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Need help setting up a new laptop - 8/13/2008 7:48:08 PM

ghitaPVH

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My dad gave me an old laptop to give my oldest UM, it had origionally had windows on it, but someone had taken windows off and put linux on it. We decided to reformat and install windows XP. I assumed I would be able to get online and download any drivers I needed, but now Im having trouble finding wht drivers I need. Is there a way to hunt for system information and find the soundcard and video card information? And the laptop has a CDRW/DVDplayer but I dont have the software for it either..is there a way to find it? CDs work in the drive, but it wont play DVD's, although it would when the linus was on it. And now there is no sound at all, not even system or modem sounds.....

help!!!!!!! lol...I am so compluter illiterate its not even funny...lmao..

ghita~

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RE: Need help setting up a new laptop - 8/13/2008 8:30:38 PM

DomDolf

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What is the full make and model of the PC? The full and accurate model number should be on the bottom of the laptop. Go to the manufacturer's web site and find their Drivers link. Download all appropriate drivers and install or update them.

If you do not know how to do that either find someone that does or follow the instructions in this link. http://www.cyberwalker.com/article/449

Good luck.

Dolf

< Message edited by DomDolf -- 8/13/2008 8:55:49 PM >

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RE: Need help setting up a new laptop - 8/14/2008 5:00:36 AM

pahunkboy

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTbFDHnKZ8g&feature=related

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RE: Need help setting up a new laptop - 8/14/2008 7:27:15 AM

Termyn8or

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Dolf you beat me to it. I have done it a few times. The major thing is to get the network card working first, otherwise you need another PC to download it all, then burn a CD of it and then install it. I have had to do that as well.

T

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RE: Need help setting up a new laptop - 8/14/2008 7:49:50 AM

sub4hire

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There are options out there if you really have no clue what you are doing and don't want to pay someone.
I used this option years ago. It worked wonderfully. I paid some fee to use the service forever but don't recall what I paid.

Though you have to have an internet connection first. Anyway you download the small program. It scans your system for you and installs whatever drivers you need. Tells you if it cannot find a specific driver. It found an obscure video driver I needed that time.

Anyway, haven't used it in years. But I do recommend it when the time its going to take you to search everything down on your own...versus the time it takes to handle the situation for you.

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RE: Need help setting up a new laptop - 8/14/2008 3:31:08 PM

ghitaPVH

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The only thing on the bottom of my laptop is the model number for the case itself...I cant find any manufacture information at all...

As far as I know, this is a system that a friend of my fathers built himself a few years ago and no longer had any interest in. Unfotunantly he's no longer around to ask or thats definantly where I'd be right now. How bad would it be for me to unscrew the back at look inside for part information? Thats what I typically do with the casing of my desktop, Ive installed new hard drives and diskdrives to my desktop on my own before, just never been inside a laptop before.

I may try the PCdriver doctor option sub4hire mentioned, I do have an internet connection on the laptop, but its a dialup and Im running at about 44K right now and Id rather download the drivers on a faster connection if at all possible and move them to the laptop with a CD.

One more question...both my desktop and the new laptop have WindowsXP...I have ethernet cables...how hard would it be to create a LAN?

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RE: Need help setting up a new laptop - 8/14/2008 4:50:01 PM

DomDolf

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Go to any national office store or Best Buy or Circuit City and ask for a network switch. 25 bucks. Plug the two devices in it and you will have the basics for a network. If you need more advanced control you might be interested in a router or firewall (hardware) either wired or wireless. http://compnetworking.about.com/od/basicnetworkingconcepts/Networking_Basics_Key_Concepts_in_Computer_Networking.htm

Check out this site. http://www.idhw.com/

Hope it helps.

Dolf

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RE: Need help setting up a new laptop - 8/14/2008 6:58:09 PM

ghitaPVH

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Thanks, Ill have to check it out onceI get the driver issue figuerd out. I finally found the system information, manufacturer and model and stuff...now I just have to download..and thats proving difficult, I get almost there and I end up with a "page t sure cannot be displayed" and have to keep refreshing pages to get them to load...nowhat thts all about....

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RE: Need help setting up a new laptop - 8/14/2008 8:15:00 PM

Termyn8or

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OK ghita that does pose a challenge. The first thing to know is what kind of motherboard is in it. If you have XP running, look in control panel. Most of the times the devices report themselves to the BIOS, and XP can pickup that information. It might even give you the exact model number of the motherboard.

If not, what does it display on the screen before windows starts loading ? if it says anything about "Press _________ to enter setup", do that. Go through all the categories and look, but don't change anything. If there is a memory map, forget it, but there should be a system BIOS number, that could tell what it is. Even a listing of plug and play devices would provide clues.

That is where that program gets it's answers anyway. But if you really can't get it from the MB manufacturer, you can probably get the drivers "ala carte". The program might be nice, but if it's on dialup, you don't want it DLing drivers, and you can't search it from another PC most likely.

If you want to DL the drivers after using a snooper type program, get the net card drivers first. Then you can put them on the HD and there is no disk to lose. You can do it on dialup, but really, I have seen driver files that are pretty big.

If you wind up having to get drivers one by one, I have a user/pass to driverguide.com.

T

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RE: Need help setting up a new laptop - 8/15/2008 6:23:30 AM

BlackPhx

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I agree with Termy...bios should have all of the information you need Check the Bios Number and version, you can find out the diskdrives and DVD drive information there as well usually. It will say something like Sony, Hitachi, etc. XP should have generic drivers that will work with the board while you are trying to gather all of the information you need. http://www.driverfiles.net/page,dll.html is a good place to start http://www.pacosdrivers.com/ may also help you find the drivers you need. Burn all of the information to a CD/DVD on your desktop and then install on the laptop. It means setting them side by side so that as you find the drivers, you can dwoonload them on the desktop but it should be faster than trying to do it through the laptop.

poenkitten

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RE: Need help setting up a new laptop - 8/15/2008 9:54:54 AM

ghitaPVH

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OK, thanks guys..I manged to find the manufacturer information, its Elitegroup Co and I got a model number and things. Im definantly going to try downloadnig the drivers on the desktop and transfer them over either on a cd or just use a datacard.

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