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Ran clean install; now missing drivers!


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#1
moonwatcher99

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I have a dell inspiron 530s with Windows XP. I was forced to do a clean install, I was having numerous problems with Windows. I should have all the drivers on my utilities disc, but now the device manager is saying that I am missing drivers. I cannot load my internet software to search the net, and Dell's website doesn't want to let me download and save drivers, it wantsa to install them. This laptop is running Windows 7. What should I do?
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#2
Broni

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What exactly did you use to perform clean install?

Dell's website doesn't want to let me download and save drivers, it wantsa to install them

Never heard of such a case. What exactly happens?
What drivers are missing?
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#3
moonwatcher99

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I used the windows xp disc that I received with my computer. Everything went fine, until I tried reinstalling my net setup. (I'm on my Wii browser right now, believe it or not.) As for dell, everytime I clicked on a driver, it gave me a 'preparing to install' message, it wouldn't let me save to a zip drive. I'm afraid that I don't even really know what's missing. I know that I can't install At&t, and I know that in the device manager, under 'other devices', it has ethernet controller listed with a question mark. Does that info help? I suspect I could work things out if I could just connect to the bloody internet.
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#4
Broni

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I used the windows xp disc that I received with my computer

Was it some recovery CD, or full version of Windows XP?

I'm on my Wii browser right now

Are you saying, you're using some Nintendo device to browse the web?
You better visit a friend and download those drivers fro regular computer and put them on USB stick.
Just enter your Dell tag number and all drivers should be there.
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#5
moonwatcher99

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Oh, it was a full disc. It's the complete operating system, with service pack 2. As for my browser, I'm using my Wii NOW, but I WAS on a friend's laptop, which was running Windows 7. Unfortunately, I can't hold their laptop hostage indefinitely, trying to get this thing figured out. (Trust me, I'm not a *complete* idiot, I know I can't download stuff using the Wii.) Their laptop is what kept bringing up the preparing to install notice.
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#6
Broni

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I'm not sure, what's going on. I downloaded drivers form Dell's site countless of times, for other people...
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#7
Ferrari

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Dell's site gives me a hard time installing drivers from them too Broni. I think I know what he means, but I'm not really sure how to fix it. It gives you the option of installing through your browser (IE or Firefox) or via the Dell Download Manager. http://en.community....D00_500x400.jpg
Apparently, once you pick one or the other, it doesn't let you go back and try the other option (at least, not easily)

I think I know what he's going through, I avoid Dell's site for this very problem and just go else where like softpedia or download.com (CNET). Nodevice.com works fairly nice too... I'll let you takeover from there... just wanted to chime in, Dell's site is weird about it... I don't know how else to explain it.

EDIT: P.S. And when you choose to download via Dell Download Manager, it must install .NET Framework first which takes FOREVER AND A DAY.

Edited by Ferrari, 20 December 2009 - 11:10 PM.

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#8
peter99

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Use the second choice to download to hard drive and save, have just tried it also you can un-tick remember my selection

See picture

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#9
moonwatcher99

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Thanks so much for the advice; I will try using Dell's site again. If that doesn't work, maybe I can find what I need on one of the other sites that was mentioned. Now my only problem is sifting through to figure out exactly what I should install. I know that my display is screwed up, I can't play sounds, and I can't connect to my dsl modem. I'm hoping that since Dell lets you search by service tag, it should be able to help a bit with that, right?
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#10
happyrock

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Dell lets you search by service tag, it should be able to help a bit with that, right?

yep...that is the best way...while your there grab ALL the drivers for your system...burn them to a cd...
that way if you ever need them in the future you will avoid the hassle of ever having to get them again
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#11
moonwatcher99

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Thank you everyone for your help. I have now managed to get my computer back to about 98%. I have one last question, which I'm sure will sound stupid. I've managed to restore almost all my drivers from Dell, and a few through the net. However, I have one that will not restore via net, and I'm having a hard time dealing with it since I don't understand what it controls. It's listed as the SM Bus controller, under the other devices tab. Can anyone tell me what this might be, or where I should be looking? I'm thinking it might be related to my 15 in 1 card reader, which is registering differently than it used to, but I'm not sure. At any rate, thanks again for the advice!
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#12
Ferrari

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SM BUS Controller is related to your motherboards chipset. Go to Dell's site and download and install the "chipset" driver for your system. That should do the trick.
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#13
happyrock

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SM BUS Controller is related to your motherboards chipset. Go to Dell's site and download and install the "chipset" driver for your system. That should do the trick.

:)
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#14
moonwatcher99

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That did the trick. Oddly enough, my card reader is still registering differently, but I'm not really complaining. It registers data cards, the only difference is that instead of actually showing up as the different card slots, now it reads as four different generic removable discs. But as I said, I already tested it with my camera card, and it worked, so I'm not complaining. Thank you everyone for helping me get my computer back up and running! I wouldn't have known what to look for!
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#15
happyrock

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your welcome...and thanks for letting us know... :)
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