Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (
More info?)
Good! Now just try to find almost ANY driver for almost ANY HP Pavilion
computer, the model most widely used and the one about which the most questions
are asked on this newsgroup. The only saving grace is that HP DOES manage to
tell you what the chipsets are on the motherboard and on the add-in cards. As a
consequence, one is able to dredge up the drivers from elsewhere on the web, but
not from the HP web site.
I do hope that "almost any driver for almost any HP Pavilion" is specific
enough. HP's long-standing support policy for its Pavilions is to expect people
to use ONLY the operating system with which the system shipped originally, and
to use the HP restore CDs which sometimes are supplied with a computer. Hence,
HP sees no need to put drivers for Pavilions on its web site except possibly to
fix egregious software defects. (Compare that policy with Dell's or IBM's. Go
to either web site and download whatever you need to repair IBM systems, drivers
for all operating systems which could plausibly run on their computers, detailed
specs, and on-line utility software to give you status of currently installed
hardware on a system. Does HP have very much of this?)
I followed your instructions, and once again found a list of drivers for the
Vectra VLi8. And I'll repeat once again like a broken record that there are
absolutely ZERO drivers for the motherboard chipset for Windows 95 or 98 on this
computer. Yes, yes, yes, lots of other drivers. But none for the motherboard
chipset, which came to market after 95 and 98. Hence, motherboard chipset
drivers ARE needed if one is installing either OS from scratch. Win 2000 and XP
may have drivers included on the OS CD for this system, in which case people are
lucky to have either OS install pretty cleanly on the VLi8.
Also, there is no list of product specifications for the VLi8. Drilling down
thru the HP web site and clicking on product specs for this model ends up with a
laundry list of odds and ends HP feels are useful to its customers. Many of
them truly are. But no detailed list of product specifications like motherboard
chipset, network card, graphics subsystem, audio chip, etc. This is plainly
inadequate. Am I being specific enough?
HP does supply its System Software Manager for the VLi8 running ME, 2000, or XP.
The System Software Manager must have a computer with fully operational internet
access to be useful.
Don't get me started. I could spend a lifetime critiquing the HP web site, and
never get done. I DO know how to navigate web sites, but thank you for showing
me additional ways to dig out info about HP products... Ben Myers
On 23 May 2004 08:14:07 GMT, Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> wrote:
>ben_myers_spam_me_not wrote:
>[deleted]
>> Next, why is it that one cannot find this driver page by clicking on
>> the support/drivers icon on the HP home page and drilling down by
>> model?
>
> I don't know. Because you (apparently) don't know how to use a web
>site?
>
> *I* *can* "find this driver page by clicking on the support/drivers
>icon on the HP home page and drilling down by model" and *very easily*:
>
> Method 1, browse then search:
>
>- Main page (<http://www.hp.com/>) -> Support & Drivers -> * Download
> drivers and software for product: VLi8 (brings you to the "technical
> support -HP Vectra VLi8" page, see my OP).
>
> Method 2, only browsing:
>
>- Main page (<http://www.hp.com/>) -> Support & Drivers -> Desktops &
> Workstations -> Desktop PCs -> HP Vectra PCs -> HP Vectra VL Series ->
> HP Vectra VLi8 (brings you to the same "technical support -HP Vectra
> VLi8" page, see my OP).
>
> Like I said before:
>
> Now, that wasn't too hard, now was it?
>
>> I'll play my broken record again and claim that the HP web site is
>> damned hard to navigate if and when the drivers really are there.
>
> Which will make you look quite silly, see above.
>
>> And I'll claim once again that HP's driver support is incomplete.
>
> Which you support by exactly which evidence? (I.e. be *specific*.)
>
>> I play this broken record regularly in the futile hope that some major
>> decision maker at HP reads these threads and may actually make a
>> decision to bring up the level of HP's web site to that of its
>> competition, namely Gateway-eMachines, Dell and IBM. Improving the
>> web site means both making it easier to use and putting more drivers
>> out there.
>
> Well, I'm sure that HP appreciates constructive and substantiated
>feedback. Perhaps you should try to give some of that instead of playing
>your broken broken record.
>
>[deleted]