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Driver Repositories for Windows 95 Users?

Posted by Cliff on from the you-might-not-be-able-to-find-these-in-2-years dept.

musselm asks: "I've begun working with a PC-refurbishing operation which provides Win95 machines to folks in need. The most time-consuming part is tracking down drivers for disparate modems and other devices. Does anyone have a solution to this problem? I have a dream of a few CDs with every possible driver for every possible device, but of course that's silly. Thanks for the help."

11 of 39 comments (clear)

  1. windrivers by galaxy300 · · Score: 2, Informative

    I've found http://www.windrivers.com to be a valuable resource for drivers that are still available. It's a subscription service, I believe it runs about $30 a year.

    --
    seriouslyexcited.net
    1. Re:windrivers by rilian4 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      driverguide.com

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      ...quicker, easier, more seductive the darkside is...but more powerful, it is not.
  2. You may want to try... by thecampbeln · · Score: 4, Interesting
    ...a friendly local computer dealer. One of the white-box shops (ie- they build their own). We have one where I'm at that has drivers for all of the stuff he's sold over the years simply for his own support. So if an old customer comes in and needs their system reformatted, he can re-install the components he sold them over the years.

    Especially since you're a 'good cause' it shouldn't be too hard to talk one of the local shops into it! Offer a 'special thank to' on your site or fliers... you may even get more then drivers out of them =)

    Good luck!

    --
    "1984" was ment to be a warning, not a guidebook. You hear that Kim Jong-il!? BushCo?!
  3. Drivers CD by hound3000 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    In my business I typically go out to people's houses and fix their computers on site. In rare instances, I have to reformat their drives and reinstall Windows. Finally, after all these years, people generally know to keep their Windows CD handy, but all the other stuff such as modem, and video drivers are no where to be found. When they have Windows 98 or later my life is much easier, but even with W98, it almost never has the drivers for two things the video and the modem.

    I now have a CD full of drivers for all of the most common devices I come across. This was built with the help of driverguide.com on the modem drivers section, and from various other manufactuer websites for the video. A collection of all drivers ever made is impossible, but one that has the drivers of most devices you run into is not. Just be sure to come up with a organizational system to put the drivers in any time you have to hunt one down for a new exotic device, and in a few short months driver hunting will be more a diversion than the norm.

    Once you are done collecting your drivers, you can then invest time in organizing 2-3 CDs full of Windows Updates and bug fixes so that you are not sending virus prone machines out to be wrecked by some script kiddie.

  4. Win95+ modem init strings and drivers by dstone · · Score: 2

    The most time-consuming part is tracking down drivers for disparate modems and other devices.

    "Disparate" modems, eh? ;-) Anyways... Try this link for modem init strings and drivers. Good luck.

  5. um... by cicatrix1 · · Score: 2

    I've begun working with a PC-refurbishing operation which provides Win95 machines to folks in need. Does anyone have a solution to this problem?

    I know it's hard, but just stop being a jackass and giving people win95 machines. If people can quit smoking, you can surely quit this atrocious act.

    --

    I know more than you drink.
  6. Re:Presenting ... by cicatrix1 · · Score: 2

    Step one: Plug in. Step two: Get connected. Step three: There's no step three. THERE'S NO STEP THREE! Step four: ??? Step five: Profit!!

    --

    I know more than you drink.
  7. Packard Bell Modem by Quill_28 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Good gads, whatever you do stay away from the combo modem sound card that Packard Bell had in their computers. What a nightmare!

    I used to goto windrivers.com(when they were free) maybe they would be willing to help you out since this seems to be charitable work but who knows.

  8. My advice... by dasunt · · Score: 3, Informative

    www.driverguide.com is always a good place to look. Get used to yanking the card, looking for the ID on any chips, and then searching for that chip's drivers. Also check out www.google.com and groups.google.com for other excellent places to search.

    When you download the drivers, have a network share (or directory) with this file structure: /drivers/type[video,sound,modem,network]/manufactu rer/model/OS. Then, if you keep seeing the same type of card (not uncommon when you realize the machines you are refurbishing tend to come from a specific local manufacturer[s] who use the same hardware in each of their machines) you don't have to redownload it. And you can always burn /drivers/ onto a few CD's if your driver collection gets large enough to be useful.

    1. Re:My advice... by zcat_NZ · · Score: 3, Insightful

      driversguide? what a freaking PITA.. every time I'm looking for drivers for anything I get pages of hits for the fscking driversguide forums from other people looking for the same drivers who never bothered to do a simple search first. I've never figured out how to actually get -drivers- from driversguide other than giving them money, and I'd like to see some proof that they'll actually have the drivers I'm after before I go doing that!

      Usually what I do is figure out who made the device (If there's no manufacturers name you can look up the FCC ID at www.fcc.gov) and go to the manufacturers homepage. Most of them have drivers downloadable for just about everything they ever made.

      And what really pisses me off most; if it weren't for places like driversguide.com and windrivers.com, the MANUFACTURERS site with the FREE drivers would probably be a whole heap easier to find via google!!

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      455fe10422ca29c4933f95052b792ab2
  9. refurbishing... by joto · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I'm not really sure if it's worth the trouble to get all those old peripherals to work. Most people who buy refurbished products don't want to deal with troublesome peripherals anyway.

    You should probably just throw them out, and put in more modern (but dirt cheap) stuff. Then you can stack those weird devices up in piles, waiting untill you have at least a dozen of a given type. At that time, you may invest time in finding a driver. By working this way, you can also use time to your advantage. Instead of you using your time to find those old drivers, write a letter to the manufacturer, and ask them to dig up the old drivers.