Hiya,

I'm in the UK, and at work there's an out-of-warranty PACKARD BELL
iMedia machine which originally came with Windows ME. Recently this
machine crashed in a spectacularly big way, forcing a complete
re-format job; subsequently it's had Windows 98SE installed.

Our problem is the guy who reformatted it didn't make a hardware
drivers-list before the machine was flattened, and there are no
manuals or documentation extant, so we're now searching for drivers
for the thing (video card/sound card/network card - anything else?)
without knowing what we're really looking for - can anybody help?

About the machine:

1. No obvious "the model number of this machine is....", however a
prominent sticker on the rear of the case states: "Refurbished Product
authorized but not warranted by PACKARD BELL NEC May contain used
parts.

2. the sticker has a small bar-code with the barely-readable number
PA99045248 underneath.

3. Underneath the case is another sticker saying "ALLEGRA" with the
numbers 6838080000 and ADAL129008181.

4. "iMedia" embossed into the sides of the tower case. The case is
2-tone light grey and dark grey.

3. includes both DVD and CD-RW. (monitor, mouse & keyboard are all
replacements)

Thanks VERY MUCH in advance.

P.S. I have already tried the PB downloads site, which was sod-all
help as all their drivers bar one are for WinXP - the only one that
wasn't wouldn't download, instead giving me an error-message when I
clicked on the link before ultimately crashing Explorer - PAH!!

Try Aida32
http://www.aida32.hu/aida32.php


On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 18:03:39 +0100, in
<p2v0nvclf3vtse7rk60t2rmq7ogoa1t592@4ax.com>
Adam scrawled:

--
Basic computer maintenance
http://uk.geocities.com/personel44/maintenance.html

"°Mike°" <ZHNTPDWBLECA@fcnzzbgry.pbz> wrote in message
news:3f827f9e.6223436@localhost.dot.net...

aida will only give you info that windows already has

you will need a utility such as HW info to snoop out the video
card

but you will prob have to open the case and get chip #'s
for some of the other H/W
then go to www.driverguide.com

On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 18:03:39 +0100, B. Al. Zeebub read and pondered :

If it's a Packard Bell (NEC) you'll have to open it up and check out the
motherboard type. Download the drivers you need from the motherboard
manufacturers website. PB was petty good at throwing anything into a box
and calling it a computer.

Get another computer. Packard Bell has to be the worst computer out there!


"Adam" <Adam@roblangspammers.demongetfucked.co.uk> wrote in message
news2v0nvclf3vtse7rk60t2rmq7ogoa1t592@4ax.com...

"Adam" <Adam@roblangspammers.demongetfucked.co.uk> wrote in message
news2v0nvclf3vtse7rk60t2rmq7ogoa1t592@4ax.com...
You could try PC World or Dixons, they've been flogging them for years.
Alternative is to try a later version of Windows - 2000 and XP can
auto-detect quite a lot of hardware (some of which may post-date 98SE).
Alternative alternative - most Linux implementations are better at detecting
hardware - if you have plenty of time, you could install one of these
(mainly available free on PC magazine cover-disks) and make a note of the
hardware, then pick up relevent drivers before re-installing Windows.

regards,
DaveJ.

I used to work for PC Service call, if you have your serial number
ready they can give you info from the BOM (Bill of Material). Phone
08709013000, and if you're lucky wanna of the nicer call agents might
humor your non warranty call and give you the info, providing you're
quick! 0870901300 - worst comes to worst phone £1 / minute, should
take no longer than 5 mins!