Determining necessary drivers on new laptop?

6 Jun 2009 7:52 PM

phi

I have an HP Pavilion Entertainment laptop with Vista home premium. I've been using Win2k Pro on my desktop, and I'd like to scrap the desktop for the laptop, but continue using Win2k Pro.

I have installed the system on the desktop from scratch (the original fixed disk failed, so I installed a new one), but I'm not sure what drivers I'll need for a laptop that I don't now have. The first example is the trackpad; I don't use WiFi on the desktop, so I don't know how to determine if I have drivers, etc.

My basic problem is that I don't know what I don't know: how do I determine what drivers I need and don't have? Then where do I go to get the drivers? -- phi ------------------------------------------------------------------------ phi's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/103863.htm View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/window-2000-help/1193172.htm http://forums.techarena.in

6 Jun 2009 8:45 PM

Pegasus [MVP]

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"phi" <phi.3tdljb@DoNotSpam.com> wrote in message
news:phi.3tdljb@DoNotSpam.com...
>
> I have an HP Pavilion Entertainment laptop with Vista home premium. I've
> been using Win2k Pro on my desktop, and I'd like to scrap the desktop
> for the laptop, but continue using Win2k Pro.
>
> I have installed the system on the desktop from scratch (the original
> fixed disk failed, so I installed a new one), but I'm not sure what
> drivers I'll need for a laptop that I don't now have. The first example
> is the trackpad; I don't use WiFi on the desktop, so I don't know how to
> determine if I have drivers, etc.
>
> My basic problem is that I don't know what I don't know: how do I
> determine what drivers I need and don't have? Then where do I go to get
> the drivers?
>
> --
> phi

The easy part is to know what drivers you need. If sound does not work then
you need a sound driver. If your network adapter does not work then you need
a network adapter driver. If your display looks terrible then you need a
display driver. Aida (http://www.aumha.org/freeware/freeware.php#aida32)
might tell you the names of your hardware devices.

The hard part is finding the drivers. The manufacturer's CD and/or home site
is the usual starting point. Driver sites such as www.driverguide.com are
another good place to look at. Be prepared for an uphill battle with Vista
drivers. Best to post in a Vista newsgroup if you get stuck.

6 Jun 2009 10:59 PM

phi

> Be prepared for an uphill battle with Vista
> drivers. Best to post in a Vista newsgroup if you get stuck.

I'm assuming it all works in Vista since the laptop came loaded with that. My query relates to getting drivers for Win2K.

Things not working is a good hint, I'd have to agree. :-) -- phi ------------------------------------------------------------------------ phi's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/103863.htm View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/window-2000-help/1193172.htm http://forums.techarena.in

7 Jun 2009 12:14 AM

Buffalo

phi wrote:

> I have an HP Pavilion Entertainment laptop with Vista home premium.
> I've been using Win2k Pro on my desktop, and I'd like to scrap the
> desktop for the laptop, but continue using Win2k Pro.
>
> I have installed the system on the desktop from scratch (the original
> fixed disk failed, so I installed a new one), but I'm not sure what
> drivers I'll need for a laptop that I don't now have. The first
> example is the trackpad; I don't use WiFi on the desktop, so I don't
> know how to determine if I have drivers, etc.
>
> My basic problem is that I don't know what I don't know: how do I
> determine what drivers I need and don't have? Then where do I go to
> get the drivers?

Go to the laptop's mfg's website and see what hardware is installed on your
particular model..
Then searh for the win2000 drivers for the hardware.
Save those drivers to a cd, etc.