do.

On another machine, download the latest XP LAN and WLAN driver packs from driverpacks.net

Use IMGBurn to create an ISO of those two driver sets (after you've extracted them)

Then install Virutalclonedrive and mount that image, then just use Device Manager to scan cd drives for drivers, it'll automatically install them.

Frosty81 · 9 Sep 2011 at 09:35

I'd use the ven and dev values listed in the "hardware id's" section, on the details tab in Device manager

then plug them into

http://www.pcidatabase.com/ to give you a clue

Deception · 9 Sep 2011 at 12:01

If its an onboard Network card, then just get the name of your motherboard and go to the manufacturer website and get the drivers for the network card (If you dont know the name, then get CPU-Z and look in the mainboard tab)