The Windows operating system and the computer as a whole, although they are inanimate objects, still require some care from their users for their safe existence.
This concern manifests itself in different ways - maintaining integrity, the absence of “pollution” both at the software and hardware levels, as well as maintaining the relevance of software drivers, which are simply necessary for the correct functioning of system components and the operating system as a whole.
Updating drivers is an extremely important procedure, which, unfortunately, is often accompanied by many errors, both during the update process and after that.
And how to minimize the risk of problems, and how to update in the most optimal and safe way, will be discussed in this article.
What is a Driver
Despite the fact that each user is aware of the presence of such a component as a “driver”, for the most part it appears as a kind of mystical program, the installation of which solves all problems.
If you simplify the determination of the structure of the drivers, they are a kind of connecting link between the operating system and devices / components, which opens up access to their control for Windows, and also indicates what kind of functionality they have.
That is why ensuring their correctness and relevance is a priority for each user.
But this importance does not mean that the operating system will not be able to work with devices without them.
The structure of Windows has basic software that can ensure the minimum functioning of the device, even without installing drivers, but such work can and will be accompanied by certain malfunctions, which will not solve the problem, but only create it.
It has already been many years since when in order for any device to start working normally, it took a lot of time to look for a driver so that Windows finally recognizes its functionality.
With the advent of Windows 10, most of the responsibilities for keeping drivers up to date were delegated to the operating system itself, which at the same time simplified and complicated the task.
But the question in itself is not unambiguous.
Do I Need to Update Drivers
Exactly. The question of the need to update drivers is not as unambiguous as it may seem to someone, as is the question of updating the operating system itself.
Some users agree that updating drivers is only necessary if a particular Windows component has stopped functioning properly.
Users who agree with this statement adhere to one well-known statement, which has been interpreted to this topic:
Do you want the operating system to work normally?” Then don’t stop her from doing this.
That is, if Windows does not experience any problems with existing drivers, it means that it does not need to be updated.
It is quite possible to agree with this, but only partially.
For example, in order to maintain the best performance of a graphics module (video card), it is extremely important to maintain the relevance of driver software, including in order to minimize the risk of various errors in game products.
The conclusion suggests itself - it is finding a balance between the need and the desire to update something.
How to Update Drivers
There are a huge number of different options for accomplishing the task, for example, standard Windows tools, official utilities and websites of developers / manufacturers, third-party specialized programs, as well as manual search and download.
And more about each of them will be discussed later.
Windows Utilities
If you encounter any problems of a software nature with connected devices, there is one universal diagnostic tool - this is to check what is indicated in the “Device Manager”.
And this particular section of the Windows operating system can be used to update drivers, and for this you will need to do the following:
- Right-click on the “Computer” (My Computer) shortcut and select “Manage”;
- The "Computer Management" window will open in which you must select the "Utilities" - "Device Manager" directory;
- All devices / components presented in this window are divided into categories depending on the functionality they perform (video, audio, printers, network, usb, etc.);
- Select the section you need, expand it and right-click on the target device (for example, the bluetooth adapter) and open its “Properties”;
- Open the “Drivers” tab and pay attention to its development date and version;
- If there is a newer version or more stable, click on the “Update driver” button;
- To the question “How do you want to search for drivers”, click on the first option “Search automatically for updated software”, the role of the second option will be discussed a bit later;
- An automatic search will begin, the results of which will prompt you to install a new version.
- If the most current and stable version (according to Windows) is already active, then the relevant information will appear on the screen.
Update Centre
As mentioned above, Windows received most of the responsibilities for updating drivers, which it carries out through the functionality of the "Update Center".
To view the installed versions and possible notification of the need to update them, you will need to do the following:
- Click "Start" and open the "Settings" section;
- Go to the tab “Update and Security”;
- Find the line “View update log” and click on it;
- In the journal that opens, expand the line "Quality Updates" and pay attention to the list of the latest installed versions.
Further actions depend on what was installed by the operating system.
If you suspect the possible availability of newer versions, then return to the main section and click on the “Check for Updates” button.
Wait for the test to complete and review the components offered for installation.
Many people refer to these standard tools with a great deal of skepticism, as, in principle, to the issue of updating the operating system, which has a certain basis.
Therefore, the option below is preferable, and it is on it that we should dwell in more detail.
