Driver Repositories for Windows 95 Users?

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."

Comments

You may want to try...

[thecampbeln]

...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!

Packard Bell Modem

[Quill_28]

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.

My advice...

[dasunt]

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.

Re:My advice...

[zcat_NZ]

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!!

refurbishing...

[joto]

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.