Ethernet Controller Driver for Dimension 9100 on WinXP x64

Question

Hi,   I've just upgraded my operating system to a WinXP x64 and found that I had to reinstall some of the drivers for it. I've managed to reinstall all drivers except for one which was the Ethernet Controller Driver. I was wondering if anyone knows where I would be able to get the driver for the Ethernet Controller for the Dell Dimension 9100.   Thanks Dave

jmwills · Answer

Could be hard to find.  You might try using the 32 bit driver.   A quick check to the downloads sections hsowed there is no 64 bit driver for the NIC card. Message Edited by jmwills on 08-30-2005 04:10 PM

OH NO · Answer

Hrmm.. how would I find out the name of my network card. It's an integrated network card on the motherboard so would you know what I should be looking for?

jmwills · Answer

Belarc advisor form www.belarc.com

Joguay · Answer

Did you figure it out? I have installed Windows Server 2003 x64 on my Dimension 9100 and I have not found a driver for the  network card either.   Thanks

jmwills · Answer

More than likely the 32 bit driver will work.

OH NO · Answer

No, I never did end up finding out what the driver was. I tried installing the 32bit driver but that did not work either. In the end I ended up rolling back to the 32bit version of Windows. I found that the applications for my soundcard was not configured to run on a x64 platform and figured that if this happens for the soundcard application then who knows how many other programs will not run properly on the x64 platform and how many more headaches I'll be having. Best to just run things the old way until companies start supporting the x64 platform more.

jmwills · Answer

That's the best thing to do, unless you have just aplain vanilla system.  I would think it could be another 6 months are so before a lot more drivers are available.  Did you say you tried rolling the driver back to 32 bit under the 64 bit system?

sp44 · Answer

I tried the 32 bit drivers too. Anybody else have luck finding drivers?

OH NO · Answer

Jmwills.. I ended up reinstalling my entired operating system from the 64bit to the 32bit and decided not to use the 64bit operating system at all. Well not for another year or so when there are more drivers and programs which are supported under the 64bit operating system. The main problem for me was that I could not find certain drivers such as the driver for the Ethernet Controller Card which basically meant that I couldn't do any work at all as I rely heavily on the internet/networks to work and I found that some applications didn't run properly under the 64bit operating system. The other thing is that I use this machine primarily to develop my programs on and if I compile the applications on the 64bit machine then it will only work for 64bit machines which many of our clients don't have at this moment.   One other thing. I find it pretty dumb that they don't have x64 drivers for the Ethernet Controller Card as this basically prevents you from accessing the net and all other upgrades/security that you need to apply to your machine so this basically renders you machine useless with an x64 operating system apart from if you want to do basic word processing and don't rely on the net or bother about upgrades.

jmwills · Answer

This is usually the case with a new OS.  XP had problems in the beginning thats the reason you can 'roll Back' a driver to make it work in a previsous OS version.  Your best bet, if that does not work, would be to find an aftremarket NIC card at CompUSA, etc that will support the 64 bit OS.  It has stopped me from migrtaing also and those things are just a bit tricky to find over here in Europe, heck, DSL is just becoming wdiespread.

sp44 · Answer

anybody have luck yet?

jmwills · Answer

I know that Microsoft has really been pushing the device makers to get on the ball and get those drivers released.  I'm in the same boat with a Dimension 8300 and no 64 bit drivers.

ccparkhill · Answer

I've just installed x64 on my 9100, my integrated network card is an Intel Pro/100 VE. I just downloaded the x64 driver from www.intel.com.   I presume all 9100s would have the same integrated network card?

OH NO · Answer

Kewl thanks. I'll have a look at that. Btw, after installing your x64 OS. Have you had any problems with any 32bit software running on the x64 OS? I found that some of my programs, ie. sound card software was not designed to run under the x64 OS and so it did not run properly. I did not like the idea of a few programs designed for the 32bit OS not being able to run under the x64 OS even though it's meant to support it so I decided to roll back to the 32bit OS.

jmwills · Answer

Anything written for XP will install with no problems, although it will run at a 32 bit speed, obviously.

Just an addendum here: although you may be lucky enough to find the correct drivers for the 64 bit OS, your processor may or may not be capable of running the OS. I found that out this weekend while trying to upgrade an Inspiron 600m to XP64, so I just reloaded Vista and all is well for now.

Message Edited by jmwills on 09-19-2005 08:04 AM

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Ethernet Controller Driver for Dimension 9100 on WinXP x64

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