I have yellow question marks

I have a dell optiplex Pll with only 63.0 mb ram I did not know this at the time I intalled win xp pro so i ran into some problems and had to install win 98 and now i have Yellow question marks with an exclamation point in it, in the other devices, i have no sound, usb ports are not working and i can't find my modem i downloaded the unkown devices identifier software. what i want to know is how do i know i have the right drivers once i find them there are so many on driversguide.com i have a copy of win 98 se but it requires that i do a fresh install it came with a pc that has long since died on me. i don't remeber what the original os was on thie dell before i installed win xp pro do you think that maybe i can find it somewhre on the hard drive or is all that info gone?:confused

 

You should download the driver that is for Windows 98 though in some circumstances newer drivers will work.

If you know what brand your modem is go the makers web site to find the driver there.

If you could let us know what the unknown devices software told you we may be able to be of more help.

You won't be able to recover any drivers from the HD as you have formatted it a number of times now.

 

Apparently, you did not inquire about system requirements for Win XP before attempting to install it. For all practical purposes, running it on 64MB of RAM is impossible. MS states a minimum requirement of 128MB but that's also well below what's really needed for reasonably good performance on nothing more than basic tasks such as email, web browsing, word processing, etc. So, for practical purposes, think of 256MB of RAM as a base level.

Installing Win 98SE on your computer would give you better USB support than Win 98. Whether 98 or 98SE, you're going to have to hunt for some drivers, and you finding Win 98SE drivers is probably going to be easier than finding Win 98 drivers. So, I say install Win 98SE.

 

So, go ahead and do a fresh install. In other words, format the hard drive and install Windows from scratch.

 

okay now how do i format the hard drive i got the last instructions from another thread and i can't remember what i did with them so can you tell me how o do it i already tried by booting from the cd and doing it that way but i still get the message that there is a windows os on my computer already

 

It's been a long time since I've installed Win 98SE so I searched the Internet for a reference. This should help: http://www.bestpricecomputers.ltd.uk/freehelp/win98res.htm

As the reference states, you need a Windows 98 boot disk, that's a floppy disk, that you'll boot from. The floppy will provide the tools you need to format and, if desired, partition, your hard drive. Then, you can proceed with installing Windows.

 

here is the list some of these i don't need the ones i need i went into their properties and they all had a code 28, they are:
PCI or PCl Communication, PCI Ethernet Controller, PCI Multimedia Audio, and PCI System Management Bus. i hope this helps now i have windows 98 not the second edition



