unfortunately i dont have an install CD

See if somebody will take pity on you and loan their Windows XP cd so you can do a Windows repair. I am outa ideas. If you ever get this sorted out, I recommend downloading and installing Erunt, its a registry backup program, its free, and the file it keeps is seperate from system restore. ERUNT and NTREGOPT

Right now would be a good time to learn how to burn and bootup a Linux Live ISO.
My Panasonic CF-48 running Ubuntu 8.04 runs wireless ( its a intel A/B/G chipset)
The live cd's come with a lot of drivers and is preconfigured to make sure you can connect via land line. My wireless hookup consisted of clicking on Network manager and the clicking enable wireless. Some folks aren't so lucky, but I was. Ubuntu 8.10 comes with the latest drivers I know of so far. A live CD does not have to be installed and the operating system will run off the CD. Your choice though.

If I repair media center edition with an xp pro disk will that work? cos i've just been given access to the microsoft academic alliance which has LOADS (even win 98!) but no media center. So if I burn an xp pro iso would that work properly?

So if I burn an xp pro iso would that work properly

I can't advise you on that due to forum policy, sorry.

:S why is it against forum policy? its a totally legal xp ISO - microsoft offers university students free or reduced copies of software, my university includes XP in the licenses they have bought from microsoft as part of the academic alliance

e-academy website (where i download)

Microsoft site about it

I aint a moderator so I would rather ere on the side of caution. whats to keep you then, from burning a disk and trying?

I'd also rather be cautious and not try unless i knew it wouldnt remove any media center features

I'll re-install the sp3 update and see what that does

Please note that this site will NOT help anyone asking for assistance with illegal, counterfeit, unlicenced, copied or otherwise unlawfully free copies of software.

Notice the word "copied" in that sentance.