How Do I Discover What Type of Video Display Adapter I Have and Update the Drivers? - Search Again

 

CAUSE

In order for LapLink to work properly, many video adapters need to use Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL)-certified drivers. WHQL drivers are certified to be compatible with Windows. You can often find these drivers on your video card manufacturer’s website.

Additional, Microsoft maintains a Hardware Compatibility List that will list if the Video driver on the Windows CD is a WHQL driver.

 

SOLUTION

To update your video drivers, you first need to know what type of video adapter you have. To find this information:

For computers running Windows 95 OSR2 and Windows 98

  1. From the Windows Start menu, select Settings, then Control Panel.

  2. Double-click Display.

  3. Click the Settings tab.
  4. Click the Advanced button. The adapter will be listed on the Adapter tab.

For computers running Windows 95 and Windows NT
  1. From the Windows Start menu, select Settings, then Control Panel.

  2. Double-click Display.

  3. Click the Settings tab.
  4. Click Change Display Type. Look in the Adapter Type section.

For computers running Windows 2000 and Windows XP
  1. Right-click the Windows desktop, and click Properties.

  2. Click the Settings tab and then the Advanced button

  3. Click the Adapter tab.


Once you find your manufacturer’s website, search either by your operating system or by the adapter type. Download the appropriate driver to your machine, noting the location on your hard drive where you have stored it.

IMPORTANT: Always look for Read Me or Installation instructions before installing a video driver. Some manufacturers recommend that the existing video driver be uninstalled before updating to a new driver.

To update your driver:
Follow the instructions listed above for returning to the Display Properties, then follow the instructions for your version of Windows.

For computers running Windows 95 OSR2, Windows 98 and Windows 20000
  1. Click the Advanced button.
  2. On the Adapter tab, click Change.

  3. Click Display a list of all drivers in a specific location, so you can select the driver you want. Click Next.

  4. Click Show all Hardware, then Have Disk .

  5. Point to the location of the files you downloaded and complete the installation of the drivers.

For computers running Windows 95 and Windows NT
  1. Click Change Display Type.
  2. In the Adapter Type section, click Change.

  3. Click Have Disk.
  4. Browse to the location of the files that you downloaded and complete the installation of the drivers.

For computers running Windows XP
  1. Click the Advanced button.
  2. On the Adapter tab, click Change.

  3. Click Install from a list ..., and then click Next.

  4. Click Don't search ..., and then click Next
  5. Click the Have Disk button.
  6. Browse to the location of the files that you downloaded and complete the installation of the drivers.

 

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Last updated: Tuesday, September 04, 2001

Article #114

Legacy Article #5725