Each manufacturer releases updates for their software, and drivers are no exception. They are necessary for the stable operation of the computer itself, namely the operating system. They need to be updated constantly, because outdated versions of drivers may also stop working or show an error in the process. Even if the PC is functioning stably, it will be useful to check it for new versions.
So how do you update your drivers? The most reliable and high-quality method is to go to the manufacturer's websites and download it manually. However, this solution is one of the slowest. The free program for will become the best friend for the lazy and do not want to visit various pages in search of a new version of this or that.
How do programs work? Their principle of operation is to scan by ID numbers of each driver and search for it in their database. If a new version is released, the utility replaces it. There are many manufacturers on the list of programs, so they can find even the rarest software. Therefore, with specialized software, updating drivers on your PC will not be a slow process.
DriverPack Solution
The program does not have a paid version, which already attracts users. The direct purpose of the utility is to update drivers that work on the Windows operating system. Development ended in 2008. The chief engineer was the Russian author A. Kuzyakov. For many, DriverPack is the best driver update software. This is due to the fact that it is capable of performing updates without an Internet connection. Thanks to its own database, which stores all available new versions of drivers, it works stably, and failures are extremely rare.
In addition to searching and replacing available programs, "DriverPack" is able to search for high-quality codecs and offer them to the user. This is a pretty useful feature.
This driver updater (in Russian it is also available) is on the open source network. Because of this, so-called clones often appear, which are no different from the original. The only difference is that they have a couple of new options.
Driver booster
This program has many drawbacks, but it copes with its intended purpose perfectly. When the application is launched for the first time, it automatically searches for the required update. When the list is fully formed, the utility shows the state of the driver. Moreover, when highlighting a particular software, Driver will explain how installing a newer version will help speed up and improve the performance of your computer.
Unfortunately, this program for updating Windows drivers in a newer update (from 3.1), without asking the user, installs its own set of utilities. These include applications such as browsers, as well as a couple of viruses. The latter practically do not pose a threat to the system, but they damage the disk. The Driver interface encourages users to buy the paid version. If we consider this program in detail, we can say that it is made in such a way that a person acquires a license. It costs $ 10.
Device Doctor
The best free driver updater is Device Doctor. Unfortunately, it does not have a Russian version, but the interface is still very clear. This application can be safely included in the list of quality utilities that do their job with a bang. However, some points still require attention from the developers.
How can this program not suit you? The fact that after looking for non-updated drivers, it offers manual download links. It is not comfortable. Moreover, the application does not have the function of rolling back to the original state of the computer. In any case, in order to avoid the unstable operation of the "operating system" (everything can be), you will have to do this and create a restore point to the previous state of the computer. It should be noted that Device is stable on all Windows: from XP to 10.
Driver detective
Driver Detective is an easy-to-use (albeit paid) and best driver update program. The application does an excellent job of its tasks. The advantage of the full version is the ability to automatically download updates.
It will be especially useful after reinstalling Windows. The application itself determines the version of the operating system, its bitness. Driver optimizes and improves computer performance by installing new driver versions. All that is required from the user is to click on the "install" button. The rest will be done for the person by the application.
According to people's reviews, we can say that on the latest versions of Windows, unfortunately, the program sometimes stops working. Maybe because it is still under development.
3DP Chip
In the "Best Driver Updater" rating, this application is not the last. You can use it and completely trust it. Unlike many utilities, it does not "cut" into the RAM, but is only superficially installed. It doesn't need a lot of resources to install the drivers - just an Internet connection. 3DP will pay special attention to the video and sound card. After all, they are one of the most important components of the operating system.
During installation, the antivirus may “swear”, recognizing the application as a virus object. But you shouldn't attach great importance to this. Defenders of "Windows" sometimes incorrectly decode the application code, due to which there is a false alarm. There is nothing to fear, because 3DP has been tested by many users.
Driver reviver
And the last best driver update software is Driver Reviver. It will continuously scan in order to provide the user with fresh and working applications.
Sometimes some errors occur due to which an infected driver is downloaded to the computer. This software is capable of recognizing it and removing it if the user so desires. The interface is intuitive, there are no problems during operation.
