# Windows re-installation help?



## Kajet (Sep 27, 2009)

Yep... it's about time for me to fuck with my comp again, this time cause it'll occasionally restart itself after booting... (Don't ask how I accomplished THAT cause I dunno...)

Anyway last time I did this I had to manually install drivers from a CD I burned after using the reinstallation CD. The drivers are listed by modified date as follows:

Audio
Chipset
Modemdriver
Input
Network
Wireless
Video

Do I install them in that order or what?

This is for WinXP on a POS dell inspiron 9300 if that makes a lot of difference.


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## Remy (Sep 27, 2009)

I've had to install the chipset before anything else on my E1505. Then I slowly narrowed down those pesky little yellow question marks. Got it down to one, had me scratching my head for days.

Ended up being a media card reader built-in that I didn't know I had til I installed the driver and turned the lappy around a few times.. Turns out the reader is broken anyway cos it won't read any of the cards I have that it sure enough is compatible with.

So, after getting the chipset squared away, you can really install the drivers however you want. I would go Chipset then Graphics, otherwise you'll be stuck with icky 800x600 or whatever the heck that is.


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## Shino (Sep 27, 2009)

Agreed. Chipset first. It'll solve a lot of problems.
Follow that with the video card drivers.
After that, it doesn't really matter, but I reccommend network, wireless, input, audio, modem (assuming you even need it).

Also, as soon as you install the network driver, if you're feeling lazy, you can simply let windows update install the necessary drivers for you. (Assuming Vista or 7, sometimes XP.) Just make sure that you have A/V installed and updated before you do _anything_ else online. At all. Period.

Oh, one other thing, whatever version of Windows you're installing, be sure to get the necessary Service Packs installed ASAP, it'll go quicker with less on the system, and your less likely to have problems. Remember, windows update is your friend.


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## CaptainCool (Sep 27, 2009)

yup, chipset is pretty much the backbone of the system.  after that it doesnt really matter in what order you install them.
but as shindo said id recommend to install the graphics drivers after that, makes things a little easier


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## ToeClaws (Sep 27, 2009)

As everyone said, chipset first.  I would do video next as Video cards tend to bundle up a significant amount of resources as well.  Basically, driver installation is best going from the most far-reaching (in terms of resources) devices, to the least.


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## net-cat (Sep 27, 2009)

Chipset first. It probably won't hurt anything if you don't, but I've seen it screw things up.

Other than that, it doesn't really matter. Video second if your computer is stuck at a low resolution.


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## Runefox (Sep 27, 2009)

Yeah, particularly, AGP-based systems have major issues if you don't install the chipset first, though for the record, it usually doesn't matter with PCIe-based systems (since it looks like a PCI bus as far as Windows is concerned). With the Inspiron 9300, chances are good that you're using an AGP-based chipset, so you probably don't want to take the chance.

Regardless, it's always good form to install the chipset at least before the graphics drivers.


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## incongruency (Sep 27, 2009)

If you haven't yet reinstalled, I would suggest you create a slipstream disc with from your existing install disc with nLite.  Doing so will let you include SP3, any hotfixes you want/need, and the appropriate drivers for your system right on the install disc-- you won't have to bother with it after you install the OS.

There's also a guide you can follow if you don't want to learn the program; it will take you (more or less) through the entire process of including drivers and SP3.

Creating this sort of disc certainly has made my life easier in the past, and I'm fairly sure it will for you as well if you try it.

Also, after reading the comments on that guide there also appears to be a program called WinDriversBackup that will create a folder of drivers specific to your system, which you can then use nLite with instead of searching for the drivers of your system on the internet.


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## Carenath (Sep 27, 2009)

Chipset first, reboot.
Graphics, then reboot.
Modem, Network and Wireless (you can install all these one after the other before rebooting to save some time)
Input. 
Prettymuch what everyone else said.
If you still see those yellow question-marks.. download a copy of Everest it is generally pretty good at identifying the hardware in your system.

Also, slipstream CDs are incredibly handy, not only can you effortlessly slipstream in SP3 for XP, and all your drivers (though I still think its better not to include them in the slipstream disk) and hotfixes.


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## Kajet (Sep 27, 2009)

That's very helpful, but I get a window asking for a file called usbehci.sys when I try to install the chipset... 

Would that be downloaded if I ran windows updater?


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## net-cat (Sep 27, 2009)

Where did you get the driver from?


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## Kajet (Sep 27, 2009)

Off of dell's support site, I think...


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## net-cat (Sep 27, 2009)

Ick. Dell driver packages.

When in doubt, go to the source...

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProdId=2032&DwnldID=18052&lang=eng


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## incongruency (Sep 27, 2009)

According to microsoft that file should be included in SP1 and on.  So running update should download it for you.

That said, you can still check here if you have SP1 already, or here if you have SP2 (and presumably SP3, seeing as that was mostly a collection of hotfixes, and not the major change that SP2 was)


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## Kajet (Sep 27, 2009)

Erm...which file would be the one I want?


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## net-cat (Sep 28, 2009)

If you have no service pack installed, install SP3.


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## Kajet (Sep 28, 2009)

Okay got it back to normal I believe, Thanks for the help guys!


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## Carenath (Sep 28, 2009)

Kajet said:


> Okay got it back to normal I believe, Thanks for the help guys!


You're Welcome


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## Lillica (Sep 29, 2009)

net-cat said:


> If you have no service pack installed, install SP3.



I disagree, SP3 tends to slow down a lot of computers.  I'd go with SP2 and then any other pertinent updates.


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## Sam (Sep 29, 2009)

I just went through this a couple of days ago for my PC. I always install the chipset drivers first, though I'm pretty sure I'm running PCI and not AGP. And SP3 should be okay on a 9300. My 8200 is kicking around with that and it's running in tip top shape.


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## Carenath (Sep 29, 2009)

Lillica said:


> I disagree, SP3 tends to slow down a lot of computers.  I'd go with SP2 and then any other pertinent updates.


Which incidentally... will force the installation of SP3 through Windows Update before any other updates are applied.

Easier to just install SP3 and the other 150MB of updates that will be demanded afterwards.


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## ArielMT (Sep 29, 2009)

net-cat said:


> If you have no service pack installed, install SP3.



Unless Microsoft have made a silent change, XP SP3 won't install unless SP1, SP1a, or SP2 is already present.  If no service pack is installed, and SP1/1a is not on any CD, then SP2 must be installed anyway.

I can't find a specific requirement anymore, and I don't have the XP Gold disk to try with anymore, but the XP SP3 Overview doesn't list any "you can"s except with installing over SP1 and SP2.


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