Driver detection. The best driver updater
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On a PC or laptop. The article covered mainly manual installation methods, since everyone should know this. Including inexperienced users (everyone was once a beginner).
However, it is not necessary to install them manually. After all, today there are special programs for installing and updating drivers that will do everything for you. A couple of mouse clicks, 15-30 minutes of time - and everything will be configured on your computer or laptop: Internet, sound, video card.
Programs for automatic update drivers are suitable for all computers and laptops - Acer, Asus, Samsung, Lenovo, HP, etc. There are no exceptions here. They also work on all operating systems - Windows XP, 7, 8, 10.
But there is one caveat: over time, online installers are gradually updated. And maybe newer versions won't support Windows 7 or XP. Therefore, before installing the driver manager, please read system requirements(in particular, the item "Supported operating systems").
First great program(in Russian) - . There are several versions of this utility, including a free one. Its capabilities are more than enough for ordinary users.
Advantages of the Driver Booster program:
- quick scanning of a PC (or laptop);
- displaying the priority of updating devices (shows which it is desirable to update immediately);
- installation is carried out in the background: you press one button and you can go about your business.
Also this free manager driver automatically creates a system restore point. And if some kind of failure occurs, you can easily roll back to the previous working version.
Another one free program to search for drivers - . Considered one of the best. Users are offered 2 installers to choose from - online and offline. And you can choose any (based on the situation).
For example, if you need a free program to install drivers without the Internet, then you need to download an offline installer. It is an ISO file larger than 11 GB (it can be opened via Daemon Tools). Perhaps this is quite a lot, but you will have a program with all the drivers on hand. And it will last at least a year. You just need to write it to a USB flash drive and you can use it if necessary.
If you don't want to download this big file, and there is Internet on the laptop, then you can use the online installer. It weighs about 300 Kb.
Using this utility is quite simple. Run Driver Pack Solution (any version), wait for it to scan the system and issue a report. Remove the checkmarks from unnecessary items and click "Update". In 15-20 minutes everything will be ready.
Driver Pack Solution also installs additional software: browsers, archivers, etc. If this is unnecessary, do not forget to uncheck the appropriate boxes.
Try . However, this utility also works on Windows 7, 8 and 10.
One of its main advantages is that it is able to find drivers for unknown devices that Windows cannot recognize in any way. This option has repeatedly rescued owners of PCs and laptops.
Its other advantages:
- quick scan - about 2 minutes;
- automatic search and update of drivers;
- simple interface in Russian;
- The installer takes only 21 MB.
3DP Net
Another program is 3DP Net. Recommended for use if there are problems with network controllers. That is, if after reinstalling the OS they are defined as an unknown device, try this installer.
3DP Net takes up very little space, so you can also download it from your phone. Yes, and this program works to install drivers without the Internet. And most importantly: it supports many network cards. Even if you have a rare model installed, the utility will still install a universal driver, and the Internet will appear.
Main feature: she knows how to make backups, i.e. keep all previously installed Windows drivers.
This feature is very useful when reinstalling operating system. Save your drivers with Driver Checker, install new Windows, and then restore all data from this program. And you don't even have to look for anything.
Main advantage: it scans the system very quickly. Literally in 10-20 seconds! The only downside is that this driver manager is on English language(although it's pretty easy to use).
After scanning Windows given The utility displays a visual report of what exactly needs to be updated. The drivers are installed one by one.
There are 2 versions of the installer - Free and PRO. The features of the free program are more than enough, so you can install it if necessary.
Best suited for those who do not trust the various installers and want to control the entire process themselves. He copes with this task perfectly.
The utility will scan the system, after which it will give you links from where you can download the drivers yourself. As a result, you don’t have to look for them on the manufacturer’s website: just click “Download” and install.
By the way, if you need a program to update video card drivers, it's best to use the native utility. For Nvidia models, this is GeForce Experience(installed automatically when installing a new driver), and for Radeon models - AMD Gaming Evolved. In this case, it is recommended to update the drivers for the video card through them (without using third-party installers).
Not all users are well versed in the PC. When they need to install software for computer hardware, they have a question: “Is there a utility for installing Windows 7 drivers?”.
Software for installing drivers
Many such utilities and programs have been developed. Consider the TOP 5 best tools for installing firewood on a PC.
Driver Genius
Driver Genius is a great app for online installation drivers on Windows 7. It has several useful features:
- Create a backup copy of installed drivers.
- Search and removal of non-working, faulty firewood.
- View information about the hardware installed on your computer.
The only negative of the program is its cost, equal to $29.95.
This application was created by one of the developers Driver Pack Solution. It contains a huge software base. There are two versions of Snappy Driver Installer:
- Lite. The application downloads the necessary firewood from the Internet.
- full. The program already contains an extensive software base. Such a distribution kit weighs about 40 GB.
