Motherboard DVD Missing

[Val d'Isere]

Hi guys and gals

Just acquired a used PC.

It has an "MSI PM8M3-V" motherboard (so the manual says).

There was no motherboard DVD with it, though.

Every PC I've had in recent years had a DVD, with sound drivers(?) and....whatever (I don't much understand). I used to give it a spin when starting from scratch (usually after a virus required me to reformat) and all was hunky dory.

Do I need a DVD for the PC I've just acquired, please?

Or is there somewhere on line where I can download what I need, please (preferably storing it on DVD)?

Thanks in anticipation.

[Saab Dastard]

Would www.msi.com be a reasonable place to start looking?

SD

[Sprogget]

MSI Europe ? Computer, Laptop, Notebook, Desktop, Mainboard, Graphics and more (http://eu.msi.com/index.php?func=proddesc&maincat_no=1&prod_no=234)

[green granite]

You may not need one, I've just put Windows 7 shrink-wrapped version on my M/C (Asus MB) and haven't bothered to run the MB disc and everything works ok.

[Simonta]

Just let Windows sort it out. The drivers on the DVD are almost certainly out of date anyway. Use Windows update and, in general, let it update hardware drivers in the "optional updates" section. One driver you need to think about is the display driver. If you have a good reason to use the manufacturers own driver (rather than the WDM certified one on Windows Update) then skip it.

Then check device manager and for any drivers with exclamation marks on them or "unknown" devices, Google becomes your friend.

Hope this helps

Cheers

[Keef]

Google is your friend, but only up to a point.

I spent a happy evening earlier in the week fixing the PC of a very dear and somewhat frail clergy lady. A virus in an e-mail from some dastardly spammer had got past AVG (not working, because they'd updated and she hadn't) and shredded most of her machine. We got her document folder and e-mail back, and then reinstalled Windows XP - but the driver disk for her mobo was gone (it was undoubtedly in her study along with a medium-sized library and much else, but we didn't have weeks to search for it).

Result = no sound, and much else of the motherboard stuff not available either. XP didn't know what to install, and couldn't tell what the devices were. "PCI Device" mostly, with nothing more in the details tab in Device Manager.

She can write and print stuff, she can get her e-mail and browse the web, and her scanner will scan, copy, and fax.

When I have a day to spare, I'll see if Everest will tell me the Mobo type and from that Google will tell me the drivers - maybe.

[Simonta]

Hi Keef

Try this. It's a pretty useful tool which will identify those unknown devices for you. I've used it in the past with a very high success rate. Just ignore the bit about backing up drivers if you don't want to spend money ;-)

Cheers

Unknown Device Identifier - Freeware Download (http://www.zhangduo.com/udi.html)

[jimtherev]

Google is your friend, but only up to a point.

When I have a day to spare, I'll see if Everest will tell me the Mobo type and from that Google will tell me the drivers - maybe.

I knew that Everest were good for double glazing, but not that they were experts in all types of Windows...

Sorrysorrysorry, hat, coat...