[RESOLVED] [95] What are the chances of...

...A standard PCI Network Card being compatible with a system from the Windows 95 era? I didn't get a chance to fire it up, nor look inside the beast, but i need to get it online tomorrow, and dial-up won't cut it, so i was gonna try and sort some proper broadband out, no USB or Ethernet, i've got a spare card here and i'm hoping it will at least have PCI slots. If it doesn't what are my choices? Also what's the deal with drivers, will it pick up the card? Or will i need to take some generic drivers?

TIA, i don't do 95, i mean there wasn't even a choice of 95 when making the thread. :D

Liam

I'd expect the hardware compatibility to be OK. Finding the drivers may be more of a challenge.

A PCI based network card should work in a PCI slot from the Windows 95 era.
Microsoft Windows 95 probably includes the correct driver for it.
Watch out for the NIC models described in this link.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/280126/en-us

Since PCI has been introduced, PCI Express cards have come along.

Don't know much about PCI Express, or whether cards designed with PCI Express in mind will work in a regular PCI slot...I think they do... but I can look into it to make sure.


What are your choices if the computer does not have a PCI slot available?
You can try to find an ISA style 10 BASE T network adapter for an IBM compatibile machine if the machine has an ISA slot available.

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Don't know much about PCI Express, or whether cards designed with PCI Express in mind will work in a regular PCI slot...I think they do... but I can look into it to make sure.

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PCI-E 1x NIC's are bound to appear soon enough, but they are not backwards compatible, they are keyed differently for starters.

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What are your choices if the computer does not have a PCI slot available?
You can try to find an ISA style 10 BASE T network adapter for an IBM compatibile machine if the machine has an ISA slot available.

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Cheers for that.


Liam

Depends what the urgency is but thinking out of the box.Image the system, load it to a VMware system [or MS equvalent] and reload any missing drivers.Possible no??

Interesting idea above. If you don't have that option to play with, you should be good to go anyhow. Take the generic drivers, and bring them on floppy. If the computer is that old it may not have a CDROM, let alone a USB port.

Any realtek based nic should have the 95 drivers.
Or get them from http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/...&GetDown=false

All sorted guys, Thanks for the input, it is working, but he now realises a major upgrade is needed, what with a P1/64mb RAM/2gb HDD, it barely runs IE 5.5. :D

The kit he received included a brand spanking new Netgear wireless router, so he now fancies a laptop, and keep the antique in the kitchen.


Liam

Be honest with them and let them know it`ll make a better boat anchor :D