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After a clean installation of the Microsoft Windows 8.1 operating system, you must install the following drivers/software packages in the following sequence. NOTE: Some components may not be present on your system depending on the original build and specification of the system. You may check your system's specific hardware configuration by following the steps listed in Dell Knowledge Base Article sln128938: Checking Hardware Configuration (Driver Install). Several of the drivers listed below may be automatically pre-installed during the Windows 8.1 installation. Be sure to check the Device Manager to ensure proper installation of each driver. The list below indicates the recommended order to install the drivers for your system and provides links to additional information about each driver. Drivers are available for download on the Dell Support Website for your system. Before choosing your drivers, ensure the correct Operating System version is selected from the drop down list (ie Windows 8.1 64 bit). Chipset (System Devices) - Intel Chipset and System DevicesDisplay adapters - Intel HD Graphics or NVIDIA Geforce 845MSound, video and game controllers - Realtek ALC3234 AudioIDE ATA/ATAPI controllers - Intel Rapid Storage TechnologyNetwork adapters - Intel 7265/7260 wireless/bluetooth and Realtek PCIe GBE network adapters Card reader - Realtek RTS5176 Card Reader Driver NOTE: This page is only intended as a guide, illustrating how Device Manager will look during driver install. Drivers can be downloaded from https://www.dell.com/support Intel Chipset and System Devices After the Windows 8.1 installation, download and install the following components of the Intel chipset and system devices. Click each item in the list to take you to the specific driver location at Dell's support website: Intel Chipset DriverIntel Dynamic Platform and Thermal Framework DriverIntel Dynamic Platform and Thermal Framework Registry KeyIntel Management Engine Interface DriverIntel Serial IO Driver Check under the System devices category in Device Manager to ensure the drivers installed correctly: Back to Top Intel HD Graphics or NVIDIA Geforce 845M The Inspiron 17/7746 uses either the Intel HD Graphics or the optional nVidia Geforce 845M for the display adapter. Download and install the corresponding display adapter driver from the Dell support website using the links below: Intel HD Graphics DriverNVIDIA Geforce 845M Driver After installation, ensure the adapter shows correctly under the Display adapters category in Device Manager, as shown with the Intel HD Graphics below: Back to Top Realtek ALC3234 Audio Download and install the Realtek ALC3234 Audio driver from the following link at Dell's support website: Realtek ALC3234 Audio Driver. Once installed correctly, the Realtek audio adapter will show under the Sound, video and game controllers category in Device Manager: Back to Top Intel Rapid Storage Technology The storage controller driver can be installed from the following link at Dell's support website: Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver. Once installed correctly, the Intel Rapid Storage driver should appear under the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers category in Device Manager: Back to Top Intel 7265/7260 wireless/bluetooth and Realtek PCIe GBE network adapters The following network adapter drivers should be downloaded and installed from Dell's support website: Intel PROSet/Wireless 7265/ 7260 WiFi DriverIntel PROSet/Wireless 7265/7260 Bluetooth DriverDell Airplane Mode Switch DriverIntel Wireless Display ApplicationRealtek RTL8411B Ethernet Controller Driver Ensure the devices installed correctly by verifying the entries under the Network adapters category in Device Manager, as shown below: Back to Top Realtek RTS5176 Card Reader Driver The driver for the Realtek card reader can be downloaded and installed from the following link at Dell's support website: Realtek RTS5176 Card Reader Driver. Once installed correctly, the Realtek USB 2.0 Card Reader will show under the Universal Serial Bus controllers category in Device Manager: Back to Top

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