Hello dear guests and regular readers of the blog site. In today's article, we will talk about how to update the drivers on your computer and why you need it.
To begin with, I want to describe several reasons why you should think about changing the software of components on a stationary computer or laptop:
- The first and main reason is to set up stable performance. Most often, when buying a new motherboard or, for example, a video card for your computer, this hardware comes with basic drivers on the disk, but in the course of long-term work on computers all over the world, the manufacturer identifies the errors that arise and tries to fix them by releasing drivers new version.
- There are situations when your PC, for example, cannot connect to the Internet via cable, although no conflicts with the built-in equipment were detected. This is often due to glitches. operating system, which was installed on your device for a very long time and has not been cleaned or updated for a long time.
- After reinstalling the operating system, not all software from the media (disk or flash drive) can get up correctly on your computer. To solve this problem, you need to figure out which specific drivers were not added.
- The last reason why it is worth updating drivers on a laptop or desktop computer , this is an improvement in the performance of a particular device (an increase in the transmission speed over wifi, an improvement in display graphics or setting up new touchscreen functions).
Identifying missing drivers
Having come to this stage of the instructions for installing the software for accessories, you have most likely already determined the reason and the need for the update. But before we start, let's go to the device manager and check if there is a need to reinstall additional drivers. To do this, right-click on the shortcut My computer, select item Properties
A window will open in front of you Basic information.
In this window, in the left pane, select the item Device Manager after which a new window will open where information about everything will be displayed installed devices... If in this list special character a certain component is highlighted (seen in the picture below), then you can assume that the firmware for this device is not installed, or it does not work correctly.
Finding the latest driver
There are several ways to find a new version of software for your hardware, I will tell you about them below. The most important thing that we need is to have access to the Internet from your computer or from another, but with the ability to write information to a portable medium (that is, you find the necessary software on the Internet, write it to a USB flash drive or disk and transfer it to your computer) that will allow you to update the drivers on your laptop or computer for free.
If you have a situation that after windows installation you have not loaded a long list, then thanks to the second computer, I advise you to immediately install the drivers on the network card, which in turn will allow you not to rewrite everything from computer to computer in turn.
Update drivers on the computer from the manufacturer's official website
For a laptop, this step is much easier than for a stationary PC. The fact is that the laptop manufacturer, when assembling a certain model, puts in it standard components and, accordingly, according to the laptop model, on the site you can find drivers for all the necessary devices. To do this, simply enter the laptop model into the search bar and go to the software section.
Concerning system unit, then everything is a little more complicated, since the stationary unit could be assembled independently or by a friend, and what components were installed is unknown. However, if, after self-assembly of your PC, you still have iron packaging, then it is enough to look at it which device model is installed and, in the same way as with laptops, find the necessary software on the manufacturer's website and update the drivers on the computer for free.
It may happen that you cannot find out from which components your computer is assembled, then the CPU-Z program can come to your aid, which allows you to determine the manufacturer and model of the device in need of updating the internal program. After you start CPU-Z and scan the PC, it will be enough, as in the examples above, to find the updated software on the manufacturer's website.
After you have found what you need, just download it to your computer in a pre-created folder.
How to update drivers for free using special software
To in automatic mode scan your computer for outdated drivers, and run automatic search them on the Internet and further installation, just use. This easy-to-use utility allows you to quickly and easily update the drivers on your computer. The main thing is that your device is connected to the Internet. I will not describe all its features here, since I wrote a separate article for this.
Installing Drivers
The last step in the process of updating the device software is installing the software. In fact, this process should not cause any difficulties since it is elementary simple. If you used the Driver Booster program, then you can safely skip this step of the instructions. If you downloaded the files from the official website of the manufacturer of laptops or components, then you just need to run the installer by double-clicking on the downloaded file. During the installation process, try to carefully select those items that require your intervention.
If the downloaded file does not have an automatic launch function, then in order to install it, go to Task Manager. Then we select the device that needs updating. Right-click on it and select the item in the drop-down menu Update drivers... After that, you will be asked to choose how to search for software for the device.
Selecting an item Search ... and in the newly opened window, specify the path of the file location.
