Your computer has hardware like a webcam, for example. To allow this hardware to work properly you need what is called a “device driver.” A device dri...
Your computer has hardware like a webcam,
for example. To allow this hardware to work properly you need what is called a “device driver.” A device driver is a program that allows your computer to use the hardware components to be used by programs. For example, having the correct device driver for your webcam enables you to use video chat with your friends.
Normally, the device driver will be in a CD that comes with the device or your computer’s system will do the driver download for you automatically once the hardware is attached to your computer.
The device driver is very important because it allows your hardware to work with your software. Without the drivers, your computer will not work at all. However, device drivers need to change as your computer’s system changes otherwise, you will encounter difficulties. For the driver to function properly, it needs to be the right driver for the particular hardware it should control and it also needs to be compatible with your operating system.
Also, drivers change over time as they get updated by the manufacturer. If your computer’s operating system is capable of doing updates automatically, your computer will do the updated driver download for you.
Windows OS, for example, has automatic updates which you simply turn on and it will browse the internet by itself to look for updated drivers for your computer. It will even locate the driver of any new hardware that you plug in, if the driver is readily available. If, unfortunately, your computer is unable to find the drivers automatically, you will need to do some detective work.
You will need to browse the manufacturer’s website and see if they have the updated version of the driver. If, more unfortunately, the manufacturer has gone out of business or has stopped making the device, then you will need to research on the internet to find out if a new driver is available from a different manufacturer. There are times when drivers can be very hard to find.
There are many websites that offer a list of drivers available for download. Some are sites that require membership and some are free. There are also file sharing websites that contain drivers, if you are patient enough to look for them. Once you do find the correct driver that you need for your device to work, you will need to download the driver and install it yourself.
There are automatic device driver update programs available on the internet that can find the right device driver for you and download them.These are programs that will scan your computer to look for which drivers are outdated and will inform you that updated drivers are available for your machine.
There are also driver assist websites that will help you locate the driver you are looking for. Though you need to have information about which manufacturer and which model of device you need otherwise you may download the incorrect driver and it may cause your computer problems. In extreme cases, a computer can even crash.
