Desktops: hardware issues after reinstalling windows xp

hardware issues after reinstalling windows xp

Greetings all,

I recently reformatted my PC and reinstalled Windows XP Home on my Gateway 500XL (512MB SDRAM, 1.7GHz P4, 64MB NVIDIA GeForce 2 MX 400). After doing this, two issues occurred:

(1) In Device Manager, under "Other Devices," there is a yellow question mark next to "PCI Simple Communications Controller." I have tried to solve this issue by installing all the drivers from the Gateway Drivers CD and also by using the Hardware Update Wizard, but neither works. The device indicates a Code 28 error. (For what it's worth, I do, however, have sound on my PC.) The Gateway tech told me to just uninstall the device, but everytime I reboot, the PC "finds" new hardware again, but no drivers for the unknown device. She then to me to reseat the PCI devices, but why do this when there was no driver issue before reinstalling Windows? Besides, I don't know where the PCI devices are located.

(2) Afer starting or restaring my PC, once it boots to the desktop, the monitor flashes off for a brief second (goes to black) and then flashes back on. Again, she told me to reseat the video card, but this wasn't happening before reinstalling Windows and I don't know which one is the video card.

Thanks in advance for any assistance,
Jason