Display drivers Windows 2000

[Tefler]

On a new computer, we have installed Windows 2000. It is displaying only 16 colours. I can't identify a display adaptor in the settings, so don't know what driver to install. How can I find out what driver I need? How do I get such a thing (the computer has no modem)? How do I install it?

[j2buttonsw]

If it is a new computer you should have the driver CD for the computer components including the video card. The only way of finding out what video card you have is taking the lid off and looking. All video cards are marked with manufacturers information including the make and model. If it is an on-board video (ie one not in an AGP slot) then find the name and model number of the mainboard. Once you have done this then it is off to the internet to download the latest video card drivers from the video card manufacturers web site or the mainboard manufacturers web site. Obviously you must do this at work or round a friend's house. Lastly you must get them on your home PC. Video card drivers differ in size but are usually larger than 1.44 MB or 1 floppy disk therefore span a zipped file over more than 1 floppy disk (using winzip) or burn it to CD. Most drivers are compressed in zip format so extract them to a known location (eg c:\video) then in the device manager update the drivers then point it to the c:\video directory. Always install directX (download this from microsoft while you are downloading the video card drivers) as it is essential for Windows 2000 to function properly.