drivers: what to install/not install?

I'm going to do the reformat/reinstall when my Inspiron 6000 arrives today. I went to Dell's website and downloaded everything that seemed to pertain to my system. Is there anything here that for some reason *shouldn't* be installed?

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Applications

R94689.EXE - Dell QuickSet, v.3.9.2, A26 (03/10/2005)
The Dell QuickSet application provides quick access to configuration settings for: Power management schemes, Battery resource information, Desktop font scaling, Volume status, Display brightness, Radio/Wireless activity, Presentation mode, Display switch, Hotkey hibernate, MediaDirect Support
- Internal network card activity (depending on your system): The Internal Network Card will be deactivated when user goes to battery mode and the network cable is unplugged. Inorder to activate it, reinsert AC power source.
- The application also warns user when unsupported power-adapter/dock/battery scenarios are detected.

Audio Drivers

S1wua01i.exe - SIGMATEL STAC 975X AC97, v.5.10.0.4243, A01 (01/18/2005)
Sigmatel STAC 975x AC97 WDM Audio Driver

Chipset

R86238.EXE - Intel Mobile Chipset, v.6.1.0.1008, A07 (01/18/2005)
Intel Chipset Software installation utility for systems that support PCI Express.

Communication Drivers

R85457.EXE - Conexant D110,MDC,1.5,v.92, v.7.12.9.0, A02 (01/19/2005)
Driver: Conexant D110 MDC WXP & 2K Driver, V7.12.9.0

R81470.EXE - Conexant D110,MDC,1.5,v.92, v.2.33, A01 (01/19/2005)
Diagnostics Utility: Modem Helper (Windows Diags) V2.3

Diagnostic Utilities

ddup1249.exe - Dell 32-bit Diagnostics Utility Partition Contents Upgrade Tool, v.UpUpdate.A1249, A1249 (02/21/2005)
Dell 32-bit Diagnostics v1249 Utility Partition Upgrade Tool

Display Devices

none

FlashBIOS Updates

I6000A03.exe - Dell Inspiron 6000 System BIOS, A03 (01/18/2005)
Inspiron 6000 System BIOS

Input Device Drivers

R89598.EXE - Alps GlidePoint/StickPointer, v.5.4.102.12, A09 (01/18/2005)
Alps Touch Pad Driver

Network Drivers

R85255.EXE - Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Controller, v.4.25, A08 (01/20/2005)
Updated Broadcom 10/100 Ethernet (4401)drivers. Need to be used for all platforms defined in this release.

R89495.EXE - Intel (R) PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection v.9.0.0.61, 9.0.1.57, A08 (02/22/2005)
Installer package for driver version 9.0.0.61 and PROSet/Wireless utility version 9.0.1.57 supporting either Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2915ABG Network Connection or Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection.

Printer Drivers

none

Removable Media Storage Devices

TEAC DV-28EC D4D firmware.zip - TEAC DV-28EC 8X Slim DVD, v.D.4D, A01 (03/09/2005)
WINDOWS BASED FIRMWARE INSTALL

System and Configuration Utilities

R82491.EXE - Dell Notebook System Software, v.3.6.0, A16 (01/18/2005)
Notebook System Software (NSS) is a utility that provides critical updates and patches for your operating system. Install the NSS program to gain support for Dell 3.5-inch USB floppy drives, Intel Pentium-M processors, CD-ROM/CD-RW/DVD drives, Infrared (IR) communications, and USB devices. NSS is necessary for correct operation of your Dell portable computer, including the Dell D/Bay, D/Dock, D/Port, and D/View family of docking devices. NSS automatically detects your computer and operating system and installs the updates appropriate for your configuration.

Video Drivers

R95041.EXE - ATI MobilityRadeon X300, v.8.093-050112a-020401C-Dell, A02 (02/28/2005)
ATI Mobility Radeon X300 Graphics Driver for Windows XP on Dell Inspiron 6000

 

After I install Windows and apply the latest service pack, I go into device manager. Whatever does not have a driver, I find and install the driver for it. Then I am done.