Manual Search and Installation
In order to determine the driver you need with the greatest accuracy, you need to make sure that it is suitable for your operating system, and for this you need to determine its "ID", on the basis of which the search will be carried out.
To do this, do the following:
- Open the "Device Manager" and the properties of the component you need;
- In the window that opens, go to the "Details" tab and in the "Property" block, among the parameters presented, find the line "Hardware IDs";
- Copy the first line in the address bar of the browser and search for it;
- Open the site whose resources you trust and download the driver version that matches your operating system (Windows version, 32 or 64 bit).
You can install the downloaded executable file using the installer built into it, or you can again trust the resources of the “Device Manager”.
This can be done using the previously announced second option:
- Go back to the property of the selected equipment and go to the “Driver” tab;
- Click on the “Update driver” button and on the question “How do you want to search for drivers” choose the second option “Browse my computer for driver software”;
- Click on the “Browse” button and select the folder where the executable file was previously saved, then click “Next”;
The scenario is the same, or a proposal to install your version, if it is more relevant than the installed version, or to stay with the previous version.
It is worth noting that if you click on the button “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer” located at the stage of selecting the save folder, a list of installed versions will open, which were also used by the operating system earlier.
In implementing this option, there is a certain danger of downloading a file that will be known to be inoperative or containing virus software in its structure.
Use it only if you really trust the source.
The best alternative is to visit the official website of the developer and get acquainted with his offers.
Official Resources
As an example, consider searching for drivers for a graphics adapter, maintaining the relevance of which, for many, is a priority.
So, there is nothing complicated in the search, just do the following:
- Open the “Device Manager” and pay attention to the name of the adapter and the version of the driver installed for it;
- Let's say, in the example-you need to update the driver for "NVIDIA GeForce". Therefore, if you have this device, you must visit the official website of the manufacturer - https://www.nvidia.com/ru-ru/.
- Open the mentioned website and go to the "Drivers" tab
- According to the specification of your equipment, fill in the following information:
«Product type»
«Series of products»
«Product family»
«Operating system»
- Accordingly, you have this information can and will be different, and after entering all the necessary information, click on the "Start Search" button.
After finding the version you need, click "Download", wait for the download to finish and run the executable.
Official Driver Update Utilities
Almost every famous manufacturer has its own update utilities that simplify the search and installation of everything necessary for the full functioning of the graphic components of the computer.
As an example, we should continue to consider products from the company "Nvidia":
- Re-open the official website of the company https://www.nvidia.com/ru-ru/;
- Select the "Platforms" tab - "GeForce games" - " GeForce Experience»;
- Click on the "Download now" button and when finished, install the resulting software;
- Register in the system and confirm your credentials by entering a login and password, after which the main interface will open;
- Click on the "Drivers" tab, which is located in the upper left corner
- Next, click on "Check for updates" and wait for the "GeForce Experience»;
If you have a new version, you will be prompted to download and install it, which is the purpose of the previous actions.
Downloading and installing the driver can take quite a significant amount of time, during which you should not interrupt the installer.
Specialized Programs
So the time has come for the most popular solution to this issue - this is the use of third-party specialized software.
Programs in this category have always aroused user interest, since they automated the entire process of finding and installing the necessary drivers, offering to do everything necessary in just a few clicks.
There are a huge number of such programs, but not all do their job efficiently, because any automated process involves possible errors.
It is worth stopping at the three most popular programs that enjoy tremendous user support and demonstrate the least or at least minimal number of errors and third-party elements in their work.
DriverPack Solution
DriverPackSolution (hereinafter referred to as DRP) is a very popular project with more than 10 years of development, authored by Arthur Kuzyakov and a talented group of developers.
To date, the number of active users of "DRP" has already exceeded the mark of 43,000,000, which sufficiently indicates the quality of the product it offers.
To simplify it as much as possible, “DRP” and all other representatives of this category are huge driver databases, the functionality of which is related to the comparison of their software versions and ID equipment on the target computer.
In fact, this is an automation of the process that was described above.
In order to download “DriverPackSolution” it is enough to visit the official website of the developers - https://drp.su/en and click on the button “Install all required drivers”.
Next, you need to run the downloaded file and wait for the program’s functionality to automatically complete the scan.
hardware, after which you will be asked to make a choice:
- Trust in the conclusions made by the program, and give them access to update drivers in automatic mode;
- Switch to Expert mode to manually select which devices require updating.
Before installing any new drivers, we recommend making a system restore point.
