Elusive Drivers. Tech Help Please!

[Sever]

I didn't realise how much a room full of WoW kids stink. Isn't it a school day? [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img] Regardless, i better make this quick. Typing from a cyber cafe terminal on account of my own connection being down at the moment. It's a long story (starting with Oblivion) that ended when three drivers were erased when updating my nVidia Forceware drivers. The three hardware components listed as being without drivers are:

PCI bridge device
PCI memory controller
SM BUS (sumfinorother)

Apparently the ethernet connection that my modem is hooked into is dependant on one of these components. I've gone through all the driver disks included with my package but the connection wizard fails to locate the correct drivers on any of them. I'm at a loss to explain how upgrading drivers can result in the loss of other drivers, needless to say, it's frustrating. Some questions:

1. What hardware do these components belong to? Motherboard?
2. Why can't i find the optional USB cable for my modem?
3. Why do WoW kids stink so much?
4. Has there ever been a documented case of a hardware connection wizard locating the correct drivers? [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img]
5. Anyone hazard a guess as to why the drivers were lost in the first place?
6. Anyone hazard a guess as to where i can find correct drivers online?
7. I've forgotten. It was important too, but i gotta get out of this place.

Thanks in advance. If i locate the USB cable for the modem i should be right for internet (in theory) otherwise i'll check back here the same time tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

[robertthebard]

1. Yep, it's the MoBo.
2. Look in the junk drawer. That's where all my extra cables end up.
3. They don't have time to bathe...???
4. I don't recall one.
5. I'm not sure, but have you tried to roll back to a last known good configuration? Assuming, of course that you are running XP.
6. Manufacturer of your rig, possibly.
7. I hate when that happens.

[Harkoliar]

1. agree with Rob
2. no a rat ate it
3. thinks of colorful language and agree with Rob
4. Never, you need to point it because its hopeless by itself
5. what Rob Said.. could be some drivers were interconnected with each other. But WinXp should have a driver of its own
6. Check your Systems Motherboard
7. your the same as me [img]smile.gif[/img]

[robertthebard]

Addendum to #2; just in case you think you don't have a junk drawer, just wait until you find that cable, and see what other junk is stored with it...

[Felix The Assassin]

1. Agreed, MOBO.
2. Useless, even if you found/find it, useless. It just so happens that little PCI Bridge driver that has gone AWOL is also the same bridge that allows the USB to operate as well.

YOU MUST find your MOBO, or pre-packaged disk. That disk WILL contain your missing drivers!

There are reasons why I use an OS other than the one from Redmond, WA!

Looks for that purple fellow, and that guy from The Underdark cavern of Zagreb , whats his name? Bozos or (somfinorother).

[Zebodog]

The USB cable in #2 can be used as a garotte to solve #3.

I concur on the mobo/chipset drivers. Have you tried system restore?

[Sever]

Originally posted by Sever: ...otherwise i'll check back here the same time tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

ok, maybe a week then. typin on a on screen kboard so plz 4giv if i revert 2 sms language. thx 4 replies all.

rtb- lol, dont hav a junk draw. more of a junk house, therein lies da problem. roll bak = system restore? hav neva used dat function b4. does it reverse ALL changes 2 system since restore point? or jus config changes? do i need 2 bakup every file modfied since? mite b easier jus 2 locate drivers onlne..

harkoliar- no rats in my place = top floor. big roaches tho...

felix- eva peddlin da linux eh? un4tunatly my rig is mostly used 4 games so xp is a minimum. neva did find da usb cable but as u mention it useless n e way.half my usb fnctions r down. neva did find mobo driver disk eithr. made a point of keepn all that stuff in 1 place wen i bort rig so am startn 2 wonda if i eva got 1... wil look online..

zdog- lol, good thing i neva find it eh..

as 4 elusive numba 7:

7. windoze told me dat "significant changes" had been made 2 hardware n dat i needed 2 re activte! is that normal? gave me 3 lwsy days 2 do it n bombarded me til i did. wassup wit dat? as ive only added a modem 2 setup (n dat was 3 months ago) i assume dis dirctly related 2 recnt problem. but wif all da hassle of said problem, y cant ms giv me a ferkin brake!?

on a seprate note, wil hav steady access 4 2 weeks or so. moved bak 2 old town 4 a bit of quik work n using parents computer. u prolly guessed dat theirs is chukin wobblies 2 eh? hav tried sevral kboards wit little success. best i can get is random keystrokes b4 it start typin on its own. weird. it not appear 2 b a driva problem.. sumfin else. any ideas?

thx again all. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[robertthebard]

There should be an option to go back to a restore point. Usually XP will generate one when you update drivers, so...

[Felix The Assassin]

IIRC, in order to trigger the MS revalidation set-point, you must have either made a significant hardware change, or you got a hold of something that as it appears, is more trouble than what it was worth.

If you did in fact re-validate, then 'the blue people of magic' should have identified you were not fully operating.

If this is a store bought machine, can you get a replacement disc from the manufacturer, or the sale dept/store/builder?

[Sever]

about sys restore, it only affects hdware settings, yes? all oblivion mod juggling progress made since is safe, yes? everything else i've managed to do, make, unmake or stuff up is safe, yes? evrythng deleted since will say deletd, yes? apologees if this obvius, but i've always tended 2 b dubius of quikfixes. somthing jus HAS 2 go rong. also, does the hardware present at time the res-point was made hav2 b present wen initn a sys restor? wen i left my place, i only had the 4site 2 grab box..

if i cant do sys restor jus now, i go c suplier wen i bak in perth. if cant gt mobo disc from dem, i try one of d drivas ive dl'd since. but i ratha b safe than sorry

now, about THIS computa i "typing" on now, it had problems wit kboard/mouse in da past. ive tried 3 kb's all wit propa manufctrs drivas n da best i can get from da keys is 1 or 2 intended charctrs n den intrmitnt, random gobldgook. o/scrn kbord is killing me (n irritatn all o u 2 prolly ) has ne1 xp'd nefin simlar? wot can caus dis?