lost drivers

[carogator]

I seem to have some drivers missing in my computer.
How do I go about fixing this? I downloaded what should
be a driver i need for my USB port. But how do I install it?
Thanks for any replies.

 

[RonG]

Chances are if you are running anything later than Win98se all you will need is the operating system disk for drivers.I would uninstall whatever drivers that are installed now,reboot and the computer should detect the missing drivers then offer to reinstall them for you.Tell it where to look for the drivers if necessary.Be sure and uninstall any flagged devices in device manager first.
Give us more info if that fails.Ron G

 

[carogator]

Thanks Ron, but I forgot to mention that Dell sent me a disc that my
computer won't recognize. They installed SP2 separately and my disc doesn't have that on it. the disc brings up a error that i need a newer version.

 

[RonG]

Unless you can find a Dell restore/operating system disk that has SP2 then you are out of luck I suppose.
I might be able to mail you a copy with SP2 on it.I can also slipstream SP2 on your disk if you like.Actually,it is not hard to do if you can follow basic instructions I will tell you where to get the free software to accomplish the task.It would be almost a requisite that you have broadbband access,if not I will help you by mail.Ron G

 

[carogator]

Thanks, I already have SP3 installed also. I think my best bet is starting to look like remote access with Dell to let them fix my computer. Unlee you have a better idea.

 

[RonG]

As long as you are comfortable with the arrangements or it is free go for it.
If that does not work out I can still help you but will need more info.Ron G

 

[Chris43156]

Ron - Windows Repair Install?
carogator - can you boot from the CD? I can give directions if necessary.

 

[RonG]

I would try the easy things first.He can remove SP3 and SP2 as well if needed so that he can use the restore disk that he has now.He needs to make sure that he does not have any items in device manager with a yellow flag on them first.
I am guessing that he has a corrupted driver which is easy to fix.Ron G

 

[carogator]

Thanks Guys. I don't know much about these things. but i did install SP3 myself. I guess with directions i could try removing SP3 and SP2. I was afraid that I would mess up something. I'm all ears.

 

[RonG]

Go to start/settings/control panel/add remove programs and highlight SP3 and click on remove.Same with SP2.Do SP3 first.Ron G

 

[carogator]

What happens after i get those removed? will i still be able to contact you for instructions? JAMES G.

 

[RonG]

Once you get these removed go to start/run and type scanreg /restore in the box and hit enter.Be sure that you have your restore disk handy because it will ask for it.Don't forget the space between scanreg and the forward slash or it won't run.
Before you do that go to device manager and make sure that you have no devices in the list with yellow flags,if so uninstall those devices.
Device manager is start/settings/control panel/system/hardware/device manager.
PM me for my email address and I will correspond with you privately if you have any questions that you do not want to ask here.Ron G

 

[Wolfcsm]

I think that the first question is what makes you think you lost drivers? Drivers generally do not just go away.

You should probably run WINDOWS UPDATE and let it install all of the updates you can and then restart the system and run WINDOWS UPDATE again.

Dell has any driver you need on their web site. All you need is the service tag number - usually on the back of the system. Go to their web site and work through to the download page. You put in the service tag number and Dell will have all of the drivers listed for your system as it was when it was new. It will not have drivers for things that you have changed out, if any.

Hal

 

[Grader4me]

I have a question...I have a dell and as it gets older will I have to go to the dell site eventually to update my drivers? If so, how will I know if/when they need updated? How will I know which driver would need updated?

Bare with me here because I am a computer dummy, in every sense of the word...

 

[Wolfcsm]

I have a question...I have a dell and as it gets older will I have to go to the dell site eventually to update my drivers? If so, how will I know if/when they need updated? How will I know which driver would need updated?

Bare with me here because I am a computer dummy, in every sense of the word...

Update when the thing does not work right. Or, when there is a new function available in the driver. Usually, new equipment with new drivers get changed once or twice. After that, they do not get updated much.

The exception might be changing from one OS to a newer OS. That might force some upgrades of the drivers. But, the new OS's come with most drivers on the installation disk.

Hal

 

[Grader4me]

Thanks Hal! Nice of you guys to come to the rescue of us poor computer illiterate souls...

 

[carogator]

When i visited the Dell site, i found that you can register for notification when new drivers are available. I also that Dell has a system built in to send your computer back to original factory setup. Do you think that might be the way to go my lost drivers. one of them is ND15firewall driver for AVG. I am still searching for my Windows Disc, I had it in my hands just 3 weeks ago.

 

[Wolfcsm]

AVG is a free ANTI-VIRUS program. I would simply go to the AVG page and download the latest version of the program and install it.

This is the download page for AVG:
http://free.avg.com/us-en/download


Hal