The reliability of Driver has been proven by many of the world's leading companies who also recommend it. A large amount of time can be spent looking for a special driver, for example, for a scanner or printer. The program will be able to find it in a matter of minutes and immediately download it to your PC.
A feature of setting up any operating system is the installation of drivers. A driver is a special program that allows Windows 7 to communicate with hardware. Naturally, if there are not enough drivers for some motherboards, their work will be inadequate. There will be no sound on Windows 7 or the screen resolution will be extremely low. Operating systems often fail, so an automatic program that independently searches for drivers and installs them often becomes extremely useful. After all, such a problem is solved immediately for any operating system, including the most recent - 10 series.
There are many applications of this type. Most of them work online. In this case, it is enough to simply install such a program on Windows 7. It will solve the issue with the missing elements by itself, practically without user intervention. Among such applications are the following.
DriverPack Solution
Search and installation of drivers is perfectly implemented for any versions of operating systems, such as XP, 7th and 10th generation. Such an application is easy to download from the network, the installation image weighs decently - about 8 Gigabytes. The huge size is due to the large number of drivers that the application already contains. Thus, you will need to download the package once, install it on a memory card or removable disk, then simply connect it to the desired computer.
The interface is simple, the application itself searches for drivers on the network, then the user marks with checkboxes which ones need to be installed. The easiest solution might be to click the Update All button.
Driver booster
The search for drivers and their installation is also well implemented by this program. It should be noted that such a utility not only finds the missing pieces of software for Windows XP, 7 and 10, but also notes which ones need to be updated immediately.
The application usually creates a restore point and then automatically updates the operating system components.
Driver checker
The peculiarity of using this application can be called the fact that it itself creates a copy of all installed drivers on Windows XP, 7 and 10. The interface itself offers to scan the system, after which the shortcomings will be found and eliminated.
Slim Drivers
Another good solution that makes search and installation of device drivers for free. The result is the same as for the previous analogs: a search is done, a report is provided, based on the output of the program, the found components are installed.
DriverMax
Here we can say that the application is very fast. For example, scanning Windows XP, 7 or 10 takes just 15 seconds. For home use, the free version is sufficient. The interface is simple, so no one should be confused by the English language. Once the application is installed, all you need to do is agree to scan.
Customization
Many people think that setting up Windows XP, 7 or 10 is a terribly difficult process. Actually it is enough to have an operating system and load it into the computer. As soon as the automatic configuration takes place, you only need to install the drivers for the devices. As we have seen above, this can be done using special applications. You need to go to any resource with programs, download the verified installation files and unpack them. For example, a favorite download site is the Rutracker portal. It contains a huge number of installation images of both Windows XP, 7, 10 and any other generation operating systems, as well as applications for them.
Lack of Internet access can be a problem. After all, for the initial installation of the Wi-Fi driver, for example, you need access to the network. You can solve this problem either after searching and installing DriverPack Solution, or after the driver is found manually and also installed on the computer. It is easy to solve this, including on.
(Visited 14,931 times, 1 visits today)
For a long time, reinstalling or updating drivers for many inexperienced users turned into a real headache. And the main problem was not so much in installing them, but in finding a new or correct version.
The fact is that the components that make up the system unit may belong to different manufacturers, and it is not always possible to determine the brand using special ones.
Well, do not open the system unit just to find out the brand of the manufacturer of this or that device. Fortunately, there are programs through which you can reinstall or update drivers in a fully automatic mode and without any additional knowledge or experience.
In this review, we'll take a look at five of the most well-known driver update programs.
Driver Updater Genius Professional Edition
Additional features of Driver Checker include the export function. This unusual tool is intended for new versions of drivers from any computer with access to the Internet. At the same time, Driver Checker creates a special html file, opening which in a browser, the user will be taken to a page where all drivers marked by the program can be downloaded separately.
Driver Updater - Driver Magician
An alternative solution for finding and updating drivers can be the Driver Magician program from the developers of GoldSolution Software.
The program is easy to use and has a lightweight, minimized interface. In addition to the commercial version, which costs $ 29.95, there is a light version with reduced functionality, which is distributed free of charge.