The app is free and supports many languages.
Auslogix Driver Updater is another good solution for automatically installing drivers on Windows 7. It has a nice interface and good scanner systems. The only negative is that the program is paid, and it is impossible to update drivers without buying a license.
The last app in my review is the Mohican Driver. Among its functions it is worth noting:
- Identification of equipment, search and installation of software.
- Create software backup.
- Removing firewood.
- Detection of unknown devices.
You can use Driver Magician for free for 13 days, then you need to buy a license.
Conclusion
If you do not want to manually search for software, use the programs for automatically installing drivers for Windows 7 from this TOP.
Drivers, as programs that control computer hardware and some virtual devices, are one of the most important components of the entire system. And for the correct operation of all equipment, they must be installed and updated in a timely manner. What program for searching for drivers and installing them into the system is best suited for such procedures? Let's analyze this issue and dwell on the tools offered by Windows systems, as well as on third-party most popular software products.
Installing drivers using Windows
At the stage of system installation or in the event of some failures in the operation of devices, they can use own funds systems. The built-in program for finding and installing Windows drivers works on the basis of its own database, which can be stored on a computer hard drive or an installation distribution kit on optical or USB media.
Access to this system tool can be obtained from the "Device Manager", which is called through the "Control Panel" or the devmgmt.msc command in the "Run" console. Here it is enough to choose desired device, and then use either the context menu or the property bar, where the driver update is selected. But for some non-standard devices, using this database is not possible, because the system installs the most suitable driver from its point of view, and not the one that might be required. In addition, this tool does not automatically update drivers (only at the request of the user).
Rating of programs for finding and installing drivers
Thus, for partial or complete automation of the driver update process, you need to use third party programs, the most popular of which are:
- Driver Pack Solution.
- driver booster.
- SlimDrivers.
- Driver Scanner.
- Driver Genius Pro, etc.
DriverPack Solution
It is considered that this utility is the best program for finding and installing drivers. First, it is absolutely free. Secondly, its database of information on any of the known types of devices is the most complete. Thirdly, the application updates drivers exclusively through a search on the official resources of equipment manufacturers on the Internet.
However, if there is no connection, but if there is a disk with the distribution kit, which, in addition to installation files, includes the same database of drivers, you can use this tool. Scanning takes place in automatic mode, after which you are prompted to install or update the drivers for the corresponding hardware. If the driver will be installed using the system tools, at the stage of choosing the location from which the installation will be performed, you will need to specify the appropriate media.
Program for automatic search and installation of drivers Windows Driver Booster
In second place was driver utility booster. This program for searching for drivers and installing them automatically is somewhat reminiscent of the previous package, but, unlike it, it does not have its own database of drivers, but works exclusively via the Internet.
You can install both the free Free version and the paid Pro version, which has extended driver support. But it needs a license, which costs about 400 rubles and is valid for a year. However, in practice, the regular version of Free is enough, which copes with its duties just as well. True, sometimes the user will observe the constant appearance of messages about updating the program itself, but there is nothing to worry about.
Slim Driver package
This program to find drivers and install them on all computer devices somewhat resembles previous utilities, but has a number of features.
One of the most convenient features is that the drivers can be backed up if necessary. In addition to everything, the application, when scanning, not only determines the devices for which you need to install or update drivers, but also displays obsolete components that can be removed from the system so that their keys do not clog the registry, and the drivers themselves do not cause conflicts after updating. At the same time, the program removes outdated drivers on its own and completely automatically without user intervention.
Driver Scanner and Driver Genius Pro utilities
These two utilities are very similar to each other, but the first is free and is designed for the average user due to the almost complete automation of any process, and the second is available in paid version and has some great features (although you can use a very functional demo version for review).
Among their features, a serious system for creating driver backups can be noted, but Driver Genius Pro, a program for searching for drivers and installing them on a computer, has the ability to create a backup copy of a complete package of installed or updated drivers in the form of ordinary ZIP archives, self-extracting SFX archives, or even in the form of installers EXE format, which makes the recovery process faster and more reliable.
What to prefer?
What to choose from all that is offered on the software market today to automate the processes of searching, installing and updating drivers? I think the first two programs (DriverPack Solution and Driver Booster Free) are more suitable for the average user, since they are completely easy to use and are free. The remaining utilities are mostly designed specifically for creating backups after searching for drivers or integrating them into the system. It is worth noting here that the Driver Genius Pro utility is more designed for those who, due to their specifics, very often have to repair or configure computer equipment at a professional level. The SlimDrivers and Driver Scanner programs are “sharpened” for use by ordinary users who, in addition to automatically updating or installing drivers, also want to get a simple backup tool for possible subsequent recovery in case of system failures.
