Finding drivers for unknown hardware?

DellAxim

Gawd
Joined
Feb 14, 2003
Messages
999
I have an older computer I'm trying to setup as a music player. I have installed XP pro and the motherboard has onboard audio. Currently the audio is not working because XP cannot find a driver.

Problem is, I can't find a driver either. I could if I knew what I was looking for, but I don't even know what hardware I have. I'm sure I could find a driver if I knew what to search for. How can I tell what hardware I have and what driver I need to find?:confused:
 
Open Device Manager, double click your unknown device. Click the details tab, then change the property dropdown to "Hardware IDs". You should have several strings in the value field, example:

PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8168&SUBSYS816810EC&REV_03

Note the four digit hex values after VEN_ and DEV_. Go to www.pcidatabase.com and input the vendor code there. Click through once it finds your vendor, and search (CTRL+F) through the list of device IDs until you find the one corresponding to your DEV_ number. This should get you a manufacturer and a device. Often times there will be a link to a working driver under your entry, making it even easier. :)
 
Open Device Manager, double click your unknown device. Click the details tab, then change the property dropdown to "Hardware IDs". You should have several strings in the value field, example:

PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8168&SUBSYS816810EC&REV_03

Note the four digit hex values after VEN_ and DEV_. Go to www.pcidatabase.com and input the vendor code there. Click through once it finds your vendor, and search (CTRL+F) through the list of device IDs until you find the one corresponding to your DEV_ number. This should get you a manufacturer and a device. Often times there will be a link to a working driver under your entry, making it even easier. :)

This is all you need to know to find the exact driver for your system.
 
Open Device Manager, double click your unknown device. Click the details tab, then change the property dropdown to "Hardware IDs". You should have several strings in the value field, example:

PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8168&SUBSYS816810EC&REV_03

Note the four digit hex values after VEN_ and DEV_. Go to www.pcidatabase.com and input the vendor code there. Click through once it finds your vendor, and search (CTRL+F) through the list of device IDs until you find the one corresponding to your DEV_ number. This should get you a manufacturer and a device. Often times there will be a link to a working driver under your entry, making it even easier. :)

THANK YOU!!! You just saved this computer from the trash.

It's a weird Samba 1845 motherboard and I googled my brains out trying to find the driver that way.
 
Well hell,this is something I never knew about(never needed to anyway),this will come in handy in case one of my relatives needs help.Subscribed to this thread for future use.
 
Open Device Manager, double click your unknown device. Click the details tab, then change the property dropdown to "Hardware IDs". You should have several strings in the value field, example:

PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8168&SUBSYS816810EC&REV_03

Note the four digit hex values after VEN_ and DEV_. Go to www.pcidatabase.com and input the vendor code there. Click through once it finds your vendor, and search (CTRL+F) through the list of device IDs until you find the one corresponding to your DEV_ number. This should get you a manufacturer and a device. Often times there will be a link to a working driver under your entry, making it even easier. :)

kudos, i always help format my friends super old comp this will help alot
 
At work we use a program called Driver pack solution. Its a Russian program but works Fantastic. Finds all unknown. Once in a while you might have 1 or 2 missing but its rare.
 
Open Device Manager, double click your unknown device. Click the details tab, then change the property dropdown to "Hardware IDs". You should have several strings in the value field, example:

PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8168&SUBSYS816810EC&REV_03

Note the four digit hex values after VEN_ and DEV_. Go to www.pcidatabase.com and input the vendor code there. Click through once it finds your vendor, and search (CTRL+F) through the list of device IDs until you find the one corresponding to your DEV_ number. This should get you a manufacturer and a device. Often times there will be a link to a working driver under your entry, making it even easier. :)

Done this countless of times of friends and relatives computers. Works like a charm. :D
 
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