Identify a Sound Card, Processor & Motherboard
Having trouble figuring out what is "under the hood" of your PC? Identifying your sound card, processor and motherboard can be as easy as 1-2-3.
Instructions
Identifying the Sound Card
1. Turn on the computer and log into your user account.
2. From the main desktop, click "Start" on the bottom left-hand side of your screen. Highlight "All Programs," "Accessories," and then "System Tools." Click "System Information" to bring up the system information window.
3. Click the "+" symbol next to the subcategory "Components," located on the left-hand side, then select "Sound Device." In the right pane of the system information window look for the name and manufacturer of the sound card along with other useful information such as the current sound driver that is in use and its status.
4. Close the system information window, and return to the computer's desktop.
Identifying the Processor
5. Enter the "Start" menu, right-click the "My Computer" icon and then select "Properties."
6. Select the tab labeled "General"; this tab will tell you exactly what processor the computer is running
7. Exit the "System Properties" window, and turn off the computer.
Identifiying the Motherboard
8. Turn on the computer, making sure to pay close attention to the text that appears after the initial start-up screen. The text provides information such as the motherboard manufacturer and model numbers. Press the "Pause" button on the keyboard when you see this information manifest during the computer's boot-up process. When finished recording the information, press any key to resume.
9. If the computer did not display the motherboard manufacturer or model number during boot up, then you must look at the motherboard manually. To do so, first turn off the computer.
10. Once the computer has been safely shut down, remove the power cord and all other external cables and accessories.
11. Lay the PC tower on its side on a stable surface such as a table. Unscrew the side of the computer case that is facing upward with a nonmagnetized screw driver. Once the computer is open, make sure to not touch anything, as static electricity can easily damage hardware.
12. The motherboard's manufacturer is more often than not printed clearly across the board. The model number, on the other hand, can be located in several spots, such as the corner of the motherboard, in the space between PCI slots or underneath the board itself.
If the model number is not visible on the topside of the motherboard, you or a hired professional may have to take it out of the case to obtain the model number.
Tags: model number, information window, motherboard manufacturer, Sound Card, system information, system information window