After you install the drivers on your computer, you need to reboot your device. This must be done in order for all changes to take effect. Also in the device manager it is worth checking if there are any conflicts with your hardware.
It may happen that after updating the software of the components, windows will stop starting. Or rather, instead of loading the operating system, the monitor screen will be black. This situation occurs because the BIOS on your computer does not support the new driver version. In this case, it will be necessary to delete installed files... Then install the drivers on a laptop or computer of an earlier version, or produce. How to perform all these operations, I described in the articles of my blog in more detail.
I hope that my instruction will be useful for you. If you have any difficulties, describe them in the form of comments and I will try to help you.
It is only in informational articles that the purchase of a laptop is carried out through a careful analysis of performance and thoughtful selection. optimal model... In reality, the buyer, having entered the store for his future electronic friend, is faced with the need to compare the numbers indicated on the price tags and the amount in his pocket. And only after that a choice is made from what is affordable. As a result, laptops are often bought in which free or - even more sad - DOS is preinstalled.
The first steps
Arriving home with a purchase, the happy owner is forced to decide how to replace the system with Windows and a laptop. Of course, some users are adherents of "Linux", but even in this case, they replace the operating system with the version that suits them the most. Having a distribution kit in hand, you can do anything with a new laptop - change the partitioning of partitions, safely format HDD, train with the installation, etc. Ultimately, even the greenest newbie will be able to boot into a self-installed Windows operating system.
But then you need to make sure that the drivers are installed. Without these control programs, the hardware components cannot function. For example, if you forgot to put network driver for a laptop, do not expect the computer to "see" the network. The question is where to get these same drivers.
Pulling a box off the shelf
All self-respecting manufacturers supply a CD with a laptop, which contains software for all major operating systems. So, for example, to install drivers for Acer laptop, you should find the specified disc in the package and insert it into the drive. The autorun mechanism will work. Then, following the displayed dialog, you need to sequentially install the control programs.
If there is no such compact in the kit for some reason, then this is a reason to ask the store sellers about it. Still, even in order to access the Internet, drivers for the Acer laptop are needed to enable the network card to work. The same is true for models from other firms.
Contacting the developer
After gaining access to resources global network it is imperative to update the drivers on the laptop. Newer versions can improve performance, improve energy efficiency, and fix problems and shortcomings. One of the most reliable sources of updated software is the developer's website. Suppose you purchased an N750JV laptop from Asus. Therefore, you need to find the website of the specified company in the browser, for which you should use the search. Having entered the resource, you need to click on the image of the magnifying glass and indicate the name of the model. After displaying the page with information about the product, you need to select "Support", and then - "Drivers and Utilities". It remains to indicate the version used. To be on a laptop, you need to download and install them.
Important feature
Although the installation can be performed in an arbitrary order - all drivers at once with one reboot at the end, this is not recommended. It is best to follow the following scheme: the program for the chipset is installed first, then for the video card, sound, and only at the very end the driver for WiFi for the laptop.
This avoids possible mistakes and ensure the stable and long-term operation of the system. When updating, it should be borne in mind that some control programs are registered in the list of the uninstall manager and can be erased standard means... For example, looking in "Control Panel - Programs and Features", there you can often see entries like Realtek High Definition Driver or Intel HD Graphics Driver. The first is sound driver and the second is video. Before you upgrade to new versions, it is better to delete these, and not put on top of them.
How to save money
There are quite a few resources on the Internet that allow you to download drivers for a laptop of any model for money or require input phone number... Our advice: it is better to stay away from such cunning ones and not get involved with them. All manufacturers distribute free laptop drivers without requiring payment. Moreover, given the fact that there is alternative ways search for updated versions.
Standard remedy
Users of official Windows versions can use the provided software mechanism. However, it should be remembered that several hundred megabytes of information can be downloaded from the Internet. So, to update the drivers on a laptop, you need to click the "Start" button in the lower left corner of the desktop and proceed to the Control Panel. From the list, select "Windows Update" and activate it by clicking on the appropriate button, which is here in a single copy.
Third party programs
Many information applications allow you to search for updated device drivers. For example, this is provided in Aida64. After installation, you need to select "Devices" in the left column and open the "PCI" section. All devices present in the system will be displayed in the right window of the program.