+ + + + +Having the proper device drivers for your devices is very important for proper functioning computer system, as well as connected hardware devices. Drivers are a key component of a computer system, but we often forget about them, which can lead to various performance issues in the long run. Update drivers to latest version help you get the best performance out of your equipment. But it's true, most of us don't update drivers unless they're offered by Microsoft Updates.
These free automatic driver update programs make it easy to update your drivers. Use one and you won't have to work so much with Device Manager and you won't have to look up the correct driver from your hardware manufacturer.
Important: To update drivers, it is not necessary to use programs, they are designed for convenience, as they can be updated manually, for example, by downloading from your manufacturer's website or using the disks that come with the purchase of a computer or laptop. In no case should you pay for these programs.
Driver Booster is the best free driver updater. It is compatible with all Windows versions and makes updating drivers easier.
Driver Booster can be scheduled to automatically detect outdated drivers. When new updates are found, you can easily download them from the Driver Booster program, so you don't have to go to an internet browser to grab them.
Before installing the driver, you can see how a new version driver is compared with the currently installed driver, which is useful.
I like that Driver Booster creates a restore point before installing the driver in case something goes wrong with the installation.
In the settings there is an option to install drivers in the background, which hides the installation wizard and other pop-up messages. This is handy so you don't have to click so many windows when installing new drivers.
Program in Russian.
Driver Booster works on Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP.
DriverPack Solution has user interface, which is easier to use than most of the others on this list. There are only a few buttons and definitely no confusing screens or options.
This program supports bulk downloads and automatic installation so you don't have to click through any setup wizards.
When you first open DriverPack Solution, you can automatically download and install all drivers or manually choose which ones you want to update.
DriverPack Solution also has basic system information, as well as a software downloader that can install some recommended programs on your computer.
Program in Russian.
DriverPack Solution supports Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP.
Snappy Driver Installer is another one free tool to update drivers, which is a bit like the DriverPack Solution listed above.
You can download multiple drivers at once for different devices. Once downloaded, the program gives you immediate access to install updates... with or without an Internet connection.
Snappy Driver Installer is very easy to use and doesn't even require installation. This means you can use something like external hard drive to transport and install downloaded drivers on any other computer.
Program in Russian.
Snapper Driver Installer also has zero ads, does not limit download speeds, and can install as many drivers as you need without any restrictions.
This program works with both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
DriverHub is really easy to use because it downloads and installs drivers for you and has a whole program section dedicated to recovering if something goes wrong.
The program itself has a clean interface with a few menu buttons. In the settings, there are several options for changing the download folder and disabling the check for program updates.
You can keep things simple and install whatever DriverHub recommends, or you can go to extended mode, to select which drivers to get, see version numbers, and install alternative drivers (i.e. new driver but not the current version).
Chapter " Useful programs » DriverHub is not related to the driver, but includes some useful links to Windows utilities such as Disk Management, Task Manager, power supply settings, display settings, etc.
Program in Russian.
Price: Free
Note: you may be asked to install another program during setup, such as in a web browser or something else. You can uncheck this box if you only want DriverHub without additional software.
The DriverHub website says it will work on Windows 10, Windows 8 and Windows 7.
DriversCloud (formerly called Ma-Config) is a free web service that contains detailed information about your equipment and software, including outdated drivers.
It works by downloading a program that allows a web browser to collect information from your computer.
On the website, you can find categories such as analysis of BSOD, My Drivers, Autorun, Network Configuration and other areas that you can browse.
Program in Russian.
Price: For free
When you need to update the driver, you can see full information which data of the new driver matches the installed driver. You can see the version number, manufacturer, name and date INF file and hardware ID.
Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP and Windows 2000 users can install DriversCloud.
Program in English.
Price: For free
Double Driver
When using Driver Talent, I noticed that the program itself installed on my computer in less than five seconds, and most driver updates loaded very quickly, which was nice.
Driver Talent can be installed on Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP.
Free Driver Scout
Free Driver Scout is an amazing driver because it provides true automatic update .
This means that the program will automatically scans any required updates, automatically loads updates and then automatically establishes them without requiring you to provide any data that cannot be said about any other program on this list.
Device drivers can be excluded from scanning using free driver Scout so they don't show up as a need for an update in the future.
Another great feature in Free Driver Scout is the ability to Reserve copy and restore drivers. The program allows you to create backups some or all of your drivers and then easily restore them again if you need to.
Also included in Free Driver Scout is an extremely useful tool called " OS Migration Tool". You will run this tool if you are going to install another operating system on your computer. Windows system. It will find the device drivers for the new OS and store them in a custom location such as a flash drive. Then when you have a different Windows operating system installed, you can use the same tool to repair those OS-specific drivers so you don't have to worry about finding device drivers again.
Note. Although Free Driver Scout is a very nice program, he did not find as many outdated drivers, as Driver Booster, which is why I chose this place for that in the list.