Unfortunately, with the free version, you can only back up and restore drivers that are already installed on the system. The upgrade tools include only the commercial version.
Driver Magician's work algorithm is somewhat different from the applications described above. You should start working with this program by updating the database, after which it is imperative to create a backup copy of all detected drivers. If the program displays a list of drivers not supplied by Microsoft (they are marked in red), then before making a reservation, select the "Find all drivers" item in the main menu.
By default Driver Magician copies drivers to a separate folder as separate files, but if desired, the user can specify a different type of backup in the settings. Driver Magician supports creation of a zip archive, a self extracting exe archive, and an auto installation executable file.
After scanning your system, Driver Magician will display a list of available drivers for update, including version, class (type), device, release date, and vendor information.
A distinctive feature, or better to say, a disadvantage of Driver Magician is the lack of an automatic update function, in view of which each driver has to be downloaded manually.
However, this is not all. The program does not detect many outdated drivers, although new versions have appeared on the manufacturer's website for a long time.
The absence of the Russian language in the official version and the relatively high price with such weak functionality hardly testifies in favor of this application. The conclusion suggests itself - Driver Magician is significantly inferior to Driver Checker and Driver Genius programs and can only be used as an additional tool.
Driver Finder - DriverMax
If the price of the applications discussed above does not suit you, or you prefer to use free software, we recommend that you pay attention to the program. This simple utility is designed primarily for reinstalling drivers, but can just as well be used to detect outdated and download the latest versions.
Unfortunately, there is no Russian language in the program. But DriverMax is free, although to work with it you need to register on the developer's website.
You can create an account right in the program window by specifying the postal address, login and user password. Email should be indicated real, as it will receive a letter asking to confirm registration.
Then you can use the program without any problem. DriverMax is a bit like Driver Magician in terms of its operation algorithm. Before updating, you must make a backup copy of all or selected drivers, saving each of them in a separate folder or compressing them into a single zip archive. After that, you can start analyzing and actually downloading new versions for the devices detected by the program.
It is interesting that DriverMax performs the primary analysis (indexing) of the drivers installed in the system during its own installation. You can also check the system for obsolete ones every time you start the program.
DriverMax divides all detected drivers into two categories: correct and requiring updating, and besides, the program can tell the drivers of which devices are not available at all. From the report provided by DriverMax, you can find out the version, date of creation, the number of required files and information about the developer. Like Driver Magician, DriverMax lacks an automatic driver installation feature. After clicking the “Download” button, the program redirects the user to its “home” site, from where all the necessary drivers can be downloaded manually.
The disadvantages are all in plain sight - the lack of the Russian language, trust from users, automatic update functions, an inconvenient interface ... On a five-point scale, the program does not pull more than a C.
Driver updates software - DriverPack Solution
And last on our list is a great piece of software called DriverPack Solution. This renowned application is the best combination of functionality, security, high performance and ease of use. At the same time, DriverPack Solution is completely free, does not need installation and can be run from any portable media.
Unlike the applications discussed above, DriverPack Solution does not use an Internet connection - once you download the program, which includes a huge number of drivers for different devices, you can use it whenever you want.
DriverPack Solution includes drivers for operating systems Windows XP, Vista, 7 of both bit sizes, as well as a number of free programs. On the manufacturer's website, the program can be downloaded from a torrent, which is very convenient, since it allows the user to independently choose which driver packages to download.
To start working with the program, run the DriverPack Solution.exe file. The program will scan the system and upon completion of the check, it will display a list of obsolete and missing ones and offer to update (install) them. At the same time, you can use the additional features of the package - install the software included in DriverPack Solution, update, test the RAM, etc.
DriverPack Solution supports two modes of operation: simple, when the program performs all operations by itself, without any user intervention, and advanced (expert mode). Working in expert mode, the user can independently decide which drivers need to be updated and which not. In the new, twelfth version, the developers have finally implemented the function of creating backups. Moreover, it is possible to create backups of two types: from the current program database and from the drivers already installed in the system.
