Copying drivers from one computer to another

[bm159486]

I was working on a computer earlier that had supposedly come "fully loaded and ready to go", but the company that sent it 1. Didn't activate Windows (or send an activation code/product key) and 2. Didn't install about 8-12 drivers. They did, however, send a second computer that has everything it needs and is fully operational. We were trying to figure out a way to copy the drivers to a disk, jump drive, or other portable storage device, and copy them onto the non-operational computer. (I know this won't activate Windows, but that simply requires a phone call).

Is this possible? None of us have had to do this (copy drivers) before, so we have no knowledge of it whatsoever.

The computers both run Windows XP.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[BipolarBill]

No, it's not possible. Driver files are scattered all over the hard drive. You need an installer package or zipped files to install the drivers.

Who sent the PC? Is there a web site with a driver page for the model you got?

[goggs15]

i have recently done a full system restore
of my laptop and some of my drivers did
reinstall i.e my ethernnet controler i am
wonting to no is their anyway i can save the drivers of one laptop and put them on to the other 1

[stroyal]

Still NO, after all these years.

If you did a full system restore, you did not save the network controller drivers, the system restore program, reinstalled them fresh.

Unless you are talking about "Dos solitaire", programs and drivers can't be moved from one computer to another, for the reasons Bill said.