Reformatted 700m - no onscreen volume/wireless indicators

Started a thread on anandtech and Dell...still have no answer to this, so I thought I'd try here.

This is concerning the on-screen graphical indicators included with Dell laptops that display Wireless On/Off, Sound Mute/UnMute, Brightness Up/Down, and Sound Volume Up/Down. These WERE available when I received the Dell, but I've reformatted with WinXP SP2, and the indicators are of course not there anymore. I've read through the Dell forums. Note, as mentioned in this thread:

LINK

...that QuickSet is NOT used on the 700m, nor is it available via the Download Page for my service tag. I even tried installing it, and it comes back with an error saying "Not compatible hardware." This is typically the software that includes these indicators.

I took a snapshot of Add/Remove Programs before reformatting. The only Dell items were: Reset Tool, Media Experience, Support 3.1, and System Restore. I thought it might be Media Experience, but again, I don't see this for download anywhere.

Any idea how to get this back? Really miss it...

 

I missed that to but then i found it on quick set. Try going to support.dell.com

 

Again, as mentioned in my post - QuickSet does NOT work with the 700m. I downloaded the latest version (6/2005 I think?) and it would not install. QuickSet was also not included in the list of software I captured before reformatting, so I don't think that was it.

This was true of previous models (i.e. my 8600) but QuickSet does not appear to be used for the 700m. Makes sense, because the actual icons used are different from my 8600. For instance, when changing the volume, rather than seeing a bar that goes from left to right in the bottom-right corner, it was a percentile in the upper-right corner of the screen.

 

I just bought my 700m, and like it a lot. However, I bought it with the intention of reformatting, and so would like to ask you, midiman: Did you have any other problems with reformatting? Is this display problem a hindrance to normal computer functions, or just something you enjoyed having around? I've downloaded all the drivers I think I need from support.dell.com; is there anything else I should do?

I'm worried about reformatting, but I would really like a clean slate on this computer. I realise this is foolish reasoning, but I'm a foolish fellow, and probably shouldn't even own a fragile machine like this in the first place.

 

I totally agree with you actually. I typically reformat most of the retail computers I purchase. You should have no problems whatsoever as long as you install the correct stuff found on Dell's download page for your Dell. I typically look for later drivers from manufacturer's websites, and its possible that's where the mistake was made - i.e. perhaps the on-screen features are installed with a driver that Dell has modified.

If possible - before reformatting, see if you can figure out which app has included the on-screen features as mentioned in this thread. I'd try stopping services or uninstalling each of the Dell installs one at a time.

 

bump - Cornelius...did you reformat?

Never got an answer about this.