Laptop cannot retrieve ip address

Hello,

I'm typing this on my Windows Vista, yes, but the laptop that can't connect is Windows XP SP2. It is using a wired connection (the same exact CORD I switched over to this computer a few minutes ago) and will prompt me with the "Limited or no internet connection". When I repair the wired connection, it tries for a bit and then says that it cannot renew the IP address.

Methods I've tried from other threads:
- flushing the DNS cache
- right click local area connection >properties >Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) >properties
>checked off obtain both automatically
-Uninstalling Internet Explorer 8.0 and SP3 (why I am now SP2) but I can't reinstall either of them now
- disabling the firewall temporarily (it's back on now)
- control panel >administration tools >Services >ensured that DNS client was turned on (it was) and then setting it to manual (it was not, but it is now (I didn't revert that))
- Start >Run > "ipconfig /renew"
-and of course restarting the router