Need help with installing XP SP 2 on old laptop

My daughter got a laptop from her grandfather, old, but working well for her purposes.

The OS is XP Professional; has a Intel Pentium III processor, 747 MHz and 128 MB of RAM. Hard drive only 20 GB.

I struggled the whole day yesterday to get the wireless working (Gigabyte LAN card 802.11), but although it picks up the signal, I cannot connect to the internet, as it still requires a WEP key. Constantly on the phone with the ISP's. One guy suggested that I download SP2 so that all 4 PCs have SP2.

My problem

I downloaded SP2 on a memory stick from the Microsoft site.Gives you the WindowsXP-KB...-SP2-ENU file. If I click on it, it self extracts to c:\8fe29... on her laptop, but does not start installing having been extracted. I cannot find that file on the C drive either.

Any help please?

 

Hi avz10, I haven't checked SP2 as you said you downloaded, but it may be an ISO file and will have to be burned to disk. Why not go for SP3?
SP3 is an ISO file and will be better for your laptop as it has all the necessary updates. Cheers Neil.

Just located this:SP3: Up your chances of a good install
Go into Search (top of Posts) and enter this as your search. It was headed by Mike Flynn and if you read it through you will get a better idea of what was involved. If you have Broadband, it's not a big hassle but Dial-up will take about 12 hours to download the File.
You can order the CD from Microsoft. Neil.

 

I found the original Windows Cd, but still no luck. So I have started to download SP3.

The main reason remains to try to bypass the WEP requirement for this old PC as my other PCs all use WPA. I can open the wireless up (remove the WPA) but I'm worried that the neighbours might use my internet- we are still capped in South Africa.

Apart from the internet, she will just use the laptop for university tasks, etc.

 

The wireless adapter may not be compatible with WPA. Look for updated drivers for it if they are available, otherwise you will need to get a WPA compatible adapter.

 

I will look for an updated driver (anyone an idea where I can look?- This one is a Gigabyte 802.11 Wireless LAN card), but a new card will probly cost more than a newer second hand laptop!!

 

What is the model number of the card?

 

My daughter is away for the next two weeks with the laptop under discussion, but I have the card:

802.11 b/g Wireless LAN Card
Gigabyte
Model nr: GN-WMAG 3.3V

I don't know if I need to give you the serial nr, but here it is:
G4B10541230169

Thanks, hope you van help so that I can use this with a WPA connection

Albie

 

According to Gigabyte that adapter is WPA compatible.

GN-WMAG (1.0)

Download and install SP3 and then the newest driver from Gigabyte from the above link.

 

Thanks!

Will do that when she comes home again

Albie

 

Dear Whiskeyman- will check that when she comes home in a week or more.

But, I was just thinking, without having to install any other programme, is there a way to use the same key for WEP (her system) and all the other WPA systems?

There surely must be a programme somewhere that will convert a WPA key to a WEP key, as this is all legal stuff???

Any advice on that possibility before I try to install SP3?

 

From personal experience I would highly recommend that you increase the Ram first, Windows XP needs a minimum of 512 mb of Ram.
Installing SP3 on 128mb of Ram could lead you to all sorts of problems.
hawk22