Dell XPS600 - NIC doesn't see any network

I have a machine with a problem - it's a Dell XPS 600 running XP (sorry, guys, about posting in a Win7 forum, but I couldn't face the beargarden that is Answers!)

The machine runs fine, and there are no errors in Device Manager (aoart from the usual parallel port one).
The NIC is seen by DM, and reports as being properly installed., and appears in the Network Connections page.

But it just does not seem to see the network at all.

not-connected message abound, and there's no apparent attempts to connect through it.
It's an onboard NIC, or I'd just swap it out. (I may add a card anyhow)


A little history - the machine suddenly failed to boot with a BIOS fault indicating that perhaps the CMOS battery had died, so the owner brought it to me.
When it arrived, there was no sign of any booting going on apart from various lights. Turned out that wiggling teh Graphics card brought the video back online. It seems that somehow, the default RAID got switched off in BIOS, which is what resulted in the boot error, and once i'd got that sorted the system booted fine - but the NIC problem appeared.
Client tells me that it's not a known problem with the machine.


Any bright ideas for testing? (I've already checked the Ethernet cable and that's fine - connects in no time flat on another system)
I'm going to try a Bart/USBCD boot next - will post when I have a result.

OK - never mind......
UBCD didn't even see the NIC.

BUT!
I downloaded a new set of drivers from Dell and forced and install, and that seems to have done the trick