# MSI drivers for barebone notebook (MS-1651). Proper way to install?



## Kerrath (Feb 23, 2009)

I bought a MS-1651 barebone PC from AVAdirect a while back. First, the stuck pixel in the screen sucked. I badgered them into accepting it for replacement, but when it came back, LO AND BEHOLD, same pixel, same color, same spot. MSI didn't do ****. Well, not wanting to spend 10 bucks to send it back for NOTHING again, I decided to just use it, but after turning it on, the vista I had installed says it's no longer valid. The key I have which was stripped off a dell laptop that was trashed is apparently linked to the BIOS of that laptop and therefore, I can't use it. I also don't think microsoft would very much want to make it valid again with that kind of story.

Anyway, I have numerous spare copies of XP, so I went ahead and installed that. After getting it up and running, I tried the driver disk that came with it and it only has VISTA drivers! I got the drivers from the MSI website after that, but 3 or 4 of them refuse to install and the control system that makes the buttons for bluetooth, wireless and a few other features, NOT work. That is not acceptable. I paid enough for this laptop and so far it's given me nothing but ****.

Long story short, I need somebody to explain a proper way to install the drivers so they'll work under XP or a way to make sure that Microsoft will reactivate that key of Vista.

I contacted MSI for support, but the link to the page in the email I got back gets be a big, ugly runtime error, and has for the last three days. Deciding their server's never going to fix itself, I've decided to ask for help here.

MS-1651
P8600 2.4GHz
4GB Kingston DDR800 (I know I know -_-)
9600GT
5300AGN wireless
XP Pro 32bit SP2

Thanks in advance! ray:


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## TriggerFinger (Jan 30, 2008)

Usually laptops come with Microsoft XP or Vista COA at the bottom. Your unit should have one. Also most laptops come with a recovery partition or a recovery CD. Check your users guide for the recovery partition (if it has one) and how to access it. As for the recovery CD, it should include the operating system and the drivers. With the recovery CDs to restore to factory default settings.. it does not (usually) require you to enter a product ID.


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## Kerrath (Feb 23, 2009)

*Re: MSI drivers for barebone notebook (MS-1651) . Proper way to install?*



TriggerFinger said:


> Usually laptops come with Microsoft XP or Vista COA at the bottom. Your unit should have one. Also most laptops come with a recovery partition or a recovery CD. Check your users guide for the recovery partition (if it has one) and how to access it. As for the recovery CD, it should include the operating system and the drivers. With the recovery CDs to restore to factory default settings.. it does not (usually) require you to enter a product ID.





Kerrath said:


> I bought a MS-1651 barebone PC from AVAdirect a while back.


It's a barebone. Is was the physical laptop and motherboard and an MXM 9600GT. The rest are components I bought and assembled myself, including my own copy of XP. So no recovery CD and I've already said it includes only vista drivers.


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## Kerrath (Feb 23, 2009)

Any help?


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## TriggerFinger (Jan 30, 2008)

You said you tried drivers from MSI website.. that means you were able to install most of the devices... correct? Check in the Device Manager what devices are unknown or which ones are marked yellow with an exclamation point. Also d/load and install/run this (easy to use):

http://www.zhangduo.com/unknowndeviceidentifier.html


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## Kerrath (Feb 23, 2009)

Yeah. I know about all that. I was able to get all the devices listed there except for 1 'unknown device' installed. But there were others like the intel matrix storage driver which I think is for sata drives that refuses to install. (I had to disable AHCI mode for the hard drive to get it to not BSOD on installation.) I nlited drivers for sata into the install of windows 2 different times, but they didn't work and I got the same BSOD every time. Worked fine on my HP laptop when I did it a while back. Maybe there's a specific driver for MSI.

But that's less of an issue because I can figure that out later. I'm more pissed about how their software doesn't actually control the hardware like it's supposed to. There's a button for wireless on/off, bluetooth on/off, various power modes a boost button and I dunno what else. If they're there, I want them to work, but installing the drivers as they can be installed from the MSI website seems to fail in this regard and I want to know how people do it otherwise.

Either that, or how I can convince microsoft to de-bios lock my vista key or to workaround needing them to do that.


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## TriggerFinger (Jan 30, 2008)

For the buttons to control for example the wireless or bluetooth, they have unique drivers... more of like tools or utilities... as you said in your post..'specific drivers for MSI'.

About the microsoft vista license... sorry only microsoft can give light to that.


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## Kerrath (Feb 23, 2009)

TriggerFinger said:


> For the buttons to control for example the wireless or bluetooth, they have unique drivers... more of like tools or utilities... as you said in your post..'specific drivers for MSI'.
> 
> About the microsoft vista license... sorry only microsoft can give light to that.


I'm not sure that you actually read before you respond. The specific driver I was talking about was for the sata controller.

The buttons are driven by a program which I assume contains the drivers. They APPEAR to function as they ought to, based on the LEDs that activate when they are pressed, but it does not actually disable the wireless as the icon that pops up on screen suggests.


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## TriggerFinger (Jan 30, 2008)

Kerrath said:


> I'm not sure that you actually read before you respond. The specific driver I was talking about was for the sata controller. -- yep I got this... but you said you got this working already. I apologize for this. I hope someone else can help you.. good luck.
> 
> The buttons are driven by a program which I assume contains the drivers. They APPEAR to function as they ought to, based on the LEDs that activate when they are pressed, but it does not actually disable the wireless as the icon that pops up on screen suggests.


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## Kerrath (Feb 23, 2009)

Yeah. I got it installed, it's not in SATA mode, so I'm assuming it runs slower, but I can accept that, it's just the software and hardware for the buttons and a couple other things won't work/install right, and that's what I want the help with.


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## dboker (Feb 27, 2009)

Hey I have the same laptop barebones. I am getting the BSOD after installing some drivers. Did you get the same problems?


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## Kerrath (Feb 23, 2009)

I'm ******* tired of this laptop. I never expected it, but MSI makes a really crappy product, and I wouldn't recommend using their barebones to anyone who doesn't get tech support IN PERSON from MSI. I asked for help, and the link in the email is ALWAYS a runtime error.

I finally got the buttons and software to work and I had only had the modem, another audio driver (***?) and the lan to install. The installer for the lan hung up. Wouldn't close/cancel, wouldn't reboot. TOTALLY FULL OF FAIL.

Soft powered off with the power button, now it won't boot past the windows splash screen in normal or last known good configuration and even gets stuck in safe mode.

I guess I have to start from scratch now that I know it works, but if somebody knows what to do with this?

BTW: for others with MS-1651 barebones, andd your wireless button doesn't disable the wireless, I suggest switching it to the secondary slot. It seemed to make the difference on mine.


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## Kerrath (Feb 23, 2009)

Ok, that was a false alarm. It was only being funky because the battery was low (it said it was at ~60% hmmm).

All drivers installed, the last one, HD audio driver.

Odd thing is, I've already got the realtek HD audio driver installed, and the ATI/Realtek HDMI Audio driver installed, but it's still reporting HD Audio Device as not being installed and requests a driver on every boot.

Word on that?


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