For many of them, the control programs can be updated. For example, in the list, you can select Integrated Graphics Controller, at the bottom there will be a link "Download drivers", when you click on it, automatic start browser and redirecting to the download page.
Another way
Some manufacturers laptop computers decided to create their own analogue of the standard update mechanism. For example, to get a new WiFi driver for a laptop from Samsung, you need to download the SW Update utility from their website, run it, specify the model and click Update. The same is true for other companies. For example, Acer Drivers Update Utility.
Everyone knows that the performance of a video card directly depends on the relevance of the drivers used. Even the most modern video processor will work anyhow if you don't install the necessary software. Today we will talkto maximize its performance.
Before proceeding directly to the upgrade, you should determine. In modern gaming computers two leading families of video chips are used:
- from NVidia;
- AMD's Radeon.
It is worth considering that we are talking about the chip manufacturer, not the vendor, the latter can be anything: ASUS, Sapphire, Gigabyte, and so on.
To find out which video card is installed on your PC, follow the algorithm.
If you see that installed version is out of date, you should download and install the new software.
To find out which video card is installed, you can use another method. It is enough to go to the device manager, open the "Video adapters" branch and see the necessary data.
If you saw two video processors on a laptop at once, it means that two devices are used at once: integrated and discrete, switching between them occurs automatically depending on the load. In this case, we advise you to update the drivers specifically for NVidia, and leave Intel as it is.
How to update video card drivers
Let's figure it out depending on its model. Let's give step by step guide for each model.
To automatically search, select, download, install and update drivers on Windows, there are special programs that are sometimes called driver managers. Such software completely automates all actions with drivers and greatly simplifies the task for users.
Most utilities for updating drivers are paid or have various restrictions, but there is an exception to this rule - the driver manager DriverHub from the local company.
DriverHub scans Windows system for missing or outdated drivers and installs / updates them. The whole process takes place automatically and does not require any action from the user. The only condition is the presence of an Internet connection.
You can download the DriverHub program absolutely free on the official website of the developers.
AMD Radeon
The most important rule when updating drivers is to download and install software only from the manufacturer's official website. All third-party resources can only harm your computer. It is worth noting that the rule applies not only to the installation of drivers, but also to any other programs.
To download AMD updates, visit https://support.amd.com ... There you need to set the parameters for the search:
As a result, by given parameters it will offer options for updates to download and install. If you are afraid to make a mistake in the search and selection of the necessary drivers, then you can use the autosearch, for this you need to download and install an additional auxiliary program on your PC. She herself will scan the computer and select the appropriate updates.
GeForce from NVidia
Let's figure it out GeForce from NVidia. The page of the official website of the developers, where updates are searched for: http://www.nvidia.ru ... Automatic and manual search for the required software is also available here. For automatic search, you need to install a small utility that will automatically scan and search.
In the case of a manual search, the service requests the following parameters:
After the service produces the result, all that remains is to download the required update version and install it. The process runs automatically and does not cause any difficulties for the user.
Automatic search using Windows
Not many people know, but it is possible to update the software for the video processor regular means operating room Windows systems... This applies to versions 7 and 8 of the OS.
To do this, follow the algorithm.
As a result, the operating system will search for new drivers and, if successful, will install latest version ON. If the drivers do not require updating, the user will see a corresponding notification.
Solving the question, , the user can turn to the help of special auxiliary programs. There is a lot of such software on the network, choosing a suitable program, you should pay attention to the reviews of experienced users. Such software will automatically scan the Internet and check for updated drivers. If detected, the software will automatically update. In this case, the PC owner will not have to worry that his drivers are outdated.
How to know if your drivers require updates
Developers regularly improve their product and make changes to current program... This improves the speed of the video processor and the quality of its work.
All these situations can cause a lot of inconvenience to the user, especially if he is actively involved in computer games... As mentioned above, this can also affect videos played on a PC. As soon as you begin to notice such problems, the first step is to try to check for new software versions.
Updating drivers is one of the best practices optimizing the performance of your computer and increasing the stability of the OS. There are several ways to update drivers: manual loading drivers from the manufacturer's website, using the automatic update service and the programmatic method for installing drivers. This will be discussed in the article.
