Step-by-Step Driver Guide

Ready to update your drivers?

Drivers.biz knows this can be a painful process sometimes, but it is also a necessary one. So the following sections deal with the steps for uploading new drivers to your computer system.

• Overview of most common process
• When things don't work that easily
• Updating drivers without adding new hardware?
• Checking for driver problems
• How to install zipped drivers

First, plan ahead. Have ready any CDs you might need, such as the operating system (e.g. Win98) or any CDs that came with new hardware such as a printer or modem.

Some drivers are built into the operating system software itself, but others need to be loaded or installed separately--usually from a CD. Older DOS-based systems have drivers with a .SYS extension. Windows-based systems usually have drivers with the .DRV extension.

Set aside enough time for updating, as you don't want to interrupt the process. Stopping midway can potentially cause major damage to your system files. If the installation fails, or your changes make things worse, you can always uninstall after the process is finished.

These instructions apply to all drivers, not just those for the most common hardware listed in our sections on Modem Drivers, Printer Drivers, Scanner Drivers, Video Card Drivers, CDRW Drivers (and CD-ROM drivers).

Overview of most common process

The overall process will be quite simple most of the time. More details are provided further below for those times when this easy method does not work.

Are you installing new hardware, for example a new sound card? Then you should begin by removing the old drivers before installing the new hardware. If you rush the process, and install the hardware first, you can end up with conflicts with your old driver.

So the easy method steps are:

1. Take note of the name of the old driver
2. Remove the old driver
3. Install your new hardware
4. Restart your computer
5. Windows will recognize the new hardware
6. Windows will install the new driver (for Plug-and-Play devices)
7. You can start using the hardware!

When things don't work that easily

The above steps always work--in a perfect world!! So, if you don't live in that world, you may need to try the following steps for installing new hardware, or for updating your current drivers.

Not Plug-and-Play

The most common thing that goes awry is that your new device is not Plug-and-Play, so the system can't deal with it properly. In this case, Windows will ask you to select the device from a list. Then you will be asked to select a particular driver. Click on "Have Disk" if you have the installation CD or floppy from the vendor of your new hardware. Then drill down to the place on the floppy or CD that has the drivers, and Windows will install the new driver from there.

The steps in detail

1. Create a folder called "My Drivers." Then create a sub-folder called "Old Drivers."

2. Backup your old driver by creating a copy and place it in the above folder.

3. Uninstall the old driver. Go to "My Computer" and right click. Select "Properties"

4. Choose the tab marked "Device Manager." (in Win XP first click the "Hardware" tab.) Locate the old device, highlight it, then click the "Remove" button at the bottom of the window. (For graphics cards or video cards, you cannot remove the driver, so simply change it to the "Standard Display Adapter VGA) (--how?)

5. Restart the computer, and Windows may recognize the new hardware device if it is Plug-and-Play compatible.

6. If it does not recognize the new device, then go to Control Panel, and double click on "Add New Hardware." Let the wizard find the new hardware. If it does, the wizard will then search for the appropriate driver, or you can specify the location of the driver yourself. Follow the installation process.

Updating drivers without adding new hardware?

If you simply want to update your current drivers, and not install any new hardware, here's how. As usual, Windows provides several ways to do the same things. The following steps get to the same point as above, using a slightly different method.

1. Create a folder called "My Drivers." Then create a sub-folder called "Old Drivers."

2. Backup your old driver by creating a copy and place it in the above folder.

3. Go to "My Computer" and right click. Select "Properties"

4. Choose the tab marked "Device Manager." (in Windows XP first click the "Hardware" tab.) Locate the old device, highlight it, then click the "Properties" button at the bottom of the window.

5. Choose the "Driver" tab

6. Click the button marked "Update Driver"

7. When the wizard opens, click the "Next" button

8. Choose radio button "Display a list..."

9. Click the button marked "Have Disk"

10. Click the "Browse" button (note that some systems will have problems if you don't have a floppy in the drive. If so, put any floppy you have handy in the drive.)

11. Choose your drive at the bottom of the window, and drill down to the folder where your new driver is located. Highlight the folder (usually containing a file ending with .inf).

12. Click the "OK" button

13. The previous window will now have the location listed. Click the "OK" button to begin installation

Hey! You might be done....whew! But just in case, check for problems by following the instructions at the top of this page's right column.