Puzzle: Downloading Updated Drivers Automatically?

[joshiieeii]

Ok, so I have several different model Dell machines that I want to make sure I have the latest drivers for when applying an OS to them. Doing this manually is a real pain since you have to check each and every component for an updated driver. Obviously you could do this automatically if you had the machine you wanted to check, but this is not cost effective to do.

So, I figured I would try to come up with a script to automatically download the up to date driver/bios files for the models that I need. Dell does have a FTP site (ftp://ftp.us.dell.com/) that I have been successful in creating a script to pull all the BIOS files and then search for the ones I want. This is only because the BIOS files contain the model number (D630, D830, ect..). The drivers for other things have Dell's cryptic naming convention associated with them which kills the FTP search (ex. R234983.exe, R232983.exe).

Edit: Here is an example of the website: Dell D820 Driver

How would you go about this?

Looking for ideas on how to approach the problem I am faced with.

Edited July 31, 2008 by joshiieeii

[Confuzzled]

Ok, so I have several different model Dell machines that I want to make sure I have the latest drivers for when applying an OS to them. Doing this manually is a real pain since you have to check each and every component for an updated driver. Obviously you could do this automatically if you had the machine you wanted to check, but this is not cost effective to do.

So, I figured I would try to come up with a script to automatically download the up to date driver/bios files for the models that I need. Dell does have a FTP site (ftp://ftp.us.dell.com/) that I have been successful in creating a script to pull all the BIOS files and then search for the ones I want. This is only because the BIOS files contain the model number (D630, D830, ect..). The drivers for other things have Dell's cryptic naming convention associated with them which kills the FTP search (ex. R234983.exe, R232983.exe).

Edit: Here is an example of the website: Dell D820 Driver

How would you go about this?

Looking for ideas on how to approach the problem I am faced with.

Obviously Dell have a database that associates the appropriate files to download for each model they support. All you have to do is replicate it... (Hint: Have you asked Dell for assistance?)

You could try to screen scrape the site with one of the various site downloaders floating around, or you could just access the assets register your organisation keeps to identify the Dell models you have and just download those files you need.

[joshiieeii]

Yes, I have asked them...they have yet to respond

I guess I will wait to hear back from them.