I know things, things that could get me killed


Thinkpad T41:
* 1.6Ghz Pentium M * 768Mb Memory * 40Gb Hitachi 7200RPM * Panasonic UJ-845-B DVD+RW *

 

i attempted to flash the bios, but i got mesg saying that it was older so i didn't do it.

 

What about the chipset?

 

I just did this on my new 9300.

Same as you, I took all the drivers from the website and made a cd and then reformatted and loaded xp pro instead of home.

Someone said you are supposed to do the chipset first, so I did. Then bios and then the rest. Quickset is needed I think to get the controls on the front to work.

I did have a couple of problems. The teac driver for the dvd drive did not install, said did not find that drive, so I just left it. it works fine with whatever driver it found.

Also there was an error when installing audio drivers I think. couldn't find a particular file, but skipped it and installed fine.

I did not reinstall everything. I did glidepoint,nvidia,intel wireless,quickset, audio,chipset,bios, but did not do the modem and network port as I will never use those.

good luck

 

I did the same, you got it right w/the drivers. One thing, did the broadcomm drivers work for you? I tried installing that and it said no broadcom hardware found. I also have a ? in my device manager under other devices, ethernet controller. Any ideas? Is there a different driver?

 

I did not install the broadcom drivers, only for the wireless which is the intel pro wireless drivers.

I have a ? for other devices pci and also one for usb.

I do not understand, as usb ports work fine and I don't think pci is the display, as the nvidia drivers installed fine and display is working?

I guess just keep trying different drivers until the questions marks go away?

 

Same as the rest of you, I got two PowerDVD discs. Weird. One says Made In Canada on the back and "For reinstalling Cyberlink PowerDVD Software" on the front. The other says Made In USA and "For reinstalling Cyberlink PowerDVD 5.3.1012 Software." (The other discs were the Windows XP Home and WordPerfect.)

Although I downloaded the drivers from the website, if Dell is supposed to ship me a disc with drivers, then damnit, I'm going to make them send me one!

Any way to check if Dell installed the right stuff: a 128MB graphics card instead of a 64MB, a 9 cell battery instead of a 6 cell, etc.? (I'm going out right now so I don't have time to really look it over.)

 

Dell does not send out drive and applications disks anymore. (phucking stupid). You are suppose to use system restore. It is part of their trying to save a buck. Well, if they were smart. They would just put the disk on your hard drive and tell you to burn your own copy. I emailed them and told them to send me a copy of each. They should be here later this week.

I have no idea what is up with the 2 PowerDVD. I tried installing both and it said the software is already installed.

jjimmyp, I think the problem with installing the ethernet driver is quickset. The default setting turns off the ethernet port when it is running on bettery. So, try installing the driver with quickset. When I installed mine I did not have quickset loaded. It is worth a try.

 

So I'm doing the reformat right now. I deleted all the partitions because I read various posts here that said it was okay to do that.

Question, tho: Why is the unallocated space only 38,155MB when the drive is 40GB? What happened to the other 2GB???

 

Hard drive size: 38,146. Free space: 37,069.

Some good news. I was regretting ordering the 40GB 4200rpm drive instead of the 60GB 7200rpm, but I checked under Device Manager and the drive Dell gave me is a Fujitsu MHV2040AH. I did a search and this drive is actually a 5400rpm.

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=1734759

After deleting all the partitions and doing a full, not quick, format, I installed Windows XP and the drivers/apps in this order:

1. Chipset
2. Bios (didn't work--current Bios was newer)
3. video: ATI
4. modem and modem diagnostic program
5. ethernet
6. wireless
7. audio: Sigmatel
8. touchpad
9. Dell partition diagnostic updater (didn't work--no Dell-installed partition found b/c I deleted it)
10. Dell notebook system software
11. Dell quickset
12. teac 8x dvd-rom (didn't work--no Teac drive found, according to Dell the drive is a HL-DT-ST DVD-ROM GRD8082N)

So far so fun.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by kita