Updating Graphics Driver? Where to begin?

pazza2000

Hello,

I really need some help. Due to my computer being seriously corrupt(could not get past the blue screen of death etc) i reinstalled the windows XP OS. I borrowed this from work as i had foolishly lost my original...

Anyway, the PC is running fine, however the drivers are not correct and need updated i have been told. The ethernet driver was downloaded and installed by a neighbour for me to first get online. However he is out of town now and i am on my own with severe grapic issues and i have been told on another thread that i need the drivers/graphic drivers updated.

The PC is not running slow, however when i drag windows or scroll down in IE is sort of staggers and does so slowly.

I do not know where to begin> How to find what drivers i need to install or update and how to do so? Any help for a techno idiot would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

Oscar_The_Grouch

Hi there

Very often, PC manufacturers will have a batch of drivers conveniently stacked together for you to download. If you know the make and model of your PC, google the manufacturers website, use their search to look for the model number of your pc and look for "downloads". This should then give you the original (or sometimes up to date) drivers for everything from the sound card to the video driver, the ethernet card and more. Don't download anything to do with "firmware" or "BIOS" as that's not what you need.

If you get stuck, post back with the make and model of your PC and, if you know it, the make and model of your video card.

JasX

Be aware if you have an Nvidia graphics card there is a problem with the 'latest' driver version 196.75, There is this warning on the Nvidia official website:

http://www.nvidia.co.uk/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-uk

Nvidia wrote:

196.75 Alert!
We are aware that some customers have reported fan speed issues with the latest 196.75 WHQL drivers on NVIDIA.co.uk. Until we can verify and root cause this issue, we recommend that customers do not download this driver. Instead, please stay with, or return to 196.21 WHQL drivers. Release 196.75 drivers have been temporarily removed from our website and we also are asking our partners and others to remove temporarily this 196.75 WHQL driver as well.
Driver roll back help. For those that experienced quality issues with 196.75 drivers, NVIDIA has setup this feedback site

For info the 'fan speed issue' they are referring to is that the fan speed control is bug gered to the point it lets (particularly high end) graphics cards overheat and get completly fried :eek:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/nvidia-pulls-196-75-driver-amid-reports-its-frying-graphics-car/

aaronm_2

Log in the official site of your PC and search for the driver if it is a DELL, HP and something like that. I mean do you have a brand of your PC. If it is not, search the type of your graphics for drivers.

pazza2000

aaronm wrote: »

Log in the official site of your PC and search for the driver if it is a DELL, HP and something like that. I mean do you have a brand of your PC. If it is not, search the type of your graphics for drivers.

It is a Dell Dimension 5000? So where exactly do i go from here?

Thanks for the help so far

dogmaryxx

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/index.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=anavml

swvillafan

Hi there, try the following to determine what graphics card you have installed:-

> Click start button, then choose the 'run' option
> Type devmgmt.msc into the run box and press enter
> The device manager box should appear. Expand the display adapters section, this should show what type of card you have.

If its a Dell then it'll probably be an onboard Intel card, the original drivers for the machine can be found here.

Hope this helps.

pazza2000

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&Service!!!!!&SystemID=DIM_PNT_P4_5000&os=WW1&osl=en&catid=&impid=

Ok, what should I and what should i NOT download from this site?????

...seems very confusing.

dogmaryxx

* Enter your Service Tag to save time and simplify the download process - For most products, when you enter your Service Tag you will get a concise list of drivers for your specific product model

swvillafan

pazza2000 wrote: »

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&Service!!!!!&SystemID=DIM_PNT_P4_5000&os=WW1&osl=en&catid=&impid=

Ok, what should I and what should i NOT download from this site?????

...seems very confusing.

Hi there,

First of all try and establish what graphics card it is by trying my steps.

Once you've worked this out then click on the link. Towards the bottom of the screen there is a section entitled 'Video'. Expand this and choose the driver for the card you have (if indeed it is one of them).

Once the driver file has downloaded all you should need to do is run the file and reboot once its finished.

Any probs, let me know.

pazza2000

Where can the service tag be found???