Can't access Internet

[teemacs]

First of all, I am a bungling amateur who really shouldn't do this sort of thing, but I did, so I need help!

I recently replaced the hard drive on this venerable machine and reloaded its original Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. No Internet. I asked HP and was given a download of HP Softpaq . I found that this wouldn't work unless I had something called Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 or higher. So I added the appropriate 4.5 - still no joy. Apparently I'm lacking something called a network adapter. I would have thought that, in all these bits and pieces, these must be some such thing. Apparently not. Would someone please point me in the right direction - the router is wired to the computer, the little light is blinking happily, but the computer refuses to recognise that anything's there. According to the Device Manager, I'm lacking drivers for E thernet Controller, PCI Serial Port and PCI  SImple Communications Controller. W here does one find such things?

[teemacs]

Just got a note to say that this is enquiry is closed. Wot, nobody knows?

[teemacs · Accepted solution]

...and the answer is...change to Windows 10! As a final act of desperation, I used the Windows 10 disc that came with the computer, et voilà! I had Internet again.  Merde alors!  I also had Windows 10, of course, of which I'm not so fond, but I can live with it. So, all's well again.

Am I allowed to pat my own back?