we refurbish old computers for elementary students to use at home. It seems that each one must have different video drivers. Is there a generic video driver (something like the old generic printer set up for all dot matrix printers)?

You'll need to identify which graphics card or integrated graphics chip you have, then search for the appropriate driver for the OS you're installing. Could be ATI, Intel, nVidia, SiS, VIA, etc. If the PC's are OEM models (Dell, Gateway, HP/Compaq, etc), just go to the manufacturer's website to locate & download the drivers.

And no, there is no generic video driver for windows, that I know of. I guess if you don't install any driver it 'might' run at 640x480 and very low color, but that's probably not acceptable.

What operating system are you installing on these computers? All operating systems are able to auto install video drivers for at least most video chipsets if the mboard that has onboard video or the video card in a slot was made about the same time or earlier than when the operating system version was first released, because they have built in drivers for many of those. E.g. XP (first released in 2001) has more built in video drivers than 2000; 2000 has more built in drivers than ME; ME (released in late 1999) has more built in drivers than 98SE, 98SE (released spring? 1999) has more built in drivers than 98 (released in mid? 1998). You list Win 98 - which one? The original version or 98SE? If you can install 98SE that's a lot better and more versatile than the original 98. ....... "(something like the old generic printer set up for all dot matrix printers)?" I've never heard of or come across any such thing, at least not in/for 98 or 98SE. I have two old Roland 24 pin dot matrix printers I've never been able to find drivers for, for Win 95 and up. They're very similar to Panasonic models but use a different programming language. When I used one of them on the web with Win 3.1 up until and including 1999, a lot of pages on the web would not print properly on it. ...... In 98 and 98SE, probably ME, if the operating system doesn't auto install video drivers for a video chipset, you can manually select from a few standard generic video drivers, and some video drivers for ones it does have the built in drivers for but doesn't find the video chipset for automatically - e.g. non P&P ISA video cards. E.g. RIGHT click on a blank area of the main desktop screen - Properties (loads Display Properties) - Settings - Advanced - Adapter - Change, Next - select the non-default "Display a list of all the drivers.."., Next - select the non-default "Show all hardware Standard (generic) display types are at the top of the list at left. If you have determined the make and model of the onboard video or the video card in a slot, if it was probably made before or around the time the operating system was first released, check the list of manufacturers to see if the particular video card or video chipset is listed, and try that, or a similar listing. Once you have selected and loaded something, you can usually change the monitor drivers to Plug and Play Monitor if it was a Default monitor up until then, then you will have more resolution and numbers of colors choices in Display Properties - Settings. E.g. RIGHT click on a blank area of the main desktop screen - Properties (loads Display Properties) - Settings - Advanced - Monitor etc. ...... Similar applies for newer operating systems but how to get to where you can do that is more convoluted - you have to select non-default choices.

98 SE, okay we will try this thank you

In display properties if you do the 'change adapter' routine there is a Super VGA under [Standard Display Types] but I wouldn't recommend it. It's supposed to give 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768 but only up to 256 colors. I tried to change to it on my 98 SE P-3 with the intel 82815 graphics controller but it wouldn't stick. After installing and doing the recommended reboot I'd keep getting the 'there is a problem with your video adapter' box and never could get it to set up right. I think you'll just have to bite the bullet and download the necessary drivers. If you do a lot of computers it should be easy to build up a library of the more common video drivers and some, like nvidia, have a 'one size fits all' for many of their cards.

DAVEINCAPS "...98 SE P-3 with the intel 82815 graphics controller ..." Did you try this? Intel 82815 Graphics Controller (support) http://www.intel.com/support/graphi... Includes Troubleshooting info Final graphics driver version PV6.7 http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Pro... Note that if that's the one I think it is, the driver installs an icon in your taskbar that looks like a monitor. If you click on that it yields you more resolution and numbers of colors choices than Display Properties - Settings does. As I recall it also shows up when you RIGHT click on a blank area of the main desktop screen. That icon / the program that is associated with it loads via a Startup program that appears in the msconfig - Startup list. If you disable that from loading, you may not have the extended resolution and numbers of colors choices available. If the monitor is Default after loading that driver, you should be able to change it to Plug and Play Monitor. I've loaded that for several 820 main chipset mboards for both 98SE and XP. Intel first released the enhanced driver several years after the 815 and 820 chipsets were first released. If you have the CD that came with the mboard, it probably has an older graphics driver version that does not have the enhanced capabilities - the same may apply if you get the download from a brand name builder or the mboard maker. NOTE that the 820 and 815 main chipsets have the IAA listed - the mboard / hard drives perform(s) noticably much better if that's loaded. You load it after the main chipset drivers - INF Update Utility - have been loaded.