Identify components ?

[John Zimmerman_1]

Boy ! Getting into this site is just about as difficult as "trying" to talk to HP Customer Support on the phone,, WHEW !! Anyway,, that issue is definately NOT the fault of any of you !! and I hope my emotional outbursts don't affect my cries for HELP !!,, and I am most grateful for ANY help someone may be inclined to offer.

First off, I really don't know if I'm where I want (or need) to be, but these forums are where I was led after clicking "HELP" in the online Customer Service. FYI: I've sent two (2) e-mails to HP Customer Support/Serviceasking my questions, and I've attempted calling HP support twice (MY dime), and after waiting almost an hour both times I'm FINALLY able to hear a "live" voice,,,, only to discover to my dismay that I'm going nowhere other than to spend even more money in wasted phone calls. Each call I ended up attempting to make the person on the other end understand that ALL I'm asking is: "How do I find the mfg. of the Video card on both my Compaq pc's ?" Each time I get the same run around because they (HP Support) can't understand "MY" question,,, expressed in plain English, OR,, I am the problem because "I" am unable to understand what they're asking because of extremely broken and virtually indiscernable English ?? Finally they (HP support) pass me around so many times we either get disconnected, OR they hang up on me.

SOOOOOO,, here I am,, making another attempt to see "if" I can find an answer. I know how to get to "System Information" and click my way to what should tell me what I'm after, which I think should be: "Display". However, when I click display there is no information... All other devices tell me the mfg. name and version, except the video card. What I'm trying to do, is try and find an UPDATE for the video card and see "if" the updated driver will let me install a game I got from my kids at X-Mas. Formula 1 2002 and SportsCar GT. Both are mfg. by EA Sports, and all EA can tell me is that I need to update the drivers for the Video card.... My machines are: Compaq 5304 with Win 98 OS, and Compaq 5888 with Win XP home ed. I've been to both Compaq and MS Windows, installed all updates etc. for both systems but still am unable to install the games in either machine. No,, it won't be the end of me "IF" I have to give up on installing these games, but it's almost become a vindetta (sp ?) and I simply can't believe, or accept there is no way I can get these games to run on my machines... short of hiring a pc PRO to come to my home and reconfigure these machines so the games will work. :o]
Again, Thanks for any help ! I sure appreciate it. JZ Salem, Or. USA

[Patrick Wallek · Accepted solution]

First off, you originally posted this in the UNIX section. It should probably be in the MS Windows support area.

Anyway, I was able to find the info on my Windows XP Pro machine by:

1) Right click on "My computer" and go down and click on "Properties"
2) When the next window pops up, click on the "Hardware" tab and then click on the "Device Manager" button
3) In the next window that pops up, click on the + next to "Display Adapters". Mine shows the info for the display adapter. (Intel 82845G/GL Graphics Controller)

The process should be similar on Win 98.

I also found the information (again on Win XP Pro) by:

1) Right click anywhere on your desktop and select "Properties" from the menu that comes up.
2) In the next window select the "Settings" tab and then click on the "Advanced" button.
3) In the next windows select the "Adapter" tab. This should show the information you require.

Good luck.

[Sridhar Bhaskarla]

Click anywhere on the desktop

Properties ->Settings -> Advanced -> Adapter.

You should also see

Properties -> Settings

Here also you can see something like

Display:

"Monitor" on "video adapter".

So you can find video adapter.

-Sri

PS: This is a System Administration forums for UNIX administrators. FYI.

[Duncan Edmonstone]

Well let's see if we can't help anyway... this page has the downloads for all the latest drivers for the 5304/Win98:

http://www29.compaq.com/falco/sp_result.asp?Model=1373&Os=8

And this page has them for the 5888/WinXP:

http://www29.compaq.com/falco/sp_result.asp?Model=2431&Os=117

I notice there doesn't appear to be any updates for the 5888 display drivers ... let me see if we can't find out who OEMs that device...

Cheers

Duncan

[Duncan Edmonstone]

John,

According to this:

ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/supportinformation/consumerdocs/Consumer_QRG/presario5800.pdf

The original graphics card in the Compaq 5888 is the 3DFX Voodoo3 - 1000 16MB

Of course if you've changed your graphics card since then....

Cheers

Duncan

[John Zimmerman_1]

WOW !! You guys "NAILED" it and I've been successful, on both machines, to finally get these issues resolved. I guess it's a mute point, but why in Heavens name didn't the techs at Compaq support,,, just have me that ? Oh well, You are TOPS ! Doubt that I can ( unless it's an automotive problem ), but I hope that someday I can help you in some way :o] I'm just an 'ol guy who is PC self taught and knows "just enough" about these wonderful machines to get himself in DEEP Trouble !! most of the time :o] Each of you have shown that in spite of all the other "stuff" that exists on the wonderful world of the internet,, there's still folks who care, and have compassion for their "less than competent" internet junkie friends. Like I said, the next time your auto acts up, PLEASE send me an E and I'll do whatever I can to help :o]

Patrick,
Your instructions led me RIGHT to the problem with our 5888 running XP. When I arrived at the "Device Manager", there was no mention of "Display Adaptor",,, I thought "hmmmm,, wonder if this yellow question mark showing in the "Other Devices" will get me where I need to go ?",, I clicked it and was led to a page telling me that the Display Device did not have a driver installed.. I had 4 options: Driver Details, Update Driver, Roll BACK Driver, UnInstall Driver. When I clicked "UpdateDriver" I was prompted to insert my hardware CD or Floppy... I wasn't sure if that ment my Compaq CD that came with the machine ? and since I've installed Win XP in 8/02 and am running XP instead of the Win 98 that came with the machine - I was fearful of inserting the CD,, I elected to click "Roll Back". Now I do have a "Display Adaptor" and am told it is a NVIDA GeForce3 Ti200 (Microsoft Corp). Thanks to you,,, NOW I can go to Windows Support and look for a driver update !!

Sridhar :o] Like your profile statement says: "If I don't TRY, I'm doomed to failure". I did try and now you folks have me in GR8 shape ! Thank You !

Duncan, Thanks to you Sir,, our older 5304 NOW has the updated drivers and even tho I havn't tried to install the games, I'm certain I can now fumble my way through the Windows and MS sites and figure out where I need to go when, and IF I run into other problems.. :o]
My hat's off to each of you ! and I Thank you VERY much ! Have a healthy and prosperous 2003 !

[Roger Faucher]

John:

If you have any more problems, consider going to the Windows Update website (www.windowsupdate.com) and install the critical fixes, recommended fixes, and driver updates. In the case of your video issues, I would be particularly inclined to install the latest version of DirectX.

Good luck!

Roger