How do I find the drivers already installed?

[Guest_imported]

I would like to know where to locate the drivers already on my system for my hardware(sound, VGA, etc.). Then I could create a 'driver disk' with all required drivers.

Cheers

S

 

[Eguy]

Hi;

Start in MyComputer > Control Panel > System > Hardware >
Device Manager.

This will show you a list of hardware categories.
Expand a category i.e. Display Adapters. This will show you the video card you have installed. Now right-click on the card and select Properties > Driver > Driver Details.
This will show you all the drivers associated with that item.

Keep in mind that just having all the drivers stored on a seperate medium doesn't mean that you do not have to run the manufacturers install program in case of a crash or re-install of your OS. Most, if not all of these programs make entries into the system registry which is better left to them.

Hope this helps.

Ed Please let me know if the sugestion(s) I provide are helpful to you.
Sometimes you're the windshield... Sometimes you're the bug.

 

[Guest_imported]

Yep very helpful Ed, but wouldn't I be able to use those drivers with windows rather than doing the full software install?

 

[fedto]

The problem with trying to locate the drivers installed is that the files are placed in different locations on the hard drive. For example, all of the inf files are located in c:\windows\inf, while the sys files are located in c:\windows\system and or in c:\windows\system32 and their names may or may not match what the driver details lists in device manager.
What you can do is take the manufacture disks and copy them to a directory on the hard drive. If you know that some were automaticly loaded by the windows cd, then browse the cd and in the dirvers folder, find the ones that match the hardware you have. Then burn the drivers to a cd.
I have performed a number of reinstalls with out using the manufacture's disks, but its problematic. Sometimes windows will have the files in the locations I mentioned above and sometimes not. Also, the sys and inf files already on the hard drive could be corrupted, or altered to the point where the hardware does not recognize them.

fedto

 

[SalahSalem]

Hello;
I would like to add sth to your reply Fedto.
SSMMDD, first you have to know which hardware you have that Windows doesn’t support it. you can know that by looking at "C:\windows\inf\other" this folder holds the INF files for the hardware you installed driver for it from the manufacturer disks, so you have to worry about them only, others Windows will install driver for them automatically.
good luck.