accidentally deleted a needed windows file now i can't get online

What type of file did you deleted?

From where did you delete?

What problem are facing after deleting the file?

If you have Windows CD, use it and repair your installation.

Note that support for Windows XP will be ended soon: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/end-support-help

you can only use a windows cd to repair an installation when the cd matches the service pack currently on the pc.

if you use a sp2 cd to repair an sp3 installation, it will screw up and it would be best then to do a complete reinstall.

first, go to control panel, choose network connections, right click on your internet connection and choose repair.

What info does it give if repair fails??

look in Event viewer are there any errors??

(for event viewer, go to start, run, and type in eventvwr.msc, then click ok)

Using System Restore to restore the machine to a point just before you deleted the file would be the easiest way to fix this.

John

I accidentally deleted a windows file I believe it was an XML file.

Doubtful.  There are a handful of *.xml files in C:\Windows\system32\icsxml but those relate to UPnP, which isn't necessary for connecting to the Internet.  The other *.xml files in C:\Windows or its subfolders are even more remote.

is there an easier way of retrieving this file

Probably, if you identify what file it is.

Providing the complete text of any error message without paraphrasing is always a good idea.

BTW, System Restore does not monitor XML files (see http://bertk.mvps.org/html/filesfolders.html).

Right. 

Almost next to the best of lamest of replies.

I might as well cross my fingers and say abracadabra.

Not knowing what happened, not knowing the the OS and SP are or what the file is - close your eyes and guess.  I think must be the jose.xml file.

I can tell you - it must be the jose.xml file that is missing.  You can't run without that.  

Oh - I have some kind of Windows operating system and I think it is up to date because Microsoft MS Answers told me so.

System Restore does not know about or care about XML files.  That is not how SR works, that is not what it is for and that it not what it does.

Let me tell you friend - that is not how things work in the solar system called the Milky Way and on the the third rock from the sun - the planet we call Earth.

Take your system with some XML files on it (you pick any XP XML files you want or of your choice).

You pick any XP XML file.  Pick any one.  Doesn't matter to me.

Do you know or do you need me to tell you a list?

You're a MVP so you should know what they all are and what they do, right?   That's your job (or title).

Pick any one and delete it.

Then reboot (assuming your system still boots).

Then you try your System Restore and see if System Restore replaces them.

Then tell us how it works out.

It is a guess.

I don't know of any .xml files that are absolutely required to have internet access, the poster may have deleted something other than xml files without knowing it so in this case System Restore may fix the problem.  Do you actually think that missing xml files are the problem?

The name of the file is MSXML. This is what happened my 23 yr old nephew got on my laptop and viewed some questionable  material. He probably got the laptop infected with a virus not sure, he then tried to clean up his mess clearing the history and for some dumb reason he went into the program files. He isnt sure why he selected to delete that particular file. He says that he was just checking to see what they were. Needless to say the two computers I have, even the broken one are now password protected. I don't have the windows cd, it was loaded on the laptop when i purchased it. I have gone through the files on the pc that is working and the laptop doesnot have the MSXML file but the pc does so that is why i am assuming that is the one he deleted. He also emptied the recycle bin. I tried system restore and that did  not work.

its a windows XP Home edition with the 8.1 windows version. the error message I receive states, " Unable to find locale data files. Please reinstall."

Now see?

It's easy when you have the right information.

If the MS Answers forums would prompt for fundamental system information when a new question is asked you would not have wasted your time  The "Owners" don't understand that. 

They are not problem solvers. They are gamers.  I you have a game problem they might be able to tell you how to cheat.  They can't tell you how to solve your Windows problems.

This is the Windows XP forum.

XP is not the same as Windows 8.1.

The Windows 8.1 forums are here - ask your question there:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1?tab=Threads

Thank you for your time. I did exactly what you told me and it still gives me the error message "Unable to find locale data files. Please reinstall".