subject: How to Update DVD RW Drivers With Minimal Hassle [print this page] How to Update DVD RW Drivers With Minimal Hassle
Before this article gets to the root of the issue, the reader has to understand the fundamentals of how devices, or more specifically computer peripherals or hardware, function. Any particular device that interfaces with the computer will require a driver. A driver is a piece of code, and while most intermediate to advanced computer users and enthusiasts may think of it as a simple element, it can in fact be a complex bit of programming that can render a hardware inoperable and non responsive. Without the driver, both the hardware in question and the computer will be unable to communicate with each other, because they would lack the common set of instructions, or language as it were, to understand what is required of each other.
This applies to any device, regardless of make or model. If it interfaces with the computer then it will require a driver, and DVD RW drives are no exception. Be it Sony, LG, or HP, whatever the brand, every model of DVD RW drives would have a specific driver written specifically for them. These drivers may sometimes come with additional functionality unavailable in universal drivers or other drivers not meant for that specific model.
What you have to keep in mind is that installing the wrong drivers for your DVD RW drives may sometimes result in catastrophic outcomes. Incompatibility issues may sometimes cause your DVD RW drive to work less efficiently, if at all. More severe complications can also crop up, like system instability (system freezes or crashes).
To prevent these complications, you will need the latest updated drivers for your DVD RW. There is a way of doing this that requires a little more discretion and intimate knowledge of computers, but most people tend to choose this option because they are not aware of any other simpler ones.
This common method of acquiring updated drivers involves the user going into the Device Manager from the Control Panel in the Start Menu. Once in the Device Manager, the user will need to identify the specific make and model of the DVD RW, note it down, and then get online to the manufacturer's website in order to locate and download the necessary updated drivers. Users may also be able to find these updates on third party collectives, which are essentially websites run by computer enthusiasts who are keen on helping out fellow computer users in need.
The less commonly known method of acquiring these updates is through the use of driver scans. Driver scans are software that enables the user to scan their computers for drivers that may be in need of updating. The software searches for corrupt or outdated drivers, and depending on how the user has the program set up, it will notify the user of the required updates, or it will automatically download the necessary updates for the user. You should be glad to know that such software is available online, for absolutely no cost at all. All that would be required of you is a little discretion in choosing which driver scan would work best for you.
