HELP!

A virus has taken over my computer and Windows is not running well anymore.

I have lost the disk that came with my mother board. Does that really matter? Is there some way I can get around not using my motherboard disk?

There are not any discernable markings on my motherboard so I cannot download a driver off the net.

Please give me advice on how to reload my computer with Windows XP.

Cheers!

Just reload Windows XP and let it do its best with the hardware.

Once it is up then you can use Control Panel/System/Hardware/Device Manager

to help identify the actual hardware used on the motherboard.

Once you have some names you can Google for the best drivers.

Sisandra will also help identify the hardware, down to the chip level.

So it is not a big deal then? Was I just worried over nothing?

How do I reload Windows XP? Is it simply a matter of putting the disk in and following the prompts?

And after I load WinXP and do what you said (Control Panel/System/Hardware/Device Manager) , what file destination must I put the motherboard driver into after I google and download? Anything else I need to do?

Are the drivers usually free and are most drivers available on the net?

Is it simply a matter of putting the disk in and following the prompts?

Yes.

And after I load WinXP and do what you said (Control Panel/System/Hardware/Device Manager) , what file destination must I put the motherboard driver into after I google and download? Anything else I need to do?

Are the drivers usually free and are most drivers available on the net?

Most drivers are freely available on the web.

Just download to your c: drive and make a new folder called MB-Drivers.

The follow the instructions for installing.

Back up the folder to a CD or DVD for later use, if you have to reload again.

You can always go to the website of your motherboard manufacturer, all the well known brands have plenty of downloads available, update your BIOS while you're at it.

If your system works fine (You can hear sound and see graphics), i'd suggest you go here and d/l the freeware utility DriverGrabber:

http://siginet.ryanvm.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38

Run the utility,

It will extract all non-windows drivers for you, to the same folder as the DriverGrabber.exe is located.

Then when you re-install, no need to go looking for drivers, they will all be where

you backed them up !

Make sure you run the utility from the D: drive.

You can always go to the website of your motherboard manufacturer, all the well known brands have plenty of downloads available, update your BIOS while you're at it.

This is the smartest approach - just go to the motherboard manufacturers web site and search for the model number. Every manufacturer will have a web site with all the latest drivers (much better than the outdated ones that came with the original CD) plus bios updates .... NB ... don't update the bios unless you are really sure that it is needed and you know what you are doing.

If you aren't confident enough to open the case and look at your motherboard to find the model number then download Belarc Advisor (freeware - just Google it). It will tell you all about your system - including what model board you have plus all the serial numbers for your software and OS ... a gem of a little programme.

Hope this helps

I would disagree.

The best thing is always to use the drivers you have currently, if they work

without a problem.

"my benny rai" stated that:

There are not any discernable markings on my motherboard

If the mobo doesn't have any identifying marks on it, the chances are very good, that

Belarc Advisor,Everest etc wont be able to give you any manufacturer either !

I service computers for a living, and I just hate those noname mainboards.

(Cheap Taiwan stuff)

I also encountered using drivers from the mobo manufacturer that doesn't work.

If possible, it's always a good idea to keep the original drivers.

After that you can experiment, by downloading newer drivers if you want.

Better be on the safe side.

Using DriverGrabber is the easiest and fastest way to save your drivers.

I'm 100% sure.

Here's another freeware utility that lets you backup your drivers, it's called "Double driver":

http://boozet.xepher.net/dd/