You may have been instructed to update your drivers, either by a piece of hardware or software that you’re trying to install, by Windows itself, or by a support representative. But just what is a driver, and how do you make sure you’ve actually updated it? Let’s take a look at the problem and figure out how to update Windows drivers for a system that runs well and without a hitch. It’s not really all that difficult, and having up to date drivers is extremely important!
What is a Driver?
At its simplest, a driver is a program that controls a device connected to the computer. The operating system uses these drivers to allow it to communicate with that particular device. That’s because most computer hardware is pretty specialized, so it can’t communicate directly with Windows on its own. The driver acts something like a translator between the two, sending instructions from the operating system to the device, and communicating information from that device in terms the operating system can understand.
The device driver is what makes the device work on and with your computer. Most of the time, you won’t even notice it’s there, since it’s doing its job to seamlessly join the computer and the device. After all, Windows comes with a number of generic drivers that work on most everyday devices, and it uses them without direction from you. It’s only when the driver doesn’t function correctly that we really notice it.
Why Update Drivers?
You might wonder, if the driver is working well enough as it is, why you should update. There are plenty of generic drivers included with every Windows system. They work reasonably well for most hardware, but not for all. They may not support advanced features of your device, or they may only work partially. That’s why you need to make sure you have the specific driver for your device – the one made by the company that made it in the first place. It’s easy enough to get these – just download them from the company’s website.
However, even if you have that specific driver, you might still need to update. Bugs happen, and manufacturers are likely to release new versions to fix the ones that turn up in old ones. A new driver might also improve your computer’s stability, make the device work faster and better, or make it do more things by adding features. If one of these drivers is released, it’s probably an improvement over your old one, and you should try upgrading to take advantage of the new device driver.
There are two basic kinds of driver that you can get with a release. The first, and the most common one these days, is a program. Once you run it, it updates all the drivers automatically, then asks you to reboot the computer so that everything works properly. The other kind, which used to be a lot more common, but isn’t seen as often now, is a series of driver files that you must use to perform a manual update. That’s not actually as hard as it may sound – Windows already has a mechanism to let you do it. Let’s look at both kinds of driver types and show you how to install them.
Finding Model Number And Manufacturer
Before performing a driver update, you need to know who made your device and what model it is. There’ll be a brand name and a number on the device itself, or in the paper work that came with it. Internal devices may not be as easy to get to. That’s why you should use Windows Device Manager (located in the Control Panel) to find out this information. The Device Manager is located under the System icon, and it contains information about every device on the system.
By expanding the menus, you should be able to find your device and its information relatively quickly and easily. The only problem that crops up is when a device doesn’t have a driver that Windows can find. Then, things can get a little complex. However, these devices usually have proprietary drivers included with their paperwork.
What Version Is My Driver?
Once you know who made your device and what model number it is, you’ll need to know if you have the latest version of the driver already. When drivers are created, they have a version number assigned. Look at the information about the device included in the Device Manager, and check under properties to find out what version you’re currently using. To find the latest driver, head to the manufacturer’s website, and look it up. Most sites have their own download section for visitors who want to keep up to date. If you find that the current version is higher than the one you have, download that file and save it to your computer where you can find it later.
Installing The Driver Itself
Now that you’ve got the file, extract it if it’s an archive. If not, you’ll simply click on the setup file and go through the update, just like you’d install any other program. If you don’t find a setup file, you’ll need to manually update. Head back to Device manager, open up the dialog for the device and click Update Driver. The wizard will look for the new driver, or you can tell it where the files are. Select the right file and continue through the wizard, and your drivers will be up to date!
It really is that simple. You’ll get your computer running smoothly and enjoy all the latest features your device has to offer, and it doesn’t have to be difficult at all. Just remember to check for new drivers every few months, if you want to get the most out of Windows, and the most out of your devices.
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