What You Need To Know About Computer Drivers

Home Computing Tip-of-the-Month:

Windows Device Manager

Computer drivers are small pieces of software that tell your operating system (i.e. Windows 7) and other software programs how to communicate with a piece of hardware.  Recently we have had several instances where updating the printer drivers solved performance issues.

Printers, for example, come packaged with drivers to install that tell your operating system exactly how to print information on a piece of paper. Sound card drivers tell your computer how to create audio signals that the card can output to your speakers.

It's important to understand this, because as you update your operating system, install new programs, install new hardware components (i.e. printers, cameras, speakers, etc.), download sytem updates from the Internet, etc., your existing drivers will likely become outdated and cause your hardware components not to function properly.

If you run into a situation where your hardware is not working (e.g. your printer no longer prints, your speakers no longer play audio, etc.), you will likely need to run a driver update.

Drivers are updated in Windows by using a driver update wizard from within Device Manager. About.com has a great article on Device Managers that will provide you with more details. You can also do a search online at the manufacturer's website (usually under "Support") for Driver/Software Updates to help you do the job. If this does not sound like something you feel comfortable performing yourself, you can always consider hiring a computer consulting firm, like MAX Communications, to assist you.

** Call us at 847-348-3489 and we can even assist you via Remote Control (visit our website at www.HelpMeMax.com for more info) **