Device driver probs after a botched Nic driver install

[EvilHorace]

I installed a linksys nic to an older used IBM PC but the el-cheapo POS cd-rom drive I tossed in sometimes (rarely though) decides to sleep on the job so while installing the nic drivers to where it asked for the Win98SE disc, the cd-rom drive didn't spin up leaving me no choice but to abort the nic driver install. I then re-booted, installed the nic driver and network protocols but it's not right and I'm stumped at the moment.
After re-installing drivers succesfully (or so it seems) in device manager the nic is shown, said to be working OK, drivers loaded, etc (looks good) but after installing that plus the protocols, enable file and printer sharing and reboots, I see no network neighborhood icon which normally appears after doing all that. I also have no option to enable file sharing when I right click on the c-drive icon in my comp, there should be a "sharing" option there but it's not and yes, file and printer sharing are enable plus both TCP/IP and Netbeui are both installed. Have tryed selecting windows logon and client for microsoft networking (no network password screen appears when booting appears either). Obviously, something's not functional with the nic drivers and/or related protocols.
I also got "missing file from system ini" when rebooted after botching the nic install and I've tryed removing it from device manager, re-booting, windows spots it, re-install drivers (cd-rom behaving) but I still don't get a network neighborhood icon plus the missing files show up everytime.

When it boots, I get "missing file (missing device) vredir.vxd (hit any key) then dfs.vxd (hit any key) from system.ini (device missing). All devices look OK in device manager, no yellow !s, no extras (duplicates). Then when it starts windows, I get a Windows networking message "unable to find dynamic link library msnp.dll, system cannot find the file specified." Microsoft network. I've had windows try to search for devices, ran registry checker, scandisc and other repair tools from the system tools selection but no luck so far. I havent yet removed the nic from device manager, then physically removed the nic, tryed a few re-boots but I might if nothing else.

Short of re-installing Windows again (and/or re-formatting, starting over), might anyone here know how I can fix this easily?

[EvilHorace]

............fine then, I fixed it myself . I removed the nic, rebooted, shut down and re-installed it in another slot,...................ta-da! :chug

[FlyingPenguin]

Well, now you have the satisfaction of having solved it yourself!

For future reference, Evil, I can't tell you how many times I've had a driver hassle because a) the CD wouldn't read a CD or b) Windows "lost" the CD during that session.

I take no chances anymore. I ALWAYS copy all the CAB files from the Windows CD to a folder on the hard drive and leave them there. Avoids problems down the road.

[EvilHorace]

"I take no chances anymore. I ALWAYS copy all the CAB files from the Windows CD to a folder on the hard drive and leave them there. Avoids problems down the road"

That's another question I've asked before in the OS forum and I see now that you've answered that too, thanks .
I'll do that ASAP, probably tomorrow to the 2 PCs running Win98. My ME laptops OS is included on the recovery disc (which I was once told to run) and that puts that file there because it'll default to that cab file everytime which makes like alot easier, beats the cd "fun".
To my recollection I don't seem to notice this (prompting for cd) occurance with either Win2K or XP so I'm guessing that the upgrade or install program for those OSs must do that then automatically?