============================================

Identify your Graphics Card

============================================


=== WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO? ===
This is a good trick if you have bought a
secondhand PC with a graphics card, but 
don't have the drivers for it.

Ever try to install video drivers and 
forget what kind of video card is installed?
No more removing the case in order to find
out. Just pull up a DOS Prompt find out
for yourself.


=== WHAT SOFTWARE DO I NEED? ===
The good thing is that you don't need 
anything besides your PC and a copy of
Windows, or even a version of MS-DOS.

1. Open an MS-DOS window (Command promt in
   Windows NT/2000/XP).  To do this go to 
   START | Run... and then type

   in Windows 95/98

	Command

   in Windows NT/2000/XP

	CMD

   then click the OK button

2. At the command prompt enter the following
   commands and press [Return] after each
   line:

	DEBUG
	DC000:00

3. You may need to type D and press [Return]
   a couple more times for more information.

4. Type Q and press [Return] to Quit and
   return to the Command Prompt


=== HOW DOES IT WORK? ===
Debug has been around as a part of MS-DOS
for years.  Its main function is to inspect
and edit the contents of memory.

D stands for Dump (the contents of memory to
screen).

C000:00 is a memory address (in 
Hexadecimal, that is base-sixteen -- in 
Decimal it is 49,152) and it is the memory
address of where the graphics adaptor BIOS
starts.  The manufacturer's ID is usually
embedded nearby.


=== WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS TIP? ===
Tip found in PCPlus
http://www.pcplus.co.uk

and LockerGnome Technical newsletter
http://www.lockergnome.com