wirelesswont work? no ability to connect, to ANY network?

my laptop (runs on XP) was shared as more of a family thing, and each created their own accounts.
there was two administrators, and two limeted.
one ofthe administrator accounts was just swamped with hidden files, so i switched thetype to limeted,and deleted the account.
i made a new account to replace it, and used the computer as usaual.
then i shut it off, and when i rebooted the next day, no wireless connection was there (the icon) i assumed it was a hardware issue, so i just restarted, then tried to install a linksys wireless adapter i had lying around.
the setup wa going until about 30% when the wizard stopped, and read the eror messase "cannot continue setup/ iKernel.exe / acess denied" (slashes represent new lines)
tried a virus/malware scan, and no results.
what can i do?
its not a lack of a network, ive taken it over to my neighbors andtried to use theirs,but same issue