Software too help determine proper driver

[gamerxavier]

After about 40 minutes of slow internet (high time in the house) I finally determined the propery wireless driver for my gf's laptop. I downloaded 3 of them to figure it out.

I am curious if there is software to help determine the proper drivers for a laptop that does not require internet as most do. Once I'm connected it's usually quite easy to get things moving along.

I'd like to know the PC fix'r Go to Driver software both offline and online.

 

[USAFRet]

The manufacturers website.

Just about everything else I've seen is "This is the driver you need. Pay me!"

 

[gamerxavier]

I really wish their websites were a bit better. Dell doesn't separate model years at all making it very tedious. I'm sure others are the same.

 

[hang-the-9]

I really wish their websites were a bit better. Dell doesn't separate model years at all making it very tedious. I'm sure others are the same.

They do separate models, just look up the service tag, should list all the drivers for the system. If you look at all the Dell 300s or something, then yes it will be a bit tougher to find your exact one.

There are models that show different drivers, especially the wireless, and sometimes does take a few tries to find the exact one in your laptop unless you open the case and look or use the hardware code in device manager.

 

[gamerxavier]

The service tag just showed up a single item under the downloads which was useless software to manage their other software. Which didn't do anything when I tested it.
I just find this a bit tedious. You'd think there would be some better methods to determine proper drivers by now. But, alas.

 

[hang-the-9]

The service tag just showed up a single item under the downloads which was useless software to manage their other software. Which didn't do anything when I tested it.
I just find this a bit tedious. You'd think there would be some better methods to determine proper drivers by now. But, alas.

Do you have the original operating system on the computer? Unless the system was very old and fell way out of support or someone installed a new operating system on it, I've always found the Dell service tag to point right to the drivers.

 

[gamerxavier]

I used the one on the sticker from the back. It showed the hardware the computer had under the one section. But, when going into the driver support was generally useless.