Did you ever wonder how each component of your PC, components such as the motherboard, the processor, the video or graphics card, the LAN card, the memory, the hard drive, and the like work together as one single system using an operating system such as Windows? Well, the answer is in the drivers. The software drivers of each component installed on your PC are the sole applications that allow each component to be detected and used by the operating system you are using. The better the driver, the better the performance. That is generally the rule, which is why it is very important to keep them updated regularly. Sticking with the default factory drivers that normally come with the component via an installation CD may work for now but, if you want to maximize its performance, installing a more current driver is necessary.
Now, you may think updating your drivers is complicated and difficult. Well, in reality, anyone can do it. It is that easy. However, in order to effectively update the drivers, you will need to have a stable Internet connection or, at the very least, have the driver software saved on your computer. In any case, here are the steps you will need to accomplish.
* Install the new driver. Assuming that you have downloaded and saved the new driver in your hard drive, the easiest way to update it is by locating the executable file and double-clicking on it. This will initialize an installation wizard that will automate the installation. Once the installation completes, the new driver will superimpose the old one and voila, you have successfully updated the driver for the particular component. The new driver can be downloaded on the manufacturer’s website which regularly posts new drivers for free download.
* Update via the Internet. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of constantly visiting the manufacturer’s website to check for the newest drivers for a certain PC component, you can consider this method.
First off, you will want to get to the Device Manager of your computer. To do this, simply click on the Start Menu and right-click on My Computer. Select Properties and choose Device Manager. If you are using Vista or Windows 7, the link to the Device Manager should be located at the left side of the Window. If you are using XP, you will have to find the tab for it. Once you find it, click it and a new window will popup displaying the various components installed on your PC.
On the Device Manager window, locate the component that you wish to do a driver update on. Right-click the particular device and choose the Update Driver option in the sub menu. This will prompt a driver update wizard, which will ask you if you want to use the Internet to find, download, and install the latest driver. You will also be asked in the next phase if you want to automatically install the software or not. Choose to do it automatically and wait for the process to begin.
The wizard will display the progress should it find a newer driver for the component. If not, it will notify you that the existing driver is the latest one. If it could not find a driver, it will prompt you as well. If that is the case, then you will have to download the latest drivers manually from the manufacturer’s website.
The process is pretty much the same with all the components you find. However, the most critical components that should sport the latest drivers are the motherboard and the video card.
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