What display driver do I need for my Dell laptop?Dave, I have recently had to completely restore the operating system on my sister's Dell Inspiron 2600. Since doing this the resolution has reduced back to 860, and cannto be changed. How do I know what driver to reinstall, (if this is what to do)? With many major manufacturers, identifying the correct device or display driver can be a relatively easy task ... if you're lucky. Dell, like many manufacturers, stymie this, though, because they make the same "badged" model with entirely different components inside, making it hard to know exactly what driver you need without knowing about the internal components of your specific system. Today you can go to their website and get one model (say a 6000) with processors ranging from a Celeron to various types of Centrino processors, as well as at least three different types of graphical configurations. Now, with major manufacturers such as Dell, you can usually track exactly what is in your machine through the serial number, or something similar. Dell happens to use a unique number called the "Service Tag" which you can enter into their website so they can pull up your original hardware configuration. After a bit of menu-hunting, you can find exactly what pieces, including what graphical setup, is in your sister's laptop. By the way, having a laptop makes the process of identifying the Service Tag number especially easy because these numbers are usually on the bottom of the case itself (and will be on your Dell). Desktops can take a lot more maneuvering to find numbers that are usually in a dark corner on the back of the machine. Specific to Dell, many models at some points in time have been shipped with driver/software CDs that are separate from the actual Restore CD. Your driver may be here: ask your sister if she remembers getting a CDROM with her unit when shipped from Dell. Finally, you can also download the latest drivers from the Dell website, which is often the best choice. In many instances across manufacturers, their own video (or modem, or audio) drivers may work better than the actual component manufacturer's drivers. Two links: I hope that'll get your laptop up and running again with minimal fuss! Thanks to Jeff Lawley and Ed Ellis for their usual excellent research assistance on this question.
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Never miss another useful Q&A article again! Subscribe to AskDaveTaylor with Google Reader. Hello, Hi, Dave Hi, Need a Hitachi Visionbook 7650 video driver, i need display driver for dell c400 Posted by: koredian tech at January 4, 2008 5:28 AMHi, I have an Inspiron 8100 with a Super VGA monitor. Service tag is 3ZLB711. Can you help me. Posted by: Kevin at March 19, 2008 5:23 PMI just formated my laptop Dell C600,so that i lost my vga drivers. please how do I re-install it on internet. Thanks!!! You ROCK! Posted by: Rocky Acres at May 1, 2008 4:19 PMThanks for all you helpful information...YOU ROCK!! Posted by: Rocky Acres at May 1, 2008 4:21 PMHi, Thanks for helping all Posted by: Mir Ahmed Ali at October 27, 2008 3:40 AMmy computer doesnt have cd-writter! i fomatted my notebook and reinstall the drivers. but i can't install teh display driver. what do i need to do? hi, i have a dell latitude cxp j laptop - i like to play the game sociotown but am unable to because it freezes up alot and/or the picture is so jerky that it makes it impossible to play. im not sure if i need a driver for the display adapter or what. can someone please help. thanks, tracy service tag: i need display driver for dell c400 version A10... tq Posted by: nizam at July 9, 2009 6:49 PMhi, I have a Dell laptop and it shows " Windows error recovery" can you please help me and let me know what I can do to get my laptop back to working? Posted by: Ralph at October 4, 2009 6:23 PMwhat do i do to get my cdrom back on my computer to play cd and put different programs on my computer,,my computer is a 2007 windows vista Posted by: Kaeren R Duke at December 3, 2009 12:38 PMI have something to say, now that you mention it, but ...
I do have a comment, now that you mention it!
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