BleepingComputer.com: Need drivers/audio & video cards after reformatting

This is a used computer which has been rebuilt. Even though it's in an eMachines case, I have no way of knowing what's original and what's not.

I reformatted with XP Pro and immediately allowed Windows to install all it's updates. I probably rebooted 10 times allowing every update to install hoping it would recognize the drivers for the audio and video cards needed installed. It didn't. I then opened the case to find model numbers of the cards. I see nothing that looks like a model number other than the model number on the power supply box.

I am pretty surprised I can't work through this especially since I've found people who have tried to walk me through (online) different things and they all give up trying to help because they have no information to work with. I'm so irritated I wonder if it would be better to replace the audio and video cards since they're fairly inexpensive. I feel like I don't have any options left but I'll need to be walked through removing and installing new cards. Anybody have any input? Thanks in advance.

You could try get a hold of a program called Everest pro.
Try run that on the system and there's a good chance it will identify the hardware and even provie links to the manufactorer sites.

Good luck.

Several good suggestions made here. All free.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic284545.html

try the system viewer at http://www.gtopala.com/

I use it a lot. When you run the prog, go down to hardware and then motherboard and it will quite often say your manufactures model number there, then you have a little more info to go on.

Try this one first : HWInfo32

ReviverSoft, on Jan 7 2010, 08:17 PM, said:

Thank you for all your help. I started by running this program. I found out they were Intel so I went to the Intel site and looked for drivers but was told these are probably altered cards and that there are no drivers for them. They referred me back to the manufacturer.

Here's the info I got about the video and audio cards needing drivers:

Video: Intel i845G(L) Integrated
Audio: Intel 82801DB ICH4 - AC'97 Audio Controller (A-1)

Here's the info on the Motherboard: TriGem Computer, Inc, Imperial Intel 845GL (Brookdale - GL) + ICH4
Bios Date 8/26/02
Bios Version 6.0

I'm not sure if you need any other info. Can anybody direct me which way to go to find drivers please?

See Intel 845GL at http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/sb/cs-009236.htm for video, http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/sb/CS-009244.htm for audio.

Louis

hamluis, on Jan 8 2010, 05:28 PM, said:

Thank you. I got the video driver installed and working properly. Thank you so much.

I'm having absolutely no luck with the audio driver. I'm told it isn't recognized or "AC'97 - contact your system or motherboard manufacturer." What are my options from here? How difficult is it to replace an audio card?

This post has been edited by AhhhLeah: 09 January 2010 - 09:22 AM

if you have an open PCI slot on your motherboard, adding a $10 sound card would be super easy. Just turn off the computer, put the card in the slot, screw it down. Turn it back on and run the driver disk that comes with it.

PCI slots are usually white, so just take the access panel off the side and take a look. Sometimes mystery boards from system manufacturers can be a big pain to find drivers for. The value of that brand name is only determined by their willingness to support their product I'm afraid. Sometimes its worth adding a new card instead of spending hours trying to find the right driver, which might not even be available.

This post has been edited by Kalon Wiggins: 10 January 2010 - 10:52 PM

Kalon Wiggins, on Jan 10 2010, 10:51 PM, said:

So I don't have to take out the old audio card?

if there is actually a soundcard in a pci slot then yeah you can take it out. It sounds to me like you have a soundcard built into your motherboard, which means theres no soundcard to take out. If its built in, then hit the hotkey to get into your bios on startup, and there should be an option somewhere in there to disable onboard sound.

Kalon Wiggins, on Jan 10 2010, 11:21 PM, said:

Thank you so much. Hopefully I won't have too much trouble doing this. There are 3 slots. 2 are open. I'm guessing what I'm seeing is not a sound card so you're probably right that it's built in. I'll see what I can do. Thank you again.

You can tell if its a sound card as your speakers would be plugged into the back of it. If it has no speaker jacks, its not a sound card. Be sure to go into your bios after you install the card and disable your onboard sound.