It's only surprising why the much-needed function was not implemented earlier, because even such a smart program as DriverPack Solution cannot provide one hundred percent guarantee that all updated drivers will work correctly.
This list could go on and on, but does it make sense? There are a couple dozen more similar, but lesser known programs on the net. Why lesser known ones? Perhaps because in fact they are not so good anymore and it is for this reason that they did not receive user recognition. And this is a very important criterion when choosing any software, regardless of what task it was created to solve. Guided by it, you can't go wrong. And in the end, perhaps, it is worth saying a few more words.
Software for updating drivers, of course, is a thing, but nevertheless, you should not get carried away with searching and installing the latest driver versions. If your system works stably and without errors, do not rush to update the drivers, let alone experiment with them - otherwise it may end up not at all what you would expect.
Drivers, like programs that control computer hardware and some virtual devices, are among the most important components of the entire system. And for the correct operation of all equipment, they must be installed and updated in a timely manner. What program for finding drivers and installing them into the system is best suited for such procedures? Let's analyze this issue and dwell on the tools offered by Windows systems, as well as on the most popular third-party software products.
Installing drivers using Windows
At the stage of installation of the system or in the event of some failures in the operation of devices, they can use their own means of the system. The built-in program for finding and installing Windows drivers works on the basis of its own database, which can be stored on the hard disk of a computer or an installation distribution kit on an optical or USB drive.
This system tool can be accessed from the Device Manager, which is invoked through the Control Panel, or by using the devmgmt.msc command in the Run console. Here it is enough to select the desired device, and then use either the context menu or the property bar, where the driver update is selected. But for some non-standard devices, this database cannot be used because the system installs the driver that is most suitable from its point of view, and not the one that may be required. In addition, this tool does not automatically update drivers (only at the user's request).
Rating of programs for finding and installing drivers
Thus, for partial or complete automation of the driver update process, you need to use third-party programs, the most popular of which are the following:
- DriverPack Solution.
- Driver Booster.
- SlimDrivers.
- Driver Scanner.
- Driver Genius Pro, etc.
DriverPack Solution Driver Set
This utility is considered to be the best program for finding and installing drivers. First, it is completely free. Secondly, its database with information on any of the known types of devices is the most complete. Thirdly, the application updates drivers exclusively through a search on the official resources of equipment manufacturers on the Internet.
However, if there is no connection, but if you have a disk with the distribution kit, which, in addition to the installation files, includes the same driver base, you can use this tool. Scanning takes place in automatic mode, after which it is proposed to install or update the drivers of the corresponding equipment. If the driver will be installed using the system tools, at the stage of choosing the location from which the installation will be performed, you will need to specify the appropriate media.
Program for automatic search and installation of drivers Windows Driver Booster
In second place is the Driver Booster utility. This program for finding drivers and installing them in automatic mode is somewhat similar to the previous package, but, unlike it, it does not have its own database of drivers, but works exclusively via the Internet.
You can install both the free version of Free, and the paid modification of Pro, which has extended driver support. But it requires a license, which costs about 400 rubles and is valid for a year. However, in practice, the usual version of Free is enough, which copes with its duties no worse. True, sometimes the user will observe the constant appearance of messages about the update of the program itself, but there is nothing to worry about.
SlimDrivers package
This program for finding drivers and installing them on all computer devices is somewhat similar to the previous utilities, but has a number of features.
One of the most convenient features is that drivers can be backed up if needed. In addition to everything, the application, when scanning, not only determines the devices for which you need to install or update drivers, but also displays outdated components that can be removed from the system so that their keys do not clog the registry, and the drivers themselves do not cause conflicts after the update. At the same time, the program removes outdated drivers on its own and completely automatically without user intervention.
Driver Scanner and Driver Genius Pro utilities
These two utilities are very similar to each other, but the first is free and is designed for the average user due to the almost complete automation of any process, and the second is released in a paid version and has slightly more capabilities (although you can use a very functional demo version for review).
Among their features, one can note a serious system for creating backups of drivers, but the program for finding drivers and installing them on a computer Driver Genius Pro has the ability to create a backup copy of a complete package of installed or updated drivers in the form of regular ZIP archives, self-extracting SFX archives or even in the form of installers EXE format, which makes the recovery process faster and more reliable.
