Dell Drivers

BarTopDancer · 05-15-2008, 12:37 PM

I rebuilt my laptop today, and everything but the wireless card is functioning.

I can't find the wireless card drivers on the Dell website (I've tried 4 that are supposed to work). My computer did not come with the disk of preinstalled stuff and the auto scan doesn't work either.

I have Dell 700m running XP. I can't tell what brand of wireless card it is. If anyone can find the chipset and driver for it, I'd be forever grateful.

Ghoulish Delight · 05-15-2008, 12:59 PM

Watch the BIOS while you boot up (you may have to hit esc or spacebar or a function key to get rid of a splash screen). It might give you some detail about what card you have. Then you can go straight to the manufacturer's site. Don't what else to tell you if you've tried all of the options on the Dell site.

On a side note, one of the major projects I work on is with Dell. I get emails with titles like "Dell Drivers" all the time. Kinda freaked me out to see that on the board.

Moonliner · 05-15-2008, 01:24 PM

Try:

Start->Control Panel->System->Hardware->Device Manager

Dig around in there and see if you can find it listed, it might be labeled as unknown device but the properties might show you the make/model.

After installing the first driver, did you uninstall each driver and reboot before trying the next one? Trying to run conflicting drivers can lead to fugly results.

If none of that helped, I suggest you perform a hard reset - drop it out a second floor window. (Note: This assumes you still have a full warranty including breakage) and start from scratch.

Also you might want to call dell. Compared to a lot of other companies they are typically pretty good about answering their tech support lines.

BarTopDancer · 05-15-2008, 01:41 PM

It says no driver details available because no driver is installed. Machine is 4 years old, no warranty and Dell wants lots of money to help. I just rebuilt the machine. Prior to that there were no issues. (Rebuilt for performance issues). I have uninstalled each driver that I downloaded before installing the new one. The Dell help I found says that I need to install a chipset first. Which would be cool if I could find it.

Ghoulish Delight · 05-15-2008, 01:45 PM

This should be your chipset driver:

http://support.dell.com/support/down...&fileid=149851

Install that, then go back and try the various wireless drivers.

BarTopDancer · 05-15-2008, 01:48 PM

Thanks. G. I haven't restarted yet since I saw your post. I have been downloading other software.

Kevy Baby · 05-15-2008, 03:01 PM

My advice? Buy a Mac.

BarTopDancer · 05-15-2008, 03:01 PM

Chipset is good. The support.dell.com site is a lot better then how I was going about it. I love the randomness of it. Can't find the information about the model. It's like it doesn't see it.

Ghoulish Delight · 05-15-2008, 03:09 PM

Yeah, it's an unfortunate hole in the plug'n'play system. If there is no driver in the system at all, you can't get any info.

But there are a bunch of options available on the dell support site there, one of them should work.

BarTopDancer · 05-15-2008, 03:50 PM

All better!

Thanks guys!

05-15-2008, 12:37 PM	#1
BarTopDancer Prepping... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Here, there, everywhere Posts: 11,405	Dell Drivers I rebuilt my laptop today, and everything but the wireless card is functioning. I can't find the wireless card drivers on the Dell website (I've tried 4 that are supposed to work). My computer did not come with the disk of preinstalled stuff and the auto scan doesn't work either. I have Dell 700m running XP. I can't tell what brand of wireless card it is. If anyone can find the chipset and driver for it, I'd be forever grateful. __________________ Spork is the new MacGyver Postcards From My Edge
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05-15-2008, 12:59 PM	#2
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	Watch the BIOS while you boot up (you may have to hit esc or spacebar or a function key to get rid of a splash screen). It might give you some detail about what card you have. Then you can go straight to the manufacturer's site. Don't what else to tell you if you've tried all of the options on the Dell site. On a side note, one of the major projects I work on is with Dell. I get emails with titles like "Dell Drivers" all the time. Kinda freaked me out to see that on the board. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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05-15-2008, 01:24 PM	#3
Moonliner 8/30/14 - Disneyland -10k or Bust. Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 9,022	Try: Start->Control Panel->System->Hardware->Device Manager Dig around in there and see if you can find it listed, it might be labeled as unknown device but the properties might show you the make/model. After installing the first driver, did you uninstall each driver and reboot before trying the next one? Trying to run conflicting drivers can lead to fugly results. If none of that helped, I suggest you perform a hard reset - drop it out a second floor window. (Note: This assumes you still have a full warranty including breakage) and start from scratch. Also you might want to call dell. Compared to a lot of other companies they are typically pretty good about answering their tech support lines. __________________ - Taking it one step at a time. Last edited by Moonliner : 05-15-2008 at 01:37 PM.
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05-15-2008, 01:41 PM	#4
BarTopDancer Prepping... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Here, there, everywhere Posts: 11,405	It says no driver details available because no driver is installed. Machine is 4 years old, no warranty and Dell wants lots of money to help. I just rebuilt the machine. Prior to that there were no issues. (Rebuilt for performance issues). I have uninstalled each driver that I downloaded before installing the new one. The Dell help I found says that I need to install a chipset first. Which would be cool if I could find it. __________________ Spork is the new MacGyver Postcards From My Edge
	Submit to Quotes

05-15-2008, 01:45 PM	#5
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	This should be your chipset driver: http://support.dell.com/support/down...&fileid=149851 Install that, then go back and try the various wireless drivers. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
	Submit to Quotes

05-15-2008, 01:48 PM	#6
BarTopDancer Prepping... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Here, there, everywhere Posts: 11,405	Thanks. G. I haven't restarted yet since I saw your post. I have been downloading other software. __________________ Spork is the new MacGyver Postcards From My Edge
	Submit to Quotes

05-15-2008, 03:01 PM	#7
Kevy Baby Chowder Head Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Yes Posts: 18,500	My advice? Buy a Mac. __________________ The thing about quotes on the internet is that you cannot verify their validity. - Abraham Lincoln
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05-15-2008, 03:09 PM	#9
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	Yeah, it's an unfortunate hole in the plug'n'play system. If there is no driver in the system at all, you can't get any info. But there are a bunch of options available on the dell support site there, one of them should work. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
	Submit to Quotes

05-15-2008, 03:50 PM	#10
BarTopDancer Prepping... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Here, there, everywhere Posts: 11,405	All better! Thanks guys! __________________ Spork is the new MacGyver Postcards From My Edge
	Submit to Quotes