best software for device discovery

[MrMille]

I've tried belarc advisor, it's okay, but I was wondering if there is better out there.

Working on a dell at the moment, and would love to have an app tell me exactly the type 802.11g card is on board, and even (miracles of miracles) tell me where to get the driver from...

What do you guys use?

[mityay]

The best one that I have tried is the one suggested on Technibble and is included in Repair Utility kit. It's called System Information.

Check it out here:
www[.]technibble.com/repair-tool-of-the-week-system-information/
www[.]technibble.com/computer-repair-utility-kit/#more-841

It doesn't tell you where to get the drivers though. I don't think there is a program that would do that.

[MrMille]

Why the square brackets in the urls?

[thecoldone06]

Originally Posted by MrMille

Why the square brackets in the urls?

to new to post url's. Under a certain amount of posts i don't think it lets you put them in so he has to use the brackets so its not recognized as one.

[mh348]

Originally Posted by mityay

The best one that I have tried is the one suggested on Technibble and is included in Repair Utility kit. It's called System Information.

Check it out here:
www[.]technibble.com/repair-tool-of-the-week-system-information/
www[.]technibble.com/computer-repair-utility-kit/#more-841

It doesn't tell you where to get the drivers though. I don't think there is a program that would do that.

SIW is an excellent program, it gives you info on all the components.

[seedubya]

If you'll spend a few quid, www driveragent com, is $29/yr (about €20). It has saved me literally hundreds of hours of driver searching over the last three years. It sometimes falls over but usually only on REALLY obscure hardware.

Also a free program called unknown device identifier www zhangduo com/udi.html

[Simmy]

If you have access to the internet then it's very easy to find out yourself. Simply goto Device Manager and right click properties on the unidentified device. In the details tab you will see a drop down box and "Device Instance ID" should already be selected - e.g.



PCI\VEN_11AB&DEV_4362&SUBSYS_E0001458&REV_22\4&19F EE395&0&00E4

VEN_ = 11AB - Refers to the manufacturer of the component
DEV_ = 4362 - Refers to the device ID for the component

Putting "vendor ID 11AB" into google returns "Marvell Semiconductor" and putting "Device ID 4362" returns "Marvell 88E8053". Going to Marvells website I search for "Marvell 88E8053" and it links me to the drivers for the device. It's not always as easy as that of course, but it saves the need to install software. Having an account at driveragent.com like seedubya suggested will also make it even easier.

[IG88]

Originally Posted by Simmy

If you have access to the internet then it's very easy to find out yourself. Simply goto Device Manager and right click properties on the unidentified device. In the details tab you will see a drop down box and "Device Instance ID" should already be selected - e.g.



PCI\VEN_11AB&DEV_4362&SUBSYS_E0001458&REV_22\4&19F EE395&0&00E4

VEN_ = 11AB - Refers to the manufacturer of the component
DEV_ = 4362 - Refers to the device ID for the component

Putting "vendor ID 11AB" into google returns "Marvell Semiconductor" and putting "Device ID 4362" returns "Marvell 88E8053". Going to Marvells website I search for "Marvell 88E8053" and it links me to the drivers for the device. It's not always as easy as that of course, but it saves the need to install software. Having an account at driveragent.com like seedubya suggested will also make it even easier.

Thanks for the info - finally able to solve an "unknown device" problem that's been bugging me for a while.

[gunslinger]

I use the SIW, unknown device identifier combo. works very well. The best thing I have found that you can do is back up the drivers before a reinstalling. That way you don't have to go out on a driver hunt.

[jamesbhp]

If it's a dell, look towards the back of the chasis, or the side of the case for a Service Tag. Go on Dell.com's support and put that service tag in, should at least pull up the drivers that apply to that service tag. You might end up having 2-3 different ones, but its not to difficult to manually try each one.