Date: 03/06/05 (Computer Geeks)    Keywords: web, google

    I can't remember what this program was called, but there is this program that detects hardware in a computer and is able to provide device names and stuff... anyone know what that program is called? (I'm sure some of you are thinking I could just open up the computer and just write down serial numbers and google it, but one of the computers I'm dealing with right now is a laptop. Dell's website has been the least informative about what kind of network driver this laptop needs)


...and speaking of that particular laptop:
    The guy who is the owner of this laptop, claimed the "mother board fried" and that he had to get a replacement motherboard, but it's a mystery to me as to why Dell (or whoever serviced this machine) had to wipe the hard drive in the process, and then half-assedly reinstall winXP with pretty much none of the hardware configured. Right now the only network things being detected on this laptop is the wireless network adapter (which can't be used in the dorms anyway, since resnet disallows private wireless routers, or actually, routers in general) and.. that's it. ;d it seems strange to me that windows xp didn't detect the onboard ethernet adapter.

    The laptop is a Dell Inspiron 600m, and I tried running everything in the CDs that came with it, but hmm, I'm guessing that since it wasn't detected in windows, the driver installation program also refused to install the network driver. I may boot the laptop with knoppix just to check if there's a working network adapter in there at all, but until then, ideas and comments are appreciated :)

Source: http://www.livejournal.com/community/computergeeks/624254.html