I've already posted this around a bit, and I figure I might as well ask the experts to verify if the conclusions are correct. It'll be rather lengthy, but it'll contain all of the available information that I have.

Our main computer is most likely dying. Its speed has been slowly degrading, as well as its performance.

This morning, it stopped connecting to the internet.

First restart I did, before it even finished loading the programs and whatnot, I got a Black Screen Of Death ("A fatal error has occurred and Windows has shut down to prevent damage to your computer.")

Two restarts later, the internet still wasn't working.

The Device Manager says that the Ethernet Card "could not start, Code 10".
The Device Manager says that there is a problem with the PCI Card, "there is no driver installed".
The Hardware Wizard keeps wanting to install the PCI Card, but "cannot find the correct driver" and wants to search online, but can't since the Ethernet Card won't start.
The Device Manager says that there is a problem with one of the soundcard channels, "could not start, Code 10".

I went to troubleshoot (reinstalling the Ethernet Card, physically removing and replacing it, cleaning out the inside of the computer) and it still "could not start".

So, as a last resort, I did a full system reformat. Still the same problem, even after reinstalling it 2-3 times after. And yes, it's still wanting to install the PCI Card / says there's a problem with it.

I've tried using the ethernet card disc for it since the disc mentions a PCI card, but it's obviously not the right one.

I cannot transfer information from this computer to that computer because I have no means of data transmission: No A:\ drive, no CD-RW, no flash drive/memory stick/USB drive.

Someone told me to look at the ethernet card and look at the PCI card for any form of corrosion. When I did, I came out with the following:

There is nothing visually wrong with the ethernet card. No corrosion, no burn marks, no cracks, etc.
There is nothing visually wrong with the soundcard (which is inbetween the ethernet card and the PCI card, which just-so-happens to be the NIC).
There is nothing visually wrong with the PCI card.
There is nothing visually wrong with the slots.

When I went to start it up to see if it fixed...

First boot got to the Windows Login screen, allowed me to choose a name, then immediately rebooted.
Second boot got to the Windows Login screen and froze.
Third boot finally worked. Problems still remain.

So now someone is suggesting to me that the motherboard itself is dying out.

I originally concluded that it was either a problem with the Ethernet Card, the PCI card, or the slots on the board, but the above three wouldn't cause the computer to constantly freeze on booting, lag during the boot, and randomly restart during/after the boot.

The computer itself is about 6, almost 7 years old, the ethernet card is 5 years old.

Is it a motherboard problem, or is it something beyond that? Will the computer have to be replaced?

(EDIT!)
Just realized that this is in the wrong section, could a mod please move it?

If you remove all PCI cards do you have any issue booting into XP?

Originally Posted by jephree

If you remove all PCI cards do you have any issue booting into XP?

I don't think there would be a problem, because as it is, the PCI card it has listed is most likely the NIC for networking, since that card is in the same slot that I previously had this computer networked in.

Unless...I was counting in the opposite order, and the card on the top is slot 1, then that would be the card that the cable modem was connected to.

Either way, slots 1 and 3 are both of my Netgear cards, 1 of them being the ethernet card and the other being the PCI card. One is for internet, one is for networks.

My troubleshooting idea was/is: if you remove all PCI cards and XP loads with no problem then we can suspect the PCI cards and/or slots.

Then we could try one card at a time etc.

If even with no PCI cards installed XP still has issues loading then we would suspect something else.

Originally Posted by jephree

My troubleshooting idea was/is: if you remove all PCI cards and XP loads with no problem then we can suspect the PCI cards and/or slots.

Then we could try one card at a time etc.

If even with no PCI cards installed XP still has issues loading then we would suspect something else.

Well, here's what happened.

I took out both cards it's registering as the Ethernet Card and the PCI Device, the computer booted up fine and much faster than before.

I reinserted the cards and rebooted, slow boot, and when I log in, it goes to install both cards again.

It installs the Ethernet Card, but still can't "find the correct driver" for the PCI Device.

Perhaps it's an error with the PCI Device that prevents the internet from working?

If you boot with the Ethernet card but without the PCI Device how does it go?

The first card I pulled out was the Ethernet Card and booted. Still the same slow-boot problems as above.

I replaced the Ethernet Card and pulled out the PCI Device, then rebooted. It was done booting in 5 seconds, but it still says the Ethernet Card "could not start".

And with just the Ethernet card it won't take the drivers from the disk you mentioned?

Is it detected by the Device Manager?

What is the make and model of this card?

I assume that your motherboard does not have an Ethernet port?

Sorry for all the questions and my perhaps tedious approach but that is me.

1. The system can auto-install the driver for the Ethernet Card, but not the PCI Device.

2. Yes, and upon detection, it's automatically installed.

3. Both cards are manufactured by NetGear. The Ethernet is NetGear FA311 Fast Ethernet.

4. The computer itself is 6 years old, and the cards are 5 years old. We haven't had a problem with it until now.

I guess what I am wondering is will the Ethernet card work if you leave the PCI Device (NIC) out of the equation?