subject: How to Update Your PC Drivers [print this page] How to Update Your PC Drivers How to Update Your PC Drivers
PC drivers instruct a computer operating system on how to communicate with a wide range of hardware devices. This includes internal devices such as video cards and disk drives as well peripherals such as printers and scanners.
Sometimes, drivers become outdated because of updates made by the hardware manufacturer. When this occurs, the device may have difficulty functioning properly or may not work at all. By updating your drivers, you can commonly resolve these problems and even unlock new functionality in the hardware.
Manual PC Driver Updates
There are a number of automated software tools on the market, but updating your drivers is not a difficult task to perform. You can start by simply visiting the manufacturer's website online. Once there, you can typically find what you need in the support section of the company's website.
When downloading the package, make sure you follow any special directions and recommendations provided by the manufacturer for performing the update process. Doing so will better assure that you do not encounter any problems along the way.
After you find the appropriate driver your device needs, your web browser will normally prompt you to either download or run the file on your PC. While this is all a matter of preference, the best option would be to download the package. This will allow you to save the driver and easily retrieve the files should you require it in the future.
Once you download the driver on your PC, you will have to browse for it in the location in which it was saved. After you have located the package, you generally double-click on the icon, which in turn, initiates the setup and installation process.
Keep in mind that this process may vary depending on the hardware manufacturer. Regardless of the process, all you have to do is simply follow the instructions provided on the screen. In most cases, a device driver can be installed within a matter of minutes.
Device Manager
You can also update the device drivers for your PC through the Device Manager, a utility built into the Windows operating system. How you access this utility all depends on your version of Windows, but it can often be launched through the Control Panel.
Once inside the Device Manager, you will see an extensive list of devices installed on your computer. Locate the device that requires updates, right-click it, and select "Update Driver." If the driver is located on your computer, choose the option that performs a search on the hard drive. If not, you can choose to search for any available updates on the internet.
If drivers are located, simply follow the provided instructions to complete the update process. Whether you choose to update manually or via the Device Manager, take note that you should always reboot your computer following the update. Even though the driver may be present, driver activation may not be complete until your system has been restarted.
Conclusion
Updating your drivers can help get your devices back in order and even improve the performance of your PC. In order to keep things that way, they must be actively maintained and addressed when ever updates are available. Although new drivers are not released all that frequently, it is still a good idea to check with the manufacturer from time to time to make sure you don't miss out.
