# help with some identifying PC info please



## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I'm still trying to learn what is on this "refurbished Microsoft 10" computer. It is working well; yet I would like to know the following:


Graphics Card: Where can I find what the Graphics Card is? Is this the same thing as the "Graphics for Previous Generation Intel Processor" or does it have a different name?


I have a strange feeling I should already know this; but I cannot find them.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Look in the Device Manager, under Display Adapters.

Right-click on the This-PC icon on your desktop and select Properties. In the upper left part of your screen click on Device Manager. Double-click in Display Adapters to expand the view. It should display the adapter model you have in your computer. To see driver details, double-click on your display adapter model name.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Nevada, I did what you suggested, i.e. right click start and choose properties.
My right-clicking "This PC" and choosing "properties" brought up a window that does not have "Device Manager" anywhere in it. All it had was the following: 5 tabs at top being "general", "shortcut", "security", "details" and "previous versions". Under the "general" tab were the following:
Type of file:
Description:
Location:
Size:
Size on disk:
Created:
Modified:
Accessed:
Attributes: with two buttons (read-only and hidden)
Under the "details" tab were:
Name:
Type:
Folder path:
Size:
Date created:
Date modified:
Attributes
Owner:
Computer: Stating here was only "DESKTOP-ONNTBUH(this PC)
The other tabs did not have the information I'm seeking either.
Now what?


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## Meinecke (Jun 30, 2017)

Get the software aida or some similar...it will show you everything in a user friendly way...


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

motdaugrnds said:


> Nevada, I did what you suggested, i.e. right click start and choose properties.


Right-click on *This-PC* and select properties.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Nevada I did and the very same window was brought up.

I went over to https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/97497/Graphics-for-Previous-Generation-Intel-Processors and there I am asked to select "what operating system". There are so many to choose from that I have no idea what to choose. The options are for "Windows XP" or "Windows Vista". I see nothing that identifies what I have, i.e. Windows 10 with 64-bit. What should I choose?

Meinecke I'll google that and see what it is.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Download "Belarc". It is a free program that give you tons of info.


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## backwoodsman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

motdaugrnds said:


> Where can I find what the Graphics Card is?


In Windows 10, right-click on the Windows logo in the lower left corner (what used to be called the Start menu). In the menu that pops us, select Device Manager. When that comes up, click on the arrow beside "Display adapters" and it'll show you what graphics hardware you have.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Backwoodsman7, I did R-click windows icon (start) and it did show "Device Manager". When clicking it, I got a list and one was "Display adapters". Double clicking that shows "Intel(R)Q45/Q43 Express Chipset (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM 1.1)" Is this the name of my "graphics card"? 
Oh I'm feeling so lost.....as I still don't know what "drivers" (for graphics) my PC needs. That Intel site is so confusing....


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## backwoodsman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

motdaugrnds said:


> "Intel(R)Q45/Q43 Express Chipset (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM 1.1)" Is this the name of my "graphics card"?


Yes, that's your graphics hardware. (usually not a card... just a chip on the motherboard)



> Oh I'm feeling so lost.....as I still don't know what "drivers" (for graphics) my PC needs. That Intel site is so confusing....


I'm still not clear on why you think the driver needs to be updated.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

motdaugrnds said:


> Oh I'm feeling so lost.....as I still don't know what "drivers" (for graphics) my PC needs. That Intel site is so confusing....


The Device Manager is telling you that your system recognizes your graphics card as an Intel(R)Q45/Q43, so it has the proper driver. Intel distributes their latest graphics drivers through Windows updates. So if you have Windows updates enabled then you can be confident that you already have the latest driver version. The same is true for most of the hardware in your computer.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Thanks to you both so much.

Backwoodsman7, I was getting a message from a game I use to play years ago that my drivers were old and needed updating. I even contacted the technical department of that game and was told my computer was too old. ROFL Still since I can actually get on that game and enjoy it, guess I'll just ignore the message about updating this PC and its graphics drivers. (That is what their technical department person told me to do. LOL)

Nevada how can I tell if I have Windows updates enabled? Oh and since this is Windows 10, and I've heard so much about Microsoft trying to control it, is it really wise to have this enabled? This computer is new to me and I'm having a hard time understanding what I actually have on it.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

motdaugrnds said:


> Nevada how can I tell if I have Windows updates enabled? Oh and since this is Windows 10, and I've heard so much about Microsoft trying to control it, is it really wise to have this enabled? This computer is new to me and I'm having a hard time understanding what I actually have on it.


Enabling updates isn't a security risk, in fact it's a security risk to not get updates.

Start-->Settings-->Updates & Security


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Settings brought up a window with the following:
System
Devices
Phone
Network & Internet
Personalization
Apps
Accounts
Time & Language
Gaming
Ease of Access

Nothing here about updates; and when looking under each of those, I still find nothing about updates & securities.

Also when searching thru the various "windows" categories under that START menu I still find nothing saying "updates & security". Now what?


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

type windows updates in the search area


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

motdaugrnds said:


> Settings brought up a window with the following:
> System
> Devices
> Phone
> ...


Either slide down or go full screen to see more categories. You'll find three more categories at the bottom; Cortana, Privacy and Update & Security.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Nevada that page does not permit scrolling. What I've listed is all the options I have there.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

motdaugrnds said:


> Nevada that page does not permit scrolling. What I've listed is all the options I have there.


It's a strange scroll bar. It appears like a thin black line. Hover your mouse over the thin black line and it will become a full scroll bar.

But you can also go full screen to see all of the icons. Just click the square that's in the upper right next to the X.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Nevada said:


> It's a strange scroll bar.


I hate strange bars.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

That did it! I R-clicked Start > Settings and that brought up the same window with only those categories I listed above showing even when using the little disk on my mouse in an attempt to scroll the page. However, when I clicked the middle of those 3 at the top right corner and the page changed size, I was able to see a scroll bar. Then in scrolling down, I found "Update and Security" just as you said Nevada.  In clicking that I discovered my computer had just been updated today; so it is obviously set to automatically update.

Thank you all so much for hanging in with me.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Nevada said:


> Enabling updates isn't a security risk, in fact it's a security risk to not get updates.
> 
> Start-->Settings-->Updates & Security


The devil is in the details and Microsoft wants you to believe that marketing updates and hardware driver updates are the same as security patches. They dont really give you choice to make this distinction. Even if you are savvy enough to know the difference. Its theoretically possible to block individual driver updates. The only official way to sorta say no to the others is to click the box that you are on a metered internet connection. And then that just blocks all updates. There isnt any way to pick and choose the security updates you want.

Hardware driver updates and marketing updates are rarely a security threat.
It could be worse, look up windows 10S...... Though they have backed down some on it now. That version win10 ONLY let you download software from the company store. No running unapproved third party software. 

After lot complaints, they offered to let you upgrade to win10 pro for free, but only through the company store and this requires you to have a Microsoft account associated with your computer. Which I think was whole point, they want your info. If you install win10 using only a local account thats only on your own computer they cant force you to use the metro apps..... or the company store. And significant number win10 users have zero interest or use for the Metro apps or Cortana or the company store or Microsoft account, so gotta cram it down people's throats whether they want it or not. Cause profits now arent in selling an operating system, its in data mining and marketing through the operating system.


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