I tested Driver Scout v1.0 on Windows 10 but it also works on Windows 8, 7, Vista and XP.
DriverMax
DriverMax is a free Windows program that can update outdated drivers. Unfortunately, it is limited in several areas.
In addition to updating older drivers, DriverMax can back up some or all installed drivers, restore driver backups, roll back drivers, and identify unknown hardware.
I found DriverMax found significantly large quantity outdated drivers than any other program on this list. I checked the version numbers against the installed drivers and they all seemed to be valid updates.
Note. DriverMax can only download two drivers per day and 10 drivers per month, and can only download one driver at a time. You can still check outdated drivers but you are limited to how much you can really download. I talk more about why this is not as bad as it might seem.
DriverMax finds drivers for Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP.
DriverIdentifier
DriverIdentifier is an extremely simple yet very useful free driver updater.
You can scan for drivers if you don't have an internet connection, which is great if your network card driver isn't working. When the verification is complete, the DriverIdentifier will store the list of drivers in an HTML file.
Just open the file on your computer whom there is an internet connection so the DriverIdentifier website can cross-reference the results with their databases. Drivers that need to be updated will have a link updates next to them.
Also available portable version DriverIdentifier.
Note. To download driver updates, you need to create a free account in DriverIdentifier.
DriverIdentifier finds windows drivers 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP.
Device Doctor is a really simple and easy to use driver updater. It can be downloaded as regular program or portable, which does not require installation.
You can schedule a scan to check for outdated drivers and then when an update is found, you will be taken to a website to download it manually.
Since you need to download updates outside of Device Doctor, you may sometimes need to unpack driver files before using them. You can do this with a file unzip tool like the one included with Windows or a third party tool like 7-Zip.
The Doctor device is limited to downloading only one driver per day. It is designed to find drivers for Windows XP up to Windows 10.
If you know more good programs to automatically update drivers, please write in the comments.
Users often encounter problems that are not related to “bugs” in programs or the operating system, but to drivers. For example, in the absence of a driver for a network card, you will not be able to set up an Internet connection, but incorrectly installed driver video card means that you will not run any game.
Specialists who often set up computers and laptops know this problem firsthand. This article will introduce you to the most effective driver update applications. So, let's start setting up your computer.
Driver Pack Solution
Driver Pack Solution(driver pack solution) - one of the best utilities to update drivers. The program is in ISO image format. This virtual disk which opens via special program(for example, Daemon Tools or Alcohol 120%). ISO image has a large volume (about 11 GB). But there is a version that takes up much less space and requires the Internet to work.
An important feature of the application is that it can be used on computers where there is no Internet connection. Many other driver update programs are required to go online to download from there. correct driver. And this is the key advantage: you download the image only once and use it.
Open the downloaded file and the program will automatically examine your computer. Based on the results of the scan, a report of approximately the following sample is issued (in the screenshot below):
The user needs to check the boxes of the drivers to be installed and click the button to start the operation. Some users prefer to click " Update All". Such an operation takes no more than 10-15 minutes, after which the computer or laptop receives all the required drivers. In some cases, you have to look for rare drivers yourself, since they may not be in the program database. However, this happens infrequently - after all, the assembly is quite large.
driver booster
Convenient Russian-language program with free version. It will quickly scan your computer and identify old drivers.
The utility will not only show outdated drivers, but also mark the criticality of the update, that is, those drivers that are strongly recommended to be updated as soon as possible.
A feature of the application is the ability to update drivers in the background. You press one button and the program starts the installation. A checkpoint is automatically created to roll back the system to a working state in case of unsuccessful installation of new drivers.
If you often have to deal with drivers (you are professionally involved in setting up computers, updating programs), this utility will be in great demand in your software package.
Driver Checker
It is impossible not to mention this useful utility. Imagine the situation: you are about to reinstall the Windows operating system, but you have not saved any working drivers for your devices. This application allows you to create backup copies (backup) of all active drivers in use, and then restore them to a new OS. In such situations, the program is indispensable!
The utility is very easy to use. Launch it, and it will prompt you to perform a system scan. Screenshot example:
After the scan is completed, the program will provide a report on which drivers need to be updated.
Slim Drivers
A simple and free program for checking drivers and updating them.
It is not able to install drivers in the background, but it will quickly scan HDD and will issue a list of direct links to new drivers. Naturally, this saves a lot of time.
Here the program found 5 outdated drivers and offers to update them.
DriverMax
Another simple and fast program for finding and updating drivers. It takes only 10-20 seconds to scan your computer. There are two versions of the utility: free and professional. For home use quite free.
The interface is in English, but there are no difficulties - everything is intuitive. During the first launch, the program offers to scan the system. Click the button to start the scanning process.
When the scan is complete, DriverMax generates a recommendation report indicating which drivers need to be updated. The report is very detailed and understandable.
