Drivers are those software that make your computer hardware work. In other simpler words, the drivers are programs that allow the PC to recognize and use the pieces from which it is composed and the connected devices, that is, the graphic card, the audio, the printer, the USB stick and anything else is attacked. Usually, when buying a new device to connect to the computer, there is always a disk containing the driver and also when buying a new computer there is a DVD or a partition of the hard disk that contains the installation files. drivers to make it work. Like all software, driver manufacturers regularly release new versions to correct stability issues and add functionality to various devices. But you really need to download and install new drivers ">
Up to XP the drivers were a big problem that Microsoft solved starting from Windows 7 and 8 and then definitively in Windows 10.
If you are using a Windows 10 PC, Windows Update will automatically download and install the latest drivers for the devices found.
In Windows 7 and Windows 8 the drivers must instead be searched and installed among the optional or recommended updates of Windows Update (to be opened in the Control Panel).
If you use your PC to play games or for heavy graphics programs, since not even Windows 10 has the ability to automatically update the graphics drivers, you have to do it manually also because both NVIDIA and AMD release a new version almost every month.
There are two ways to install the latest video card drivers :
- Using the graphics management program provided with the graphics drivers themselves: NVIDIA GeForce, AMD Catalyst Control Center or the Intel Control Panel .
You can find this program among the running applications in the notification bar (at the bottom right next to the clock) or from a search on the Start menu.
Open the program, go to Information and look for software updates.
- Download the drivers of AMD and Nvidia and Intel video cards from their official website, indicating the operating system used and the video card installed.
For any other driver, if and only if it is necessary to update or if you are installing the driver for the first time (like the printer one), you must always go to the device manufacturer 's website and look for the driver download page, often called " support ".
Usually there are long pages of download links, with different versions according to the operating system and with the release date indicated.
Those who built their own desktop PCs alone will have to download the drivers of each single component from every single site of those who sell those pieces.
Absolutely avoid external sites that often only carry junk software.
As seen in another article, once installed, the drivers can be backed up to save and restore them when needed.
Among the most important and most common drivers, we can mention here the support pages of the various manufacturers from which to download the latest version:
- Creative for Sound Sound Blaster cards or other Hardware.
- How to download update Realtek audio drivers
- Microsoft driver
- HP drivers
- Lenovo driver
- Asus driver
- Acer driver
- Toshiba driver.
On other sites you can find and download drivers for non-branded or older hardware devices:
- DriverGuide.com is the world's leading website where any driver (it contains around 400, 000) can be found. The registration is free only that limited so to download some drivers you have to pay.
Far from recommending to put your hand to the wallet, the site is however an important resource for the information that is found, for the forum and for the drivers of company devices.
- NoDevice.com is a much smaller database where the drivers are indexed with the name of the manufacturer of the relative hardware piece.
- DriversPlanet.com is a good site to look for drivers that also offers a program to download and install on your PC that scans the drivers you need on your computer.
- The programs to update drivers automatically are, for me, superfluous, although they can still be useful for the less experienced and on older PCs or with Windows 7.
Once again, therefore I repeat that, with Windows 10 no driver, except that of the video card, will have to be downloaded or installed manually . For other driver updates, you just need to check the manufacturer's website (and no other unofficial sites) to find out if new versions exist. This, however, unless you have a problem, is not necessary at all .
READ ALSO: See the list of drivers installed on your PC