Automatic driver update in Windows
In order to automatically update drivers in Windows 7, we need to go to the " Devices and Printers"And open" Devices". Next, we look for an icon with a computer image and right-click on it, and then select and click on “ Options installations devices". It looks like this:
In the tab that opens, we will need to put a checkbox next to the inscription “ Make this is automatically«.
Well, our last action will be to click on the button " Save", And from this moment on, our OS will independently search for Latest updates drivers and install them on your computer.
Let's just in case consider another way of already semi-automatic driver update. So, we open “ Dispatcher devices“, Click on the button for updating the hardware configuration.
Following this, in order, we open the tabs of all devices on our computer that are available. Let's start with video adapters. We need to right-click on them and select the item " Update drivers«.
As we can see in the picture, in the next menu we need select the driver search mode... If the new drivers have not yet been released, or the computer installed them itself, then you will see a window with a message stating that all necessary drivers have already been installed... And if, nevertheless, there are such drivers, then the OS will install them itself.
There are cases when automatic search does not give any results at all, then we act according to a different plan. We need download any possible way required drivers on the manufacturer's website, at the address that you will find in the documentation for the updated device.
However, before uploading a file, it is better to check if this file has digital signature ... You will be surprised, but in 50% of cases the drivers do not have this very signature at all. If you download a file from a normal (official site), then just check the box to confirm that you agree to install a driver that does not have a digital signature.
If the driver to be installed consists of one and only application, then it can automatically be turned on at startup installation utility, which you should run and follow all the instructions one by one. At the end of the installation process, you can go (optionally) to " Dispatcher devices»And personally make sure that all your updated drivers already have the latest version.
Automatic driver installation using programs
Sooner or later, each user faces the question of finding drivers for certain devices. Currently, there is a huge number of drivers for absolutely any device, but still the most asked questions on various forums are: “ Where to download drivers for free? " and " Where to download drivers for the video card ( sound card) ?».
Fortunately, now there are a lot of programs that really make it easier for users, because these programs find the necessary drivers themselves when required and install them on our computers. To use such programs, it is mandatory to have the Internet and a corresponding program installed on the computer, the installation process of which will not take you much time and does not require special knowledge. You just have to click the mouse a few times and the program will already be installed.
Let's start with the program (), probably one of the most popular programs, which became such thanks to its ease of use and, most importantly, without losing its functionality... This program is based on intelligent technologies thanks to which in automatic mode searches for all uninstalled drivers, finds updates on the Internet and only then offers to reinstall them.
On the main window of the program, you can always see a list of all the drivers that are already installed and which should be installed. You do not need to update all the drivers offered by the program, because you can update only those that (in your opinion) are more needed. The program has two installation modes - manual and automatic.
The program includes the ability to install drivers offline... This is very convenient if you have a situation where there are no drivers for network card and, accordingly, there is no Internet connection. A very big plus of the program is that it compatible with almost all operating systems and can work in 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
Program Carambis works as follows. At the first stage a full scan of your computer is performed to detect existing drivers and those drivers that need updating or initial installation. Following this the program downloads all the necessary drivers from the network. In the third stage there is a request from the user and installation of all required drivers.
As well as here, the user can independently choose - to install drivers for this or that equipment, or there is no special need for this yet. If you want to install all the drivers offered by the program, then you need to click the button " Load all“, And if you need to selectively install some drivers, then download these files separately.
All drivers in the program are divided into logical groups. If there is a need to update drivers for only one device, for example, a sound card or a video card, then you should select “ Video and audio devices«.
The program displays all the current characteristics of the system, as well as displays all outdated and current drivers in percentage terms. In order to download the driver, you will need Internet access.
It is best to use the function for the initial settings of the program, in which it will check for all available updates automatically when the OS starts. And yet - the program, when it downloads or installs updates, does not block any other processes on your computer, therefore, you are not limited in your actions.
Do not be lazy to update the drivers on your computer, because today every user, with the presence of the Internet, has the opportunity to download and install (just a few clicks) many programs for automatic driver update absolutely free of charge.
Nowadays, almost every person has Personal Computer or laptop. They are used for work, entertainment and recreation, and we can say for sure that this is the most irreplaceable gadget of our time. For all tasks use various programs- video viewer for films, "word" for writing texts and others. But the work of all these programs is impossible without two things - the operating system and drivers.
