(OT) Laptop Driver Installation

[Guest Roger Fink]

I have inexplicably convinced myself that I can successfully install a

miniPCI wireless card in my Thinkpad laptop. I think I've researched the

problem enough so that I know what the pitfalls are and what needs to be

installed (certain other driver and BIOS upgrades must be in place), but,

recalling the installation of the Linksys PCI adapter in the desktop I'm

using now, the instructions insisted on installing the driver first before

inserting the card.

 

Lenovo gives no such advice one way or the other, so I'm wondering if it

makes a difference. The immediate question relates to the wireless card, but

perhaps I can broaden the question to ask whether, as a general rule,

drivers for newly added hardware components in PCs are supposed to be

installed prior to a new hardware component, or if it depends on the

particular type of hardware, or whether a minimally compatible driver is

already installed, or if in fact it varies on a case by case basis.

[Guest Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: (OT) Laptop Driver Installation

 

 

"Roger Fink" <fink@manana.org> wrote in message

news:OA3lkb0oIHA.2292@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>I have inexplicably convinced myself that I can successfully install a

> miniPCI wireless card in my Thinkpad laptop. I think I've researched the

> problem enough so that I know what the pitfalls are and what needs to be

> installed (certain other driver and BIOS upgrades must be in place), but,

> recalling the installation of the Linksys PCI adapter in the desktop I'm

> using now, the instructions insisted on installing the driver first before

> inserting the card.

>

> Lenovo gives no such advice one way or the other, so I'm wondering if it

> makes a difference. The immediate question relates to the wireless card,

> but

> perhaps I can broaden the question to ask whether, as a general rule,

> drivers for newly added hardware components in PCs are supposed to be

> installed prior to a new hardware component, or if it depends on the

> particular type of hardware, or whether a minimally compatible driver is

> already installed, or if in fact it varies on a case by case basis.

>

 

It depends on the hardware/driver. With most devices it does not

matter one way or another but if it does then the supplier will

clearly spell out when the hardware should be connected.

[Guest Roger Fink]

Re: (OT) Laptop Driver Installation

 

Pegasus (MVP) wrote:

> "Roger Fink" <fink@manana.org> wrote in message

> news:OA3lkb0oIHA.2292@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>> I have inexplicably convinced myself that I can successfully install

>> a miniPCI wireless card in my Thinkpad laptop. I think I've

>> researched the problem enough so that I know what the pitfalls are

>> and what needs to be installed (certain other driver and BIOS

>> upgrades must be in place), but, recalling the installation of the

>> Linksys PCI adapter in the desktop I'm using now, the instructions

>> insisted on installing the driver first before inserting the card.

>>

>> Lenovo gives no such advice one way or the other, so I'm wondering

>> if it makes a difference. The immediate question relates to the

>> wireless card, but

>> perhaps I can broaden the question to ask whether, as a general rule,

>> drivers for newly added hardware components in PCs are supposed to be

>> installed prior to a new hardware component, or if it depends on the

>> particular type of hardware, or whether a minimally compatible

>> driver is already installed, or if in fact it varies on a case by

>> case basis.

>>

>

> It depends on the hardware/driver. With most devices it does not

> matter one way or another but if it does then the supplier will

> clearly spell out when the hardware should be connected.

 

Thanks, that does clarify things.