A Dell catch 22

[Answerprancer]

I have just been given a Dell Inspiron 530 with no HD.
I bought a new HD and installed XP on the machine (originally set up to run on Sh1tsta - er Vista).
I need to download drivers from the Dell website but they will only let you install direct to the machine via an internet connection - the driver of which I also need !
I am having trouble working out where else I can obtain the correct ethernet driver, any advice would be greatfully received !

[Answerprancer]

...."gratefully" too! (oops)

[rojash]

"they will only let you install direct to the machine via an internet connection"

Not sure what you mean by this. Dell offers to download methods: Via your browser, or using the Dell download manager. If you choose the second option, it will want to install some software (namely the download manager), but in either case the actual drivers can be downloaded without being installed. You can then copy them to a memory stick or CD for installation on the target machine.

[VHG]

I think what he is saying that he needs a driver to get internet connection, but he cant get internet connection till he install the driver. Catch 22.

I would have thought that Windows would always install a basic network driver to get the internet / networking going.

[rojash]

If he doesn't have an internet connection, how did he post the question?
I assumed that he was under the impression that he had to use the same machine to download the driver as the the one he was going to install it on - mainly because he said "they will only let you install direct to the machine".

[Answerprancer]

Thanks for the answers, the Dell lies dormant, I am still using my old machine.
I was hoping to do precisely what you suggested rojash ie. collect the drivers on a memory stick then tramsfer them across to the Dell. The problem for me is this - every time I try to DL a driver from Dell, I get the following security warning; "Do you want to instal this application"/"Instal/Don't instal". It would be great if you *can* DL drivers from Dell - maybe the issue is with my internet security set-up - any ideas?

[ChuckFickens]

You can download drivers from dell without installing them, you just goto the driver download page, click the download button and select save when given the option.

If this isn't working what browser do you use?

And VHG..... "I would have thought that Windows would always install a basic network driver to get the internet / networking going. "

Not in the slightest, it's much more common for the network card not to work after a reinstall.

[Answerprancer]

Ive tried using both of my browsers (explorer and Firefox) both bring up the same Windows security warning, I then click "don't instal" expecting it to save without installing, and ...nothing.

[rojash]

I then click "don't install"

As I thought I'd made clear in my earlier reply, the install it is referring to is not the drivers, but the download manager. If you have already selected to use the download manager, the site places a cookie on your machine. From then on, it will always try to perform the download using Dell's own manager. If you won't let it install the manager, you won't be able to download the files. Let it install the download manager, then it will download the files which you can transfer to the target machine.

[Answerprancer]

...aaaaaahhhh ! Cheers :-)