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[renluop]

A popular mag on things Web had a recommendation for DriverIdentifier freeware to find out of date drivers and supply links to newer versions.

I'm not too convinced, as it often displays this

Code: [Select]

Notice: There are many drivers available for your device - please select any of these. If for any reason, one driver doesn't work - try another one.. Many manufacturer names have no apparent relationship with the hardware manufacturer, so selection must be hit and miss.

Am I unnecessarily wary; are there better programs for updating (freeware if poss)?

[Blackeagle]

Try Device Doctor.  There is a free version that works well.

[exo]

Excluding the graphics card and assuming all other devices are running correctly, then the question should be, is updating drivers really necessary.

If you must install updated drivers, then the first port of call should be the manufacturers web site in order to ascertain if an update will provide an improvement or overcome a specific known problem.

I see little point in using driver scanner software that shows new drivers available and then list 30 or more to choose from with no explanation of what is relevant or the source of the drivers.

This article more or less summarises my view.
http://www.howtogeek.com/98465/htg-explains-when-do-you-need-to-update-your-drivers/

Windows update does a reasonable job of finding the drivers for your hardware.

Just my view, so each to their own.

exo

[sheddyian]

Try Device Doctor.  There is a free version that works well.

I was intrigued, just tried Device Doctor on my Windows XP machine, and it suggested quite a few driver upgrades.  Downloaded 2 of them, one was for Windows 7 64 bit the other for Windows Vista!  It didn't tell me that at the time of download, only when I opened the zip file it directed me to.

So.... be careful what you download, it might not be the right driver!

Ian

[GunJack]

take your pick:-

1.slimdrivers  pretty good

2. driver max  pretty good, but only 2 per day for the free version

3. driver detective  not as good

and don't forget many OEMs have their own, so for example if you know you've got an intel whatever, Intel's own site will ID the devices and give you the drivers.

[renluop]

I shall be careful and so far have just d/loaded some ready for installation.

Some are zipped folders, and, silily I'm not sure where to extract their contents to in Win7 64 bit.

[oldfogy]

I used to use "DriverMax" of which it's best feature was the driver backup facility and if like I used to be with forever trying new programs and everything then the backup came in very handy on more than one occasion, so if you needed to roll back or anything like that then you still had a copy of the driver.

The major problem was that it would suggest so many different updates it was hard to distinguish which was the actual one you wanted, which was probably the reason I gave up using it eventually, plus as said earlier, if it working then don't fix it, it's very rare that you will see much improvement on a existing working system.