Which one to prefer?
So what to choose from all that is offered on the software market today for automating the processes of finding, installing and updating drivers? It seems that the first two programs (DriverPack Solution and Driver Booster Free) are more suitable for an ordinary user, since they are completely easy to use and are free. The rest of the utilities are mostly designed specifically for creating backups after searching for drivers or integrating them into the system. It is worth noting here that the Driver Genius Pro utility is more designed for those who, due to their specifics, very often have to repair or configure computer equipment at a professional level. SlimDrivers and Driver Scanner programs are "sharpened" for use by ordinary users who, in addition to automatically updating or installing drivers, also want to get a simple backup tool for possible subsequent recovery in case of system failures.
Any computer user sooner or later is faced with the need to search or update drivers for his machine. This is especially true when buying a new PC without an operating system, when the kit does not include the corresponding software disc.
As you know, a driver is a special auxiliary program with which the operating system gains access to the hardware capabilities of the PC hardware: USB, monitor, touchpad, Wi-Fi, sound card, peripherals, etc. For each equipment (external or internal), the system must have its own driver for the correct operation of the equipment itself and getting all its capabilities.
It is good if you have a disk with "native" drivers for your computer - when the driver "crashed" or you just reinstall the system, then there should be no difficulties with setting up the equipment. But if there is no such disk, or a newer generation system is installed, then problems may arise with finding the necessary drivers: on the developer's website, on the Internet, etc.
We bring to your attention an overview of the best free programs for finding and installing drivers, based on the configuration of your computer.
I would like to start with one of the best driver installation programs to date. This application has the most advanced algorithm for selecting drivers, comes in a portable version (does not require installation in the system), has a simple and intuitive interface, and most importantly - quickly and accurately finds all uninstalled and outdated drivers, updating them to the most current (and appropriate) version.
In general, I would like to tell you in more detail. The developer of this product previously worked on a project DriverPack Solution(which will be discussed below), so he took all the best into his new program, getting rid of the shortcomings and limitations. In Snappy Driver Installer, problems with the selection of drivers have been eliminated, due to which a better search for a driver is made by taking into account a much larger number of its characteristics and devices. In addition, all drivers are also ranked according to their degree of relevance and compatibility.
A package consisting of the most current drivers for all kinds of PC configurations, as well as for a variety of laptop models such as Asus, Acer, Sony, Samsung, HP, Lenovo, Toshiba, Fujitsu-Siemens, DELL, eMachines, MSI, etc.
A powerful enough and advanced tool for working with drivers, which allows you to get the most current versions of the drivers installed in the system in a timely manner, make their backups and create a system restore point. In addition, there is the ability to completely uninstall unnecessary or outdated drivers.
Quite a good program for installing and reinstalling all Windows drivers. DriverMax collects information about the drivers installed on the system and displays a list of devices that use them. Provides information about the driver version, creation date, developer, number of files and digital signature. A missing or outdated driver can be downloaded right here without any extra effort.
Has the function of automatic scanning and detection of outdated drivers. A distinctive feature of this program is 1-Ckick driver installation - with one click of the mouse you will update all drivers, ensuring the full functioning of the PC.
In addition to automatic search and installation of drivers, here you can create a Backup of the current version of "firewood" and, if necessary, restore them if after the updates the equipment does not work correctly.
A tiny utility for analyzing the drivers of all the hardware installed on the system. This program scans the computer showing the version of the driver, and if it detects outdated drivers, it will offer to download a new version or find it on the Internet. It features a minimalistic interface, but it copes with its task quite well.
A small system utility that will help you identify all the installed hardware on your PC and check the compliance of the drivers for them. In the absence of a driver or a new version of it, the program will offer to download / update such drivers.
Please note that although the programs listed above for updating and installing drivers are free, some of them may contain additional, usually third-party software, which has nothing to do with the drivers themselves. Therefore, be careful when installing this kind of applications, watch the "ticks" and carefully check each step of the installation.
