Clean installed Windows, can't find the drivers I need.

Connor158910 · 13 Apr 2017

Hello everyone,

This is my first time on the fourms. I'm looking for help with my current situation. I have a HP xw4600s Workstation running Windows 7 pro 64bit and I have recently clean installed it.

However due to drivers being on the machine I can no longer access the internet using WIFI. The ethernet port works but there are no ports in my room so WIFI is the only practical way for me to access the internet.

I know that it was possible to do so before the clean install but I can't remember what drivers are required and I don't want to try one of those "FREE DRIVER SCAN" (More like free driver SCAM

) things.

Any help is much appreciated.

P.S- The device that shows up under device manager is the Broadcom NetXtream Gigabit Ethernet. But I'm possitive that I could use WIFI before.

johnhoh · 13 Apr 2017

here's your driver page. I did not see a xw4600s page, just xw4600. Might as well try both networking driver packages. You also may need other drivers here if your device manager has any devices its not detecting

Drivers Software for HP xw4600 Workstation - HP Support Center.

here's a tool from hp, not one of those driver detection sites that are best avoided, that inspects your system and tells you what drivers you need
HP System Software Manager | HP Client Management Solutions

Its possible the above drivers are ethernet only, not wireless, and I did not see a wifi driver on that first web page either. Not sure what to make of that.

Connor158910 · 14 Apr 2017

Thank but I have all ready tried all of that. There were no wireless drivers on the site only ethernet. I still however did try them.

johnhoh · 14 Apr 2017

did the hp system software manager say your drivers are all up to date? Do you have a wireless antenna anywhere on your system?

Layback Bear · 14 Apr 2017

From what I can find that system is very old and did not come with WiFi.
It did come with Vista.

HP Support document - HP Support Center

Network
Integrated Broadcom 5755 NetXtreme Gigabit PCIe, opt. Broadcom 5751 NetXtreme Gigabit PCIe

My understanding of things could be wrong. I'm not perfect.
Did this system when Vista was used, have WiFi capability?
If it did a Vista driver might work.

Jack

MrWhoopee · 15 Apr 2017

I have had very good luck with Snappy Driver
Snappy Driver Installer - Install and Update Drivers for Free

It's not the usual Driver Scam software, it's a complete driver package. It's standalone software, no installation, no garbage, nothing running after you're done. The full package is nearly 12 Gb, which is what you'll need if the computer has no Internet access. I use it whenever I'm setting up a fresh install of Windows for a client, it get's all the essential drivers without having to search for them.

It does, rarely, provide a bad driver. For this reason, I only use it for missing drivers. I don't let it update drivers that are already present. Windows is perfectly capable of screwing up formerly working drivers.

Bat 1 · 15 Apr 2017

Fastest way would be to move the PC where it could connect by Ethernet, then download the Wi-Fi drivers. Easiest way would be buy or borrow a USB dongle that has the drivers install media.

Won't help now, and doesn't always work with all Win 10 drivers, but using double driver by http://www.boozet.org/dd.htm on a USB drive is a good idea before making a fresh install.

Clean installed Windows, can't find the drivers I need.

Clean installed Windows, can't find the drivers I need.

Thanks