Making only partial connection

[Jane64]

AS I was using clean-sweep to clean out old files, I inadvertently deleted the network adapter or driver on my pc. I have gone through the steps to add them again to no avail. I also attempted to restore to an earlier time, but that will not work either.

I seem to be able to make an internet connection, but cannot open Outlook Express, and the weird thing is that I cannot actually get to any web pages. It's as if there is just some communication device that is not working.

Is there a way for a non-geek to reinstall network driver or adapter using my original Windows ME CD? Should I just buy a driver and install it? Is there any help for me at all? I would be very grateful for your assistance.

Thank you.

[jtdoom]

cleansweep offers that you make a backup (which is compressed) of files it selected.

did you let it?

[Jane64]

Actually, I used Disk Cleanup (I used to use CleanSweep), and in my brainless state, I did not make a backup disk before performing the cleanup. I do not have any backup disks (except for some indiviual files).

I know, I know -- I get the duncecap award today

[jtdoom]

hi
and a belated welcome...

there is a fair chance that the info about the type of network card is still in windows.
control panel, system, hardware manager
if you can tell us what model it uses, we can help you to find drivers on the internet.
you don't have to buy drivers.
the manufactors supply them to make their hardware work.

You may even have a floppy or CD with all the stuff,
you ought to have a CD if it is on the motherboard rather than a card that they plugged in.

(you may even have an USB network adaptor... for these, and for a card, the model info is on the device itself.)

I think that your problem could be over as soon as you properly reload the network card driver.

you could even remove the network card in hardware manager, and at restart, it would tell you what device it wants drivers for.
and yes, your windows CD may have ALL the stuff it needs.
(it normally wants some files from the win98 CD anyway.)

I think that to repair outlook express, you would have to re-install internet explorer.

OR..... preferred.
start
run msinfo32
you find the internet repair tool in there, just like you find system file check tool.

[Jane64]

Thank you for your "welcome" and info.

I cannot find anything called a "Network Card." The closest thing is a "Dial up adapter" which is from Microsoft. The hardware manager says that the adapter is working properly.

I have removed and reinstalled the adapter and the 2 other components that were required to go with it in Add/Remove programs. After removing and reinstalling them, it showed 0.0 kbs for each.

The only CD that I was given is Windows ME (no Windows 98 or other possible CDs). I've looked at the filenames and they are all gibberish to me.

I will hope that we can find what I need on the ME CD. I will not be able to download a device driver onto my computer, as I am unable to connect to any web sites. (I am using my partner's computer to talk to you.) I'm sure they could send me a CD or disk to install, if needed.

I will deal with IE and OE when this is all done.

Thank you so much for helping me with this -- on a Sunday, even!

[jtdoom]

please tell us wether that machine is connected by cable access, or uses a phone line for the internet connection.

by the way, you can always try control panel, hardware detection.

[Jane64]

My computer is connected by a regular phone line. Dial-up account -- no DSL.

There is no Hardware Detection under Control Panel or System.

[jtdoom]

Hi

someone should help me help here.
my menus are in dutch, and I use win98 se
(these are hurdles, believe me)

there is no new hardware icon in control panel??
(that is weird... I thought win ME has that icon there...)
You may still be able to use the modems icon

it may even still tell you what modem you had installed.

if that fails, (or the icon is missing) you can just as well pop in that winME cdrom, and let it run setup over itself.

use same folder windows is in now if it asks what folder it must use... default name is windows, but it might suggest something like windows.001

we don't know what it did, but that cleaner may have deleted a few CPL files.

wait until someone else comes along.
as I say, I am using 98.
someone using win ME might know the differences in the menus.

[Jane64]

Thanks, Jaak.

The info I found for my modem is:
Manufacturer: Actiontec
56k v.90 PCI

I will wait a day or two, and if there is no other response, I will just run ME again. But this time, I will make back up disks FIRST. Thanks so much for your help!

[jtdoom]

hi
there is a possibility that the "old" modem driver is going to get in the way for a re-install of "new" modemdriver.

open explorer, and search for a file called ptuninst.exe
if you find it, run it
that should clean out what was left of the modem drivers.
(and... if you find it, my guess about the pcimaster is prolly wrong...)

you see, I think it it this one
(i looked at the installer files, see)
http://www.actiontec.com/support/modems/pcimaster.html
=======

I want you to look inside of the machine, and compare what you see with the pictures found here

if it is another than the "pcimaster" you would find ptuninst.exe,
- - - - - - - - -
----------------

it could be one of these other models, so that is why I want you to eyeball it.

http://www.actiontec.com/support/modems/pcilite.html
(this one contains ptuninst)

http://www.actiontec.com/support/modems/pcimaster.html
(no ptuninst)

http://www.actiontec.com/support/modems/dlp.html
(no ptuninst)

http://www.actiontec.com/support/modems/cwi.html
(this is the second one that has pci v90 as a "friendly" name in the modem list... it does not have ptuninst.exe)

(the other models I looked at was ISA)

[Jane64]

Hi Jaak,

You are right. There is no ptuninst.exe file and my card looks similar to the one in the photo (pcimaster).

What should I do now?

Thank you!

[jtdoom]

sorry for the late reply

the driver you find for pcimaster can be downloaded, and it should be extracted to a floppy.
then you go for add hardware
that procedure should look at the floppy, and it should find the driver.
if it think it is the correct one you will know.

[Jane64]

hi

I downloaded the driver (the Actiontec guy suggested using the one for Win 98. They don't have one for Win ME). It still didn't work. I reinstalled Win ME. It still doesn't work.

I'm baffled. What I really don't get is that I do make a connection, but can't read/open anything on the web. If it sounds like a modem thing, maybe I should just get a new modem?

Maybe I should just try uninstalling and reinstalling the driver again?

What do you think?

Thanks.

[Jane64]

Found the problem. DNS server conversion info had been deleted while cleaning out old files. Don't know how it happened, but the solution was to simply re-enter info.

Thanks so much for trying!