Is this a Dell computer? If it is did you make the restore disks when the computer was new? They would restore the computer to the same condition that you received it. It should also have a restore partition on the hard drive that would do the same thing. You can access it by hitting one of the function keys (Maybe f11?) when you turn on the computer. Either method will include all the drivers that were there when the computer was new.

The network card is not missing but the drivers are that make it work. We need the Dell model number of your computer.

Is this a desktop or laptop? Didn't Dell send you a CD for the LAN card when they did the repairs?

Hi guys - I remember you from long ago when I needed help. It is a Dell XPS M1530. No - I was stupid & never made a backup until just before I di the reinstall. The only CDs i got were the drivers & utilities already installed on PC, Operating system already installed on pc & drivers & utilities for reinstalling Webcam manager. It runs Vista 32 bit. With the driver CD in - it seems to say the cards are there but it will NOT connect to the internet. Keeps saying no hardware. I will try the F11 key just in case I am due for a miracle. Thanks

I was wondering if I should do a factory restore ? I have all my files on an external HD. Would that work and be the easiest way ?

If you do not have the LAN drivers installed it is likely other drivers are missing too.
Go here to see how to access your Device Manager.

Once there look for yellow check marks or question marks.
Double click on any of them you see then click about in the new small window till you see the option to re-install the drivers.
Click on that and have your CDs you got with the computer on hand, insert the one you feel has the drivers and allow the computer to search and install those drivers.
Repeat as needed for other yellow marks and you should be good to go.

Failing that do as you suggest, use those factory provided CDs and install a fresh Vista. You will have to remove the bloatware that you do not need and install safety programs of course.

It sounds like, for whatever reason, Windows isn't recognizing the WLAN mini-card. You said in your messages that, "My laptop was having major install & update problems" and "I was stupid & never made a backup until just before I di the reinstall." What were you trying to reinstall?

This sounds like a driver issue. Drivers are little bits of software that tell Windows how to use a particular piece of hardware. Go into Device Manager (right click "My Computer" choose "Properties" and the "Device Manager". Go down the list and look for "Network Adapters". Expand the list by clicking on the little + sign. Is there anything there? Any little exclamation points? Note what it says (if anything). Then delete everything under Network Adapters and reboot your computer. That will cause Windows to discover the WLAN card again and reinstall the drivers.

If there is nothing under Network Adapters, then I'd be thinking hardware problem. Perhaps the card has failed or isn't fully seated in it's slot.

Another thing to check is the computer's BIOS. Some computers have the option to disable hardware in the BIOS. Yours may or may not but it's worth checking. Hit F2 at the Dell startup screen and look around for anything related to networking.

OK did ALL of the above already. First - laptop was freezing up bad.Ran every scan known & cleaned it up good. Next - I narrowed it down to the update or install part. Nothing worked so I used CD to re-install vista. Used other cd to re-install all drivers that it would accept. I tried to match up the drivers to what was listed on my receipt. Seems like everything took.I have already looked in the device manager. The only thing was a white ! on a "unknown driver" but I think that is from my external hard drive. Everything else is fine. When the resource CD is in laptop - it says the hardware for the driver card (WLAN) is recognized but when the cd is out - laptop won't connect. I will redo all steps above cause maybe I missed something. Only thing I hav not done is a factory reset.

It sounds to me like you're going to have to do all the Windows updates anyway so you have nothing to lose by trying to restore it to factory settings.Apparently for your model you press f8 at startup and you choose 'recovery' from the menu. You get a new menu from which you choose 'restore factory settings'.

OK all is fine again. Nothing worked - not even a new install of Vista - so I resorted to the factory restore. Now all is working perfectly !! Thank you so much for your help. You guys are like a big security blanket. So great to turn to !! PS. I swear the files got corrupted in the first place when I downloaded AOL 9.6 Just a warning to everyone. Thats when freezing & install problems started. Thanks again. Debbie

AOL is IMHO some of the most buggy software ever written. I used it for 14 years before I finally gave up on it. I would recommend AOL only to my worst enemies.

Toss AOL. There's not one good reason to use it for anything.

You should consider making the restore disks now. If the hard drive fails so that the restore partition is not available they will be very useful.