Missing a driver? Ndishlp

[liquidblue1000]

Somehow i lost a driver on my old laptop. Compaq presario 1224 w/ windows 98. I can only run the computer in safe mode now. If i try to boot up normally i will get this message:

an exception 0E has occured at 0028:00001A2BC in VxD Ndis(01) + 00025do. This was called from 0028:C001C30C in VxD NDIS(01) + 00004620. It may be possible to continue normally

If I try to continue I get a blank screen with a cursor in the upper corner.

But before in goes to the exception screen it says:

Error Loading device driver Ndishlp sys
7323: One or more network tranport drivers failed to load

I found and downloaded the driver and put it on disc and tried to load it into that computer, but i guess the hardware dosen't work while in safe mode.. How do I fix this problem? I have a full XP disk and was planning to upgrade. I was just deleting programs to make room to do this. Is it possible to just go ahead and do the upgrade without fixing the driver problem? Even though I can only go in safe mode?
HELP!!

[JimP]

Hi, CDs wont run in Safe Mode. Boot from your 98 boot disk and run XP CD or set your bios setup to boot from XP CD. If you don't have 98 boot disk then make one from Safe Mode. It's at Control Panel, ADD/REMOVE, Startup Disk. If you can't do that make one on a friend's comp or borrow his. If all else fails download one. One choice is MAD BOOT, but there are lot's of them.

[JimP]

Hi, CDs wont run in Safe Mode. Boot from your 98 boot disk and run XP CD or set your bios setup to boot from XP CD. If you don't have 98 boot disk then make one from Safe Mode. It's at Control Panel, ADD/REMOVE, Startup Disk. If you can't do that make one on a friend's comp or borrow his. If all else fails download one. One choice is MAD BOOT, but there are lot's of them.