Down loading System software having a problem

The drivers files on both the Resource CD and the support page are self extracting zip files.  The normal procedure requires that you download the file to a convenient folder, double click it to begin the self extractor, and wait until you get a completion message from the extractor program.  At that point an installation wizard should appear to perform the actual installation.  If you use the Resource CD you can skip the step of downloading to a folder on your hard drive, but when you click on the file choice you get a message asking if you wish to save or open the file.  You must click open in order to begin the self extractor.

The files are extracted to C:\Dell\Drivers\Rwxyz where the wxyz are the numbers contained in the download file.  If you have successfully extracted the file components you can go to that directory and see if there is also a setup program; some files have one and some do not.  If you find a setup program you can double click that to retry the driver installation.  If the file has no setup program you can still use the files to install the driver by going to your device manager and using the option found in the properties for the device to update the driver.

Since you are using Vista one of the problems you may be encountering is the access control feature.  Since we are describing executable files you will need to run them as an administrator.  This may be done by locating the executable file, right clicking on it and choosing Run as Administrator, or sometimes a small window will appear when you try to run the file asking if you wish to run the file as an administrator.

EDIT:  I neglected to mention that one other problem you may be having is that the order of installation is important in the case of at least the first two files installed.  If your system has Dell System Software, this must be the first of the drivers to be installed.  You will find it under the heading of System Utilities.  The second must be the Intel Chipset Driver.  Without these two files the remaining drivers may not install or may not install properly.  The drivers that are left are not as fussy, but Dell recommends that you follow the first two files with the drivers for the display adapter, the network adapter (Ethernet port), and sound adapter.  Anything else may be installed in any order.

Are you able to locate the driver file folders as I described in my earlier post?  If the files have been properly extracted these folders should be present regardless of whether or not they were installed.  If you cannot find them, another approach will be necessary.

Yes I have saved them on my desk top and can locate the file on my resource cd. The file downloads and I run it as admin and I also have run it from resource cd. 

Nothing seems to work. I consider my self pretty good at fixing my own laptop but this one does not make any sense. Please help 

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunatly this does not help. I have already used above mentioned methods. I have downloaded and opened the files in order. I have also utilized the the recovery disc to extract the file and download files. My problem is that it does not stay on the computor after I download open and run the files. I check prior to restart and after  of restrat computor. No matter what I do the system software does not stay on computor. Please help

The file that is in question is the system software file. No other file that I need can be downloaded with out it.

Would it be possible for you to give me a step by step description of what you are doing and what you see on your monitor in response to your action?  Unfortunately I'm unable to see what you are seeing, and the description you are giving me makes me think that the access control is still getting in the way of what you are trying to do.

Okay here we go.

1st step go to dell. com

2nd service tag

3rd get system software A05_R259999 hit download

4th Download manager asks to save. I save it to computer, hard drive OS, Drivers, storage folder, saved

5th I go to start, input run, click computer, hit OS Drive, drive folder, storage folder 

6th system software is in this folder, I right click and run as admin

System utility pops up and I hit continue, then it shows folder with the following address c:/dell/drivers/r259999 I hit ok

? File readme.txt already exists. Do you want to overwrite? I hit yes to all. It says successful unziped. I hit ok

Install shield wizard appears, I hit next then install.

It starts to install, this takes several minutes. I hit finish Do you want to restart. I hit yes

System restarts I run recovery disc to confirm software downloaded. Not downloaded. I then hit extract file from recovery disc.

Asks to allow unidentified publisher I hit allow, system utility comes up with version 5.0.6 I hit continue, select folder

C/DELL/DRIVERS/R156592 I hit okay and files unzip. Ok again and wizard comes up I hit next, install. 

It is installing and takes several minutes. It installs and I hit finish. Nothing else happens. 

That is my story. I hope you can see what I have done wrong and can direct me to fix this. Thank you 

The system software did not download. It is not in the drivers. If you try to go into either folder it will run the install program again. You can not open these folders. They are currently in an install state only. If you go to the drive folder to look for either file there is nothing in them because they never downloaded correctly to view contents of file. 

I suggest that you edit your last post to spell "disk" or "disc" correctly.  The asterisks that come up in place of the letters you typed will result in the post being deleted by the Terms of Service moderator.

I don't understand why you don't believe that the package has installed.  It appears that the installer was properly executed and you received a normal return.  The computer does not normally provide a response other than what you have seen.  How are you using the recovery disk to verify the file has been downloaded?  If you want verification, you should examine the Device Manager.  Any devices that have not been provided with appropriate drivers will have a yellow triangle with exclamation point inside it.  As you install the drivers these error indications should disappear.

Another indication that the driver has been properly loaded is the description of the file folder I gave in my first post.  I can't remember the exact steps in Vista, but you need to use either My Computer or Windows Explorer to go to the C drive, find the Dell/Drivers folder, and check for a folder that has the same name as the file that you have just installed.  Using the files you seem to have installed already you should find a folder named R259999 and one named R156592.  If you examine the contents of those folders you will find from three to a dozen or so files that constitute the driver set.

I would suggest at this point that you proceed with exactly what you have been doing until you run out of drivers to install, then go back to the Device Manager to check on how may error notes you have.  Once all drivers have been installed you should see none.

Are you by chance using the Dell Download Manager to retrieve the file?  This feature has been known to cause trouble with the downloads.  I suggest that you find the Vista equivalent of Add/Remove Programs and use it to remove the Dell Download Manager if you find it there.  After doing that, clear out your browser cache and use the "direct via web browser" option to download the file.  You can download only one driver at a time this way but there is less chance of mangling the files.