No Dell Resource CD ... now what??

Probably the most expedient solution os to download the files on a different machine and burn them to disk for use on your machine.

A better method is to download them on your over computer and stick them in named folders so you know what one is:

e.g.

1. Dell Notebook Software

2.Chipset Drivers

3. Video

4. Communications

5. Broadcom

6. Wireless

7. Synaptics touchpad

8. Dell Quickset

etc etc

Do not use a cd. Use a USB flash drive to transfer them to the new computer, its far more reliable. If you do not have one, you could try copy all the data from the cd onto your desktop and then try installing them from your desktop.

Hi, thanks for your post.  I have downloaded all the drivers for my old pc onto the new one and burned them to disc.  That was the easy part, below are the problems I've hit:

Chipset drivers - cd/dvd wouldn't read the disc.  Managed to get to the file through DOS.  It seemed to download and instal ok, but given what else happened, I'm not sure.

Video drivers - again, big problem reading the disc.  Eventually downloaded the file but have received the error "INF error.  Video Driver not found".  Then a message comes up that the driver cannot instal and to try a VGA driver.  I have been onto the ATI website and downloaded their Driver Detective onto my new pc but cannot get the file to load onto the old pc.  I have tried a cd (in both optical drives) and a USB download.  Neither will work.

Audio drivers - These eventually downloaded and installed ok.  I have no idea whether they are working or not as I don't know where to look or how to test them.

Network Drivers - These downloaded ok.  When it came to the instal, the readme file is saying to go to Network Adaptors in Device Manager.  There is no option for Network Adaptors in my Device Manager.  It goes from Modems to Other Devices (Ethernet Controller, Video Controller, Video Controler VGA compatible).

I have tried a n audio cd in the optical drives and they work ok (or would if I had speakers attached) so the drives appear to work.  They are visible in Device Manager with no reported prolems. 

I have spoken with Dell and they are telling me I can buy their XP instal and Resource CD for £30 (of £57 if I want to courier the discs).  The XP disc is the one that was shipped with the pc.  The drivers are from the Dell website.

I have no idea what is happening - is the instal of XP corrupt somehow?  Anyone have any ideas as to what to do next and hwo to get the pc up and running so that I can connect to the internet.

Thanks.

I recommended the cd because some computers cannot use USB until AFTER the drivers are installed.

It is not possible to use USB in those situations, and without knowing the computer model, the cd was the most universal advice based on the information I had...

To the OP,  as natakuc said, try loading the files from the cd on to yuor desktop, and then install from there. If you cannot copy the files fromthe cd to the desktop, I'd guess the cd is not good.

Good luck.

Hi, thanks for your replies.  Sorry, should have said its a Dell 4550 Dimension that coming up for 6 years old.

When I put the cd into either of the optical drivers, the pc tried to read them, but failed. The files cannot be seen via My Computer.

I also tried the USB initially, but the pc did not recognise the USB ports until after I installed the chipsets drivers.  Even then, I could not load the files onto my desktop.  Again, the pc would not 'see' the files on the drive.

Also, at this point I do not have an internet connection on the old pc. I need to download the drivers, but was advised on the Dell Tech Support pages to instal chipsets/video/audio/network in that order.

The cd and files loaded fine onto an old XP laptop I've got suggesting that the cd/files are ok.  I did not do a full instal as the pc works fine, but I open the files and started the process to see if the cd/files were ok.

I don't really understand why I haven't got the Network option in Device Manager either, so I can't instal the network drivers.

Do you think something has gone wrong with the XP installation?  Is there any other way of getting the files onto the desktop and/or installing them?  Any other ideas about how to progress?

What is the exact model? What are the hardware IDs?

 http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/checking-hardware-ids-in-the-device-manager/