Of course, the most reasonable option is to switch to the "Expert" mode, since it is always useful to know what exactly is installed in your operating system, even if it is a trusted and trusted source.
So, to go to the advanced interface, you need to click on the button "Expert Mode", which is located in the center at the very bottom of the active window.
Please note that in addition to drivers, “DRP” also offers to install additional software, with which you should take a closer look.
Check all the installed checkmarks in the first three sections, and only after that click on the “Install All” button, next to which it will be indicated exactly how many files are selected for installation.
After installing all the drivers and software necessary for you, restart the computer and check the quality of the operating system.
Separately, it is worth noting that “DRP” offers everyone who wants to download an offline driver database (an image of the order of 20 GB), write them to bootable media, and install all the necessary hardware components even without an active Internet connection, and not all developers of this software can boast of this.
Driver Booster
Driver Booster from the authors of the well-known iobit company is a rather controversial option according to many experts, but it is extremely popular among users due to the bright interface design, and still quite good functionality.
You can also download “Driver Booster” on the official website - https://ru.iobit.com/driver-booster.php completely free of charge, where you can also purchase the “Pro” version with an expanded set of features.
This software requires its installation on a computer, for this:
- At the first stage after starting the installer, select the "Custom installation" section;
- Select the folder to save and click on the “Install” button;
- Wait for the installation to complete and click on the "Scan Now" button;
- The program will start an automatic check of the installed hardware and then display a list of outdated drivers, the installation of which is a priority according to “Driver Booster”;
- Check off all the options you need, then click on the “Update Now” button.
It is pointless to argue with the statement that the “Driver Booster” wrapper is very dignified, in a modern black and bright red style, for which many users appreciate this product.
It is up to everyone to decide how it relates to it and, in general, to iobit products, but it copes with updating drivers sufficiently.
DRIVER GENIUS
“Driver Genius” is the development of AvanquestSoftware, which is also known for several other interesting projects.
Official site - http://www.driver-soft.com - the utility is available for free download.
“Driver Genius” has a fairly intuitive interface, so it takes just a few minutes to search for new drivers:
- But, for starters, run the installation file and click “Next”;
- Read the terms of licensing and if you agree with them, check the box in the line “I accept the agreement”;
- Select the folder in which the program will be installed and click “Next”;
- Click “Next” at the step with the choice whether to place the program in the start menu;
- And leave a checkmark in the line “Create a desktop shortcut” if you want the shortcut to launch the utility to be placed on the desktop, and click “Next” again and “Install” in the next step;
- After installation is complete, click on the “Finish” button and use the shortcut or the start menu section to launch the “Driver Genius” program;
- In the window that opens, go to the "Driver Update" section, as a result, an automatic search for drivers that need updating will be initiated;
- Upon completion of the scan, you will be presented with a report with a list of drivers proposed for updating;
- If the equipment presented there suits you (you can see detailed information about each one by clicking on the "View driver update details" button)
- If you want to update the drivers for the selected devices, then click on the “Update All” button to update all the marked items;
- Wait for the shutdown, restart the computer and make sure that the operating system works correctly.
Special attention should be paid to the fact that “Driver Genius”, in addition to direct updating, also offers additional functionality:
- Section "Driver Backup" – Allows you to create a backup copy of all installed drivers;;
- Section "Driver Restore" - - allows you to restore drivers, including using the created backup file;
- Section "Driver Cleanup" – Allows you to clean and delete problematic files that may interfere with the correct operation of other components.
“Driver Genius” is a bit more complicated software than it was presented above, therefore without detailed familiarization with the program’s functionality, you shouldn’t delete, clean, update anything.
For the rest, this is a quiet and inconspicuous assistant who can and does everything independently, and for the most part correctly.
Compare Driver Update Programs
| |
DriverPack Solution |
DriverPack Solution |
Driver Genius |
| Cost |
Free/Pro |
Free/Pro |
Shareware |
| Offline |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Manual Update |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
| Schedule |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| Rollback by program tools |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Installation Required |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
A significant advantage of Driver Pack Solution is the lack of installation and the availability of an offline database (iso image).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is worth noting that no matter how you trust any software, it will not be entirely correct to set the system components update to automatic flow, since the key to successful work is an understanding of what and how it works. This is especially true for the operation of the Windows operating system. Knowing which driver is responsible for what and to whom it belongs, when they are installed and how - this is the key to solving most of the possible problems.