According to the Device Manager, the version of the driver is 6.10.0.6324 and the date is 25/01/2011.
Anyone know if the version numbering scheme has changed or is this not the right number?
The date does not look right. I don't remember ever seeing one with a date that was not month/day/year. I don't think the system has been changed. I find 2 IDT drivers named 6.10.0.6324, one of which is A01 (R308434, dated 8/11/2011) and the other is A02 (R297811, dated 3/15/2011), neither of which is for a Precision model.
To find an audio driver on your computer, go to c:\dell\drivers\Rxxxxxx (folder name). The audio driver(s) will have a sub-folder named WDM. Each driver should have a filed named "version.txt" or something like that, which should match the same information that is provided on the Dell driver page. You should be able to find the audio driver you have now and you might be able to find out which models it was supposed to be for.
I checked the versions of the installed drivers and compared them to the ones in the c:\drivers\audio\R293712 folder. They are the same so it appears the version that's installed in the computer is A02. It seems odd that Dell would use a different version number for the package than for the actual files.
When I tried installing the A03 driver, it gave no errors, but didn't install. I tried reinstalling the A02 driver, it gave no errors either, but didn't create a new folder. There is no mention that the A02 driver should be deinstalled using add or remove programs. I wonder if that is required.
I checked the versions of the installed drivers and compared them to the ones in the c:\drivers\audio\R293712 folder. They are the same so it appears the version that's installed in the computer is A02. It seems odd that Dell would use a different version number for the package than for the actual files.
Sorry but I am having trouble understanding this now, the part about checking the versions. Are you saying that you found your 6.10.0.6324 driver dated 25/01/2011 in a folder named R293712, which should contain version 1.14.1 dated 3/14/2011?
Dell's naming convention is aggravating, because they re-use the A0x numbers all the time and the xx.xxx.xx numbers enough times to cause uncertainty. I usually use the folder names because as far as I can tell they are unique.
Other than that, where did the 6.10.0.6324 driver come from, was it pre-installed at the factory or downloaded? Was the computer purchased in the U.S.?
When I tried installing the A03 driver, it gave no errors, but didn't install.
When you unzipped it to the default location, the R297613 folder was created okay?
I tried reinstalling the A02 driver, it gave no errors either, but didn't create a new folder.
When you unzipped it to the default location nothing happened? I downloaded it and it created the folder okay when unzipped. As you said there are no text files. But if I understand correctly you already had a folder named R293712, so you are saying that the unzipper didn't ask if you wanted to overwrite that folder? (You don't have to answer all of these questions -- they are more to indicate my confusion than to request information.)
There is no mention that the A02 driver should be deinstalled using add or remove programs. I wonder if that is required.
You normally do not have to remove the driver files when installing a newer version. Multiple audio driver folders can co-exist on the hard drive, but in the case of installing an older version then the newer folder(s) should first be removed. If you want to remove them you can use Add/Remove Programs, or just simply delete the folders which is the way to go when you want to remove all audio driver folders. Add/Remove will only remove the installed one. If you have no IDT driver folders then Windows 7 will install its own HD audio driver. If you do not see the word "IDT" in the Sound properties then the driver that is currently installed is the Windows driver.
I used the update package DRVR_WIN_R297613.EXE on the dell website. It seemed to install, but after, I cannot find any folder with 297613 in the file name. I don't know where it is unzipping to. When I tried to install the previous version (A02), It unzipped into R297312. When I checked the properties of the driver files currently installed on my computer, they where the same. So I have A02 installed and for some reason, A03 is not installing properly. I have no idea why. When I look in the list of installed programs, I can see the IDT driver with version 1.0.6320.0. The dell version numbers for the IDT drivers do not match the actual files. I wish Dell / IDT would get their act together on this. I'd like to install the latest driver, but I have no idea what to try next, aside from removing the existing version first using add or remove programs, but I don't want to mess the system up.
My philosophy about updating is if it ain't broke.... I have reformatted my 8 year old Inspiron a number of times and still use the drivers from the original Utilities disk that came with the laptop. And one of the cardinal rules I follow is to never allow automatic Windows updates. But that's just me.
You could remove using Add/Remove but if there are more than one IDT folders then Windows will install the next one upon reboot. I would just delete them all and then download the normal R297613 "hard drive" package. When you unzip it Windows will create the folder that you can't find.