The operating system is the core of the entire system, there are few of them - Windows, MacOS, Linux. This is the first thing that needs to be set for any normal laptop operation at all. The drivers, in turn, are installed on top of the operating system. They are needed for correct work many programs and functions. For example, it won't work without drivers Wi-Fi module on a laptop, large screen resolutions will not be supported, programs such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel will not start. Therefore, for normal operation, especially with a laptop, they need to be installed. But how can you do this? There are several ways.
Communication module driver
The first thing to install on the laptop is a driver that will allow you to connect to wireless networks... Without it, it will be very problematic to work, because all drivers will have to be downloaded manually from another device and then transferred to a USB flash drive, from a USB flash drive to a laptop and only then installed.
The first step is to find out the brand and exact model of your laptop in order to download required driver... Usually this information can be found either on the laptop box or on the bottom of the device itself. It is unlikely that it will be very striking, but you will have to find it, otherwise further steps will be simply impossible. Next, you need to drive the model and "driver for communication module" / "driver for Wi-Fi" into the browser. There are likely to be many sites and download links available. If you are familiar with any of the sites, then download from it so as not to get into a virus or other malware... After downloading, you will need to install it. In the event that you downloaded it directly to the laptop via a cable, you just need to start it, and if to another device, then transfer it to the laptop using a USB flash drive or other device, and then install it. After installation, you can already comfortably operate from a laptop and download everything to it at once, without using third-party devices.
But there are still many other drivers, without which normal work programs and devices in general will not be possible. The most in a simple way all this install will be downloads special program, which will itself determine the necessary drivers, download them and install them. The program is called DriverPack Solution and you can download it from the site of the same name. On the site there will be a button "Install all the necessary drivers", and you need to click on it. After that, the download of the program will automatically start - it weighs a little, you will not have to wait long. After installation, you will need to run it. In the program, you can choose what you need and what you don't need to install. Indeed, in addition to drivers, you will be prompted to install an antivirus and several browsers. It is not necessary to do this, but if you are satisfied with this, then it is not necessary to uncheck the checkboxes.
After choosing the necessary functions, you can safely forget about the laptop for half an hour, exactly. All this time he will live his life and independently install and download everything he needs. The main thing is to have a stable Internet connection, otherwise the process may be delayed for a very long time. long time... But despite the almost complete autonomy, it is still sometimes better to look at the screen, because some consent to the installation may be required, without clicking on which the whole process will stop. After installing all the drivers, the laptop will be ready for full use.
DriverPack - Manual Installation
In the event that for some reason you do not want to install a program for yourself, then you can do everything the same as it, but 
manually. It is not so convenient, but it will allow you to download only the necessary drivers, if some of them are already on your laptop, and in order to definitely avoid installing unnecessary and unnecessary programs (antiviruses and browsers).
To do this, again, you need to know the exact name of the laptop. Where to see it was described at the beginning of the article, in the section on installing the driver on Wi-Fi. And so, you need to "drive" this name into the search on the DriverPack website the name of your laptop and choose the most suitable configuration. After that, the download will be available required drivers... You can also use this site and this function to download the driver for the communication module, because it is checked and you will definitely not catch a virus or other malicious program on it.
System update
If you are a user of the Windows operating system, then after installing a new "OS" it must be updated. To do this, you need to use the very function that many users around the world hate. To install all updates, you need to run the "Center Windows updates", And check for updates. There is a huge chance that there will be at least a few updates that need to be installed. Downloading them will take a very long time, which means that the computer can be left and forgotten for an hour or two. But again, it is important that good connection to the Internet and yet sometimes you need to go to check the condition of the laptop. Also, this procedure will have to be repeated more than once, or even more than a dozen times. After all, with everyone installed update it may disappear, or vice versa, there may be a need to install another. After this lengthy procedure, you need to remember to do one important thing to turn off automatic update... If you forget to do this, then the laptop will be able to update itself, which means there is a chance of rebooting at the most inopportune moment, which is bad.
That's all with regard to the topic of installing drivers on a laptop. We hope the article was useful for you and you will no longer have any problems with this procedure.
