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Just installed Windows XP on my Inspiron 600m. Need help with drivers installation
Hi,
My hard drive crashed so I installed XP from the CD that Dell sent. Then when Windows started I inserted the Dell Resource CD, but couldn't find my system model. I think it only had Desktop system Models. Now i'm guessing I should just install them from the Dell website.
My questions:
1. How necessary is it to install any drivers at all?
2. Can I just install them by going to Device Manager and updating drivers for each hardware?
3. Should I install anit-virus before double clicking on internet explorer and setting up an Internet Connection so I can install Drivers from Dell.com?
4. Should I install all the drivers listed for my service tag? There are two or more for some things, but I don't know which one is the correct one, since my warranty has expired and it doesn't tell me which hardware I have.
Thank you!
Jzuck
6 Posts
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January 21st, 2010 15:00
Thank you for replying.
For Chipset I have two options:
Intel - Driver
Applies to:
Mobile Chipset
O2Micro - Driver
Applies to:
O2Micro O2711EC1 PCMCIA/SmartCard Controller
Any Idea what the difference is
Alexandra_P
2.6K Posts
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January 21st, 2010 15:00
1. XP only installs bare-bones drivers - assuming it even has them for all your hardware in the first place. You won't get the full use of the hardware unless you install the specific drivers for them.
2. If you mean using Windows Update, not a good idea. Microsoft's database isn't complete, plus it isn't always correct for Dell-specific hardware. Best to do it from Dell.
3. You could, but Windows Firewall should be sufficient as long as you don't wander anywhere else. However, it's possible you won't have a working internet connection without the drivers in the first place.
Since it seems you're on another computer now, you could just download the drivers you need to that one, then copy them over with a USB flash drive. Just don't select the Download Manager to download the files - do them one at a time with the Browser Download option. You can even rename the files if you want - e.g., chipset, audio, video, etc.
4. Depends on what's actually listed. Dell includes drivers, BIOS, firmware, utilities, and applications on that page - if all you need is drivers, just select drivers.
There is a recommended order to install drivers - follow that to make sure everything gets identified correctly. Note you won't have everything on that list - just skip whatever you don't have:
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/document?c=us&docid=1A0C0937D62A8739E0401E0A55174744&doclang=en&l=en&s=gen
Alexandra_P
2.6K Posts
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January 21st, 2010 16:00
The Mobile chipset is the primary set of chips linking your processor to all the other components in the computer - memory, drives, slots, etc. That should be installed right after the Notebook System Software.
The Smart Card controller is only, well, for the smart card reader. I guess Dell reorganized the page and just stuck it under Chipset. Don't overthink too much.
Jzuck
6 Posts
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January 21st, 2010 17:00
Thanks for your help. I don't know what a smart card is. I don't think my computer has it so I didn't install that driver. Hopefully everything is fine!
TheRealFireblad
4.6K Posts
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January 22nd, 2010 08:00
It's actually a smart card reader - which is used to read/write to the various types of memory cards you typically find in (i.e.) digital cameras/camcorders, mobile phones etc - for instance SD/SDHC (secure digital/secure digital high capacity) cards, compact flash (CF) cards, Memory Stick Pro, MMC (multi-media cards - commonly used in mobile phones) :emotion-5:
Computer-Geek
59 Posts
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March 5th, 2016 13:00
No Dell Resource ( Drivers ) CD ... now what?? :emotion-12:
Just an observation, on trying to re-formatted the O/S. but none of the network
adapter's were working,:
the suggestions here sound great. I was working on a
Dell XPS laptop, i-5 Processor, WIN 7.
I re-formatted the O/S. but none of the network
adapter's were working, only one USB port worked,
and the Keyboard didn't work.
Maybe I should order a Pizza, next time? :emotion-33:
I will try downloading the Drivers, or adapters from the :emotion-12:
dell download/drivers webpage, to a CD / Flash drive, as
was suggested.