PCI standard host CPU bridge
Unknown Device from Dell Computer Corp
Chip: Intel Corporation 82454KX/GX 450KX/GX Orion System Controller Rev 2 (Bus Limit!!)
Full Details
PNP ID
VEN_8086&DEV_7122&SUBSYS_C0941028&REV_02
Windows Detected Vender
(Standard system devices)
Windows Detected Device
PCI standard host CPU bridge
Detected Chip Vender
Intel Corporation
Detected Chip
82454KX/GX 450KX/GX Orion System Controller Rev 2 (Bus Limit!!)
Detected OEM Vender
Dell Computer Corp
Search Results (Internal Stuff)
RPL_GOT_VENDER
RPL_GOT_DEVICE
RPL_GOT_REV
RPL_GOT_OEM_VEN
Standard PCI Graphics Adapter (VGA)
Unknown Device from Dell Computer Corp
Chip: Intel Corporation 82454KX/GX 450KX/GX Orion System Controller Rev 2 (Bus Limit!!)
Full Details
PNP ID
VEN_8086&DEV_7123&SUBSYS_C0941028&REV_02
Windows Detected Vender
(Standard display types)
Windows Detected Device
Standard PCI Graphics Adapter (VGA)
Detected Chip Vender
Intel Corporation
Detected Chip
82454KX/GX 450KX/GX Orion System Controller Rev 2 (Bus Limit!!)
Detected OEM Vender
Dell Computer Corp
Search Results (Internal Stuff)
RPL_GOT_VENDER
RPL_GOT_DEVICE
RPL_GOT_REV
RPL_GOT_OEM_VEN
PCI standard PCI-to-PCI bridge
Chip: Intel Corporation 82801AA 8xx Chipset Hub to PCI Bridge
Full Details
PNP ID
VEN_8086&DEV_2418&SUBSYS_00000000&REV_02
Windows Detected Vender
(Standard system devices)
Windows Detected Device
PCI standard PCI-to-PCI bridge
Detected Chip Vender
Intel Corporation
Detected Chip
82801AA 8xx Chipset Hub to PCI Bridge
Search Results (Internal Stuff)
RPL_GOT_VENDER
RPL_GOT_DEVICE
RPL_GOT_NO_SUBID
PCI Ethernet Controller
Unknown Device from Dell Computer Corp
Chip: 3COM Corp, Networking Division 3C905C-TX Fast Etherlink for PC Management NIC
Full Details
PNP ID
VEN_10B7&DEV_9200&SUBSYS_00941028&REV_74
Windows Detected Device
PCI Ethernet Controller
Detected Chip Vender
3COM Corp, Networking Division
Detected Chip
3C905C-TX Fast Etherlink for PC Management NIC
Detected OEM Vender
Dell Computer Corp
Detected OEM Device
3C905C-TX Fast Etherlink for PC Management NIC
Search Results (Internal Stuff)
RPL_GOT_VENDER
RPL_GOT_DEVICE
RPL_GOT_GENERIC_DEV
RPL_GOT_OEM_VEN
PCI standard ISA bridge
Chip: Intel Corporation 82801AA 8xx Chipset LPC Interface Bridge
Full Details
PNP ID
VEN_8086&DEV_2410&SUBSYS_00000000&REV_02
Windows Detected Vender
(Standard system devices)
Windows Detected Device
PCI standard ISA bridge
Detected Chip Vender
Intel Corporation
Detected Chip
82801AA 8xx Chipset LPC Interface Bridge
Search Results (Internal Stuff)
RPL_GOT_VENDER
RPL_GOT_DEVICE
RPL_GOT_NO_SUBID
Standard Dual PCI IDE Controller
Intel Corporation 82801AA 8xx Chipset IDE Controller
Chip: Intel Corporation 82801AA 8xx Chipset IDE Controller
Full Details
PNP ID
VEN_8086&DEV_2411&SUBSYS_24118086&REV_02
Windows Detected Vender
(Standard hard disk drivers)
Windows Detected Device
Standard Dual PCI IDE Controller
Detected Chip Vender
Intel Corporation
Detected Chip
82801AA 8xx Chipset IDE Controller
Detected OEM Vender
Intel Corporation
Detected OEM Device
82801AA 8xx Chipset IDE Controller
Search Results (Internal Stuff)
RPL_GOT_VENDER
RPL_GOT_DEVICE
RPL_GOT_OEM_DEV
RPL_GOT_OEM_VEN
Standard Universal PCI to USB Host Controller
Intel Corporation 82801AA 8xx Chipset USB Controllers
Chip: Intel Corporation 82801AA 8xx Chipset USB Controllers
Full Details
PNP ID
VEN_8086&DEV_2412&SUBSYS_24128086&REV_02
Windows Detected Vender
(Standard USB Host Controller)
Windows Detected Device
Standard Universal PCI to USB Host Controller
Detected Chip Vender
Intel Corporation
Detected Chip
82801AA 8xx Chipset USB Controllers
Detected OEM Vender
Intel Corporation
Detected OEM Device
82801AA 8xx Chipset USB Controllers
Search Results (Internal Stuff)
RPL_GOT_VENDER
RPL_GOT_DEVICE
RPL_GOT_OEM_DEV
RPL_GOT_OEM_VEN
PCI System Management Bus
Intel Corporation 82801AA 8xx Chipset SMBus Controller
Chip: Intel Corporation 82801AA 8xx Chipset SMBus Controller
Full Details
PNP ID
VEN_8086&DEV_2413&SUBSYS_24138086&REV_02
Windows Detected Device
PCI System Management Bus
Detected Chip Vender
Intel Corporation
Detected Chip
82801AA 8xx Chipset SMBus Controller
Detected OEM Vender
Intel Corporation
Detected OEM Device
82801AA 8xx Chipset SMBus Controller
Search Results (Internal Stuff)
RPL_GOT_VENDER
RPL_GOT_DEVICE
RPL_GOT_OEM_DEV
RPL_GOT_OEM_VEN
PCI Multimedia Audio Device
Creative (Was: Ensoniq) Creative Sound Blaster AudioPCI64V, AudioPCI 128
Chip: Creative (Was: Ensoniq) ES1371, ES1373 AudioPCI
Full Details
PNP ID
VEN_1274&DEV_1371&SUBSYS_13711274&REV_06
Windows Detected Device
PCI Multimedia Audio Device
Detected Chip Vender
Creative (Was: Ensoniq)
Detected Chip
ES1371, ES1373 AudioPCI
Detected OEM Vender
Creative (Was: Ensoniq)
Detected OEM Device
Creative Sound Blaster AudioPCI64V, AudioPCI 128
Search Results (Internal Stuff)
RPL_GOT_VENDER
RPL_GOT_DEVICE
RPL_GOT_OEM_DEV
RPL_GOT_OEM_VEN
PCI Communication Device
Unknown Device from Aztech System Ltd
Chip: Conexant Systems HCF 56K Winmodem
Full Details
PNP ID
VEN_14F1&DEV_1033&SUBSYS_4034122D&REV_08
Windows Detected Device
PCI Communication Device
Detected Chip Vender
Conexant Systems
Detected Chip
HCF 56K Winmodem
Detected OEM Vender
Aztech System Ltd
Search Results (Internal Stuff)
RPL_GOT_VENDER
RPL_GOT_DEVICE
RPL_GOT_OEM_VEN

