Compaq V6608AU laptop Windows XP drivers

The detailed specifications of V6608AU laptop are as follows:

Processor, operating system and memory
Processor type	V6608AU: AMD Turion™ 64 X2 Mobile Technology TL-58 • 1.90 GHz, 512 KB + 512 KB L2 Cache, Up to 1600 MHz system bus running at AC/DC mode 35 Watt
Operating system installed	Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic
Standard memory	V6608AU: 1024 MB
Memory type	DDR2 667 MHz
Memory layout	V6608AU: (2 x 512 MB)
Maximum memory	Supports up to 2 GB DDR2 memory

Internal drives
Internal hard disk drive	160 GB
Hard disk controller	SATA Hard Disk Drive
Hard disk drive speed	5400 rpm
Optical drive type	SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support

System features
Memory card device	5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards
Modem	High speed 56K modem
Network interface	Ethernet 10/100BT integrated network interface
Wireless technologies	802.11b/g WLAN
Wireless capability	Bluetooth® wireless networking
External I/O ports	3 USB 2.0, 1 VGA port, 1 RJ11 modem connector, 1 RJ45 ethernet connector, Expansion Port 3, S-video TV out, 1 headphone-out, 1 mic-in, 1 IEEE 1394, Consumer IR
Video capture interface	IEEE 1394 FireWire® Interface
Expansion slots	One ExpressCard/54 slot (also supports ExpressCard/34)
Display size	15.4” WXGA High Definition BrightView Widescreen
Display resolution	1280 x 800
Video adapter	NVIDIA® GeForce™ Go 7150M
Video RAM	V6608AU: Up to 287MB Total Available Graphics Memory
Internal audio	3D Sound Blaster Pro compatible sound 16 bit integrated
Speakers and microphone	Altec Lansing® speakers
Keyboard	101 key compatible keyboard
Pointing device	Touch Pad with On/Off button and dedicated vertical and horizontal Scroll Up/Down pad, volume control, mute buttons, 1 Quick Launch Button
Power supply type	65 W AC Power Adapter

Dimensions / weight / warranty
Weight	2.6 kg
Dimensions (W x D x H)	35.70 cm (L) x 25.70 cm (W) x 2.54 cm (min) H / 3.96 cm (max) H
Warranty statement	1 year, parts and labour

My friend had earlier purchased this model and I found that the laptop configuration was very good and was "Value for Money" laptop as it had all the necessary enhancements required in a laptop. However, one thing in the specifications irked me that was "Windows Vista". HP has deliberately given Windows Vista and increased the cost of the laptop. I am somewhat opposed to using Windows Vista, since I am mainly into research work and would not like unnecessary graphics eating my "CPU" time. So, I decided that I will also buy the same laptop but downgrade it to Windows XP. Also Matlab 6.5 has some problems when installed on Windows Vista

So I erased completely the C: drive (i.e. Windows Vista Partition) while keeping the Recovery partition untouched. I installed Windows XP but to my horror I found that the drivers for Windows XP are not available on the official website. After searching extensively, I could get hold of drivers and could successfully install the drivers. I will in detail explain how to install the drivers.

1. First, download and install Microsoft Universal Audio Architecture (UAA)
Bus Driver for High Definition Audio from the following link :

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp32501-33000/sp32646.exe

After installing the UAA driver from the above links you have to restart
the notebook

2. Then download Conexant driver for High Definition Audio from
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp34001-34500/sp34204.exe

You will find that the driver will not install and will give an error so one has to manually install the drivers.
For this go to Control Panel, Switch to Classic View, System and then to Hardware tab, Device Manager, there you will find a yellow question mark on "Conexant driver for High Definition Audio". Click right mouse button and select "Update Driver".

Select "No not this time" radio button in Hardware Update Wizard and click next.
Then on the next screen select " Install from a list or specific location(advanced)" and click Next.
Then on the next screen select "Don't search. i will choose the driver to install". Click Next. After this generally you get a screen where there is a tab for selection of "Have disk". Click on this and then Browse to the location where you had earlier stored the SP34204 files(Default place is c:\Swsetup\SP34204) and select the inf file and then you can install the driver peacefully and the driver also works.

3. Here is the link for the Modem driver:

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp33501-34000/sp33890.exe

You have to install this driver similar to the installation method for Conexant driver for High Definition Audio

4. Here is the link for the Video Graphics driver:

http://drivers.softpedia.com/progDownload/NVIDIA-bit-ForceWare-GeForce-Go-Download-40288.html

5. Then install the Bluetooth driver (HP Integrated Module)

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp32501-33000/sp32883.exe

6. Here is the link for the wireless driver:

ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/softpaq/sp34001-34500/sp34152.exe

7. Here is the link for the Touchpad driver:

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp35001-35500/sp35444.exe

8. Here is the link for the Media Card Reader driver:

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp33501-34000/sp33604.exe

9. For Ethernet drivers

Ethernet Drivers
Ethernet drivers has to be installed similar to Conexant Audio drivers but first installation of Nvidia Network Enumerator has to be done and for this inf file to be installed is nvnetbus.inf. After installation, stilll the ethernet drivers are not installed, you have to follow same procedure and select nvnetfd.inf as the inf file. Now the ethernet drivers are installed properly. You have got most of the drivers working but still in the device manager you will find that SM Bus controller, an Unknown device and SM Bus controller are still left to install.

10. I could successfully install SM Bus Controller but not the other two. However other two devices I have not find to be too useful but would surely install if I get the drivers.
For installation of SM Bus Controller, download file from
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp33001-33500/sp33411.exe
and then again install, however Installation fails and again you have to install according to procedure given for Conexant Audio driver installation.
For inf file you have to use the one given in smu bus folder

And now you are ready to use all the features of Windows XP. Please comment, if anyone wants any help in installing drivers.