Jim Coates
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13.6K Posts
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October 27th, 2011 05:00
The date does not look right. I don't remember ever seeing one with a date that was not month/day/year. I don't think the system has been changed. I find 2 IDT drivers named 6.10.0.6324, one of which is A01 (R308434, dated 8/11/2011) and the other is A02 (R297811, dated 3/15/2011), neither of which is for a Precision model.
http://support.us.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R308434&formatcnt=0&libid=0&typeid=-1&dateid=-1&formatid=-1&source=-1&fileid=465414
http://support.us.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R297811&formatcnt=0&libid=0&typeid=-1&dateid=-1&formatid=-1&source=-1&fileid=447067
I find 2 IDT drivers for the Precision M4600. The current one (folder name R297613), and an older one:
1.14.1, A02 dated 3/14/2011(R293712).
http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R293712&SystemID=PREC_M4600&servicetag=&os=W764&osl=en&deviceid=16105&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=2&catid=-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=0&libid=3&typeid=-1&dateid=-1&formatid=-1&source=-1&fileid=438746
To find an audio driver on your computer, go to c:\dell\drivers\Rxxxxxx (folder name). The audio driver(s) will have a sub-folder named WDM. Each driver should have a filed named "version.txt" or something like that, which should match the same information that is provided on the Dell driver page. You should be able to find the audio driver you have now and you might be able to find out which models it was supposed to be for.
M4600
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October 27th, 2011 21:00
All the dates on my computer are day/month/year.
The 6.10.6324.0 version comes from stwrt64.sys which is an IDT driver. The other IDT files are version 1.0.6324.0.
I found the folder from the original driver. It's c:\drivers\audio\R293712 and it doesn't contain any text files.
It appears that driver on the dell website is newer.
M4600
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October 27th, 2011 22:00
I checked the versions of the installed drivers and compared them to the ones in the c:\drivers\audio\R293712 folder. They are the same so it appears the version that's installed in the computer is A02. It seems odd that Dell would use a different version number for the package than for the actual files.
When I tried installing the A03 driver, it gave no errors, but didn't install. I tried reinstalling the A02 driver, it gave no errors either, but didn't create a new folder. There is no mention that the A02 driver should be deinstalled using add or remove programs. I wonder if that is required.
Jim Coates
4 Operator
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13.6K Posts
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October 28th, 2011 06:00
Sorry but I am having trouble understanding this now, the part about checking the versions. Are you saying that you found your 6.10.0.6324 driver dated 25/01/2011 in a folder named R293712, which should contain version 1.14.1 dated 3/14/2011?
Dell's naming convention is aggravating, because they re-use the A0x numbers all the time and the xx.xxx.xx numbers enough times to cause uncertainty. I usually use the folder names because as far as I can tell they are unique.
Other than that, where did the 6.10.0.6324 driver come from, was it pre-installed at the factory or downloaded? Was the computer purchased in the U.S.?
When you unzipped it to the default location, the R297613 folder was created okay?
When you unzipped it to the default location nothing happened? I downloaded it and it created the folder okay when unzipped. As you said there are no text files. But if I understand correctly you already had a folder named R293712, so you are saying that the unzipper didn't ask if you wanted to overwrite that folder? (You don't have to answer all of these questions -- they are more to indicate my confusion than to request information.)
You normally do not have to remove the driver files when installing a newer version. Multiple audio driver folders can co-exist on the hard drive, but in the case of installing an older version then the newer folder(s) should first be removed. If you want to remove them you can use Add/Remove Programs, or just simply delete the folders which is the way to go when you want to remove all audio driver folders. Add/Remove will only remove the installed one. If you have no IDT driver folders then Windows 7 will install its own HD audio driver. If you do not see the word "IDT" in the Sound properties then the driver that is currently installed is the Windows driver.
M4600
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October 30th, 2011 23:00
Thanks for the reply. Let me try and clarify.
I used the update package DRVR_WIN_R297613.EXE on the dell website. It seemed to install, but after, I cannot find any folder with 297613 in the file name. I don't know where it is unzipping to. When I tried to install the previous version (A02), It unzipped into R297312. When I checked the properties of the driver files currently installed on my computer, they where the same. So I have A02 installed and for some reason, A03 is not installing properly. I have no idea why. When I look in the list of installed programs, I can see the IDT driver with version 1.0.6320.0. The dell version numbers for the IDT drivers do not match the actual files. I wish Dell / IDT would get their act together on this. I'd like to install the latest driver, but I have no idea what to try next, aside from removing the existing version first using add or remove programs, but I don't want to mess the system up.
Jim Coates
4 Operator
•
13.6K Posts
0
October 31st, 2011 06:00
My philosophy about updating is if it ain't broke.... I have reformatted my 8 year old Inspiron a number of times and still use the drivers from the original Utilities disk that came with the laptop. And one of the cardinal rules I follow is to never allow automatic Windows updates. But that's just me.
You could remove using Add/Remove but if there are more than one IDT folders then Windows will install the next one upon reboot. I would just delete them all and then download the normal R297613 "hard drive" package. When you unzip it Windows will create the folder that you can't find.