How to direct download a driver, bypassing automatic updates?

[Paul Randall]

Hi,
I am installing WXP slipstreamed to SP2 to a new hard drive. As usual, the
installation process does not see my audio hardware (Realtek AC'97). The
drivers that came with my motherboard do work OK, but I'd like to try the
Microsoft WXP drivers.

Searching MSDN for Realtek AC'97 shows me one promising link to
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;833846, which says:
install the latest version of the driver that is offered by Microsoft
Windows Update. I went through the update process, but it did not see that
I needed the Realtek driver -- it installed three things I didn't want.

So I know MS has a driver, but I can't find any way to get MSDN to
acknowledge that there is a place to download it from.

Can anyone help me find the right download URL? I greatly prefer a direct
download rather than going through the automatic update thing.

Thanks,
-Paul Randall

 

[DL]

A very bad move to use winupdate drivers, use only the hw manu.drivers
available from their site.

 

[Paul Randall]

Thanks for the reply. There are some things I don't like about the drivers
that came with the motherboard, so I'd like to at least try the Microsoft
drivers.

-Paul Randall

 

[Jason Tsang]

What Realtek AC97 codec do you have.

In almost all cases (unless you have one of the really really really new HD
codecs), this will probably work best for you..

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/dlac97-2.aspx?lineid=5&famid=12&series=8&Software=True
Windows 98Gold/98se/Me/2000/XP/2003(32/64 bits) for Driver only. For Windows
98 SE, DirectX(R)8 is required to enable advanced features.

 

[DL]

So did you try mobo site for updated driver?

Thanks for the reply. There are some things I don't like about the drivers
that came with the motherboard, so I'd like to at least try the Microsoft
drivers.

-Paul Randall

 

[Paul Randall]

Been there, tried that. I'd still like to see how Microsoft's XP driver
compares.

-Paul Randall

 

[Paul Randall]

Thank you for the link. I believe that this is newer than what I have.
I will try it this afternoon when I reinstall WXP into a newly formatted
partition.

But I really would like to download the Microsoft driver talked about in
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;833846, so I can try
it too. As long as I'm reinstalling, I can try both MS's and RealTek's
drivers.
Can you find the download URL for me? I've searched and can't find it. The
update service doesn't notice that newly installed WXP has no driver for my
audio hardware.

Thanks again,

-Paul Randall

 

[Guest]

Hi Paul,

You can download al windows update "packages" in the windows update catalog
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/catalog/en/default.asp

in the left colum choose "Find hardware driver updates" and then select what
u need

Kind regards
Piet Carpentier