 

If you're going to go with Win 98SE, which would be the best choice, then why not go ahead and install it, and then see where you stand?

 

Okay i did format the har drive and now I can not get it go into setup from the cd i type in d:\win98\setup and i get bad command or file name so where do i go from here?:confused

 

OK, go to http://www.windowsreinstall.com/win98/install98cd/indexfullpage.htm and follow the steps there. As stated there, access your BIOS and set CD-ROM as the first boot device.

 

i got win98se installed and i still have yello question marks in my other devices
PCI Communication Device
PCI Ethernet Controller
PCI Multimedia Audio Device
Unknown Device

 

Visit http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/index.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen and search for drivers, at least for the first three devices you listed.

 

Okay I downloaded the drivers so where do I install them to?

 

The instructions here for installing a USB driver are similar to what you need to do. Give that a try.

 

I'm having a problem with the ethernet controller and the unknown device driver

 

Exactly what model is your computer?

 

I can't seem to find them

 

it is a dell optiplex GX100

 

Here is the Dell page for your computer. http://support.dell.com/support/dow...stemID=PLX_PNT_CEL_GX100&hidos=WW1&hidlang=en

This looks like the Ethernet Controller http://support.dell.com/support/dow...0&servicetag=&os=W98&osl=en&catid=-1&impid=-1

*****
As far as the unknown device; what isn't working? Do you have sound, modem, USB?

*****
Also your PC RAM is upgradable to 512 mb. A 256 stick of SDram with 168 pins is about $30 U.S. at newegg.com. With that, plus the 64 mb you have you could run XP pro about as well as possible on a Pentium II. Good enough for Internet and email but it is still going to have problems with newer video rendering etc. on a 466 processor.

 

thank you I have sound now and USB but I have no modem, or ethernet and now I'm getting a message that vnet.vxd, vredir.vxd and dfs.vxd have been uninstalled but i did ni uninstall anything. Iwas going to ask what kind of ram that pc takes so I can add some

 

Okay I downloaded the driver and I had to put it on three floppies and now I m not sure of how to install them:confused

 

Have a look for something like setup.exe or just setup on the first disk. If you find that, double click on it and you should be prompted to change disks as needed.

If you can't find setup.exe or setup on the first disk, look for anything else that ends in .exe and see if that sounds like something for installing. Failing that, tell us what files are on disk 1 and there's a good chance someone can tell you what to do.

It may be possible to install it by clicking on "Update driver" in the Device Manager (highlight the problem device and click Properties) but isn't always. If that works, when it asks for the files, tell it you want to look on the floppy disk and give it disk 1. It will ask for disks after that.