Drivers - and how to update

[Mara]

I'm actually not too sure what section 'drivers' fits into, so I apologize if this is in the incorrect section.

 

My mouse was acting ever so oddly and have purchased a new one - but my poor computer is still behaving badly.

 

A couple of my programs have stop working properly and my scanner has become confused, etc etc - so after ensuring all my safety programs were fully updated, I ran each one twice, with no bugs showing at all, thankfully.

 

Just to be sure, I went to a site called 'Pit Stop' (saw it recommended here, I think) ... and after viewing results (no bugs or security problems), I'm wondering if it is outdated drivers that can cause lots of computer woes?

 

And if so, could someone please advise how one does updates for drivers, please?

 

(I've added the image showing all the ones that should apparently be updated, but have literally no idea how to do it).

Edited February 5, 2009 by Mara

[Goku]

Hello Mara. I am listing the drivers that need to be updated, as well as links to where you can download them from.

 

• Intel® PRO/1000 PM Network Connection
  
• Intel® 82945G Express Chipset
  
• SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC 5.10.5082.0
  

There is one more driver you will need to download and update however I can't find the download link to it. I will list it later when I do.

 

Hope that helps. :)

 

-- Goku

[Mara]

I honestly just thought someone could shoo me in the right direction on how to locate download sites for drivers - and you've gone to all the work of finding these for me! Thank you, thank you, thank you Goku!

 

When I go to these sites and download each driver ... and I install each, will they open and go directly where they belong within my computer? ... or is there a special section one sends them to, I wonder? (I truly have no idea how to do these types of installations - so I hope they are easy! :)).

 

Thank you again for your wonderful help and kindness!

[Goku]

You don't need to guide them anywhere Mara; these installers are smart and will automatically go where they are required. :D

 

You just need to install the drivers on top of your existing ones and all should be well. Should you encounter any problems, we will provide you with the instructions to roll back to your previous set of working drivers. Just make a restore point before you attempt the install and you are good to go.

 

If any problem arises or you have some answered questions, then we are always here to help you out.

 

And it is always a pleasure to answer you. :)

 

-- Goku

[BeeCeeBee]

Hi Mara,

 

It looks like Goku has you pretty well sorted out with your driver issues and I hope that all goes well.:)

 

The fact that you put this into a hardware forum points out a misconceptions that many people have regarding the word "drivers."

 

A far better word for drivers would have been "interpreters" or "translators," all they are, are software programs designed to understand the individual components of your PC and translate your commands into a language that the component can understand and act upon.

 

I hope that is helpful. I am going to put this thread into our software forum so that others with a similar problem can reference it. :)

[Mara]

Made the 'restore point' and then went to each link and downloaded - and poof, each driver magically installed into wherever they were supposed to live within this computer - all with any help from me, just as you said they would, Goku! - thank you, thank you!!!! :)

 

(Not that Sony likely cares too much, but when I'd been to their site earlier trying to figure out 'drivers', I gave up - simply because their site is mind-boggling to someone who doesn't know what they're doing. How I wish they - and all computer makers - were kind enough to let one allow the manufacture's site to scan one's computer and give us the option of automatically download any new updates available).

 

And thank you beeceebee for explaining so well exactly what a 'driver' is - I truly appreciate it as I was more than a tad befuddled (as I'm sure you could tell - gentle smile) - and I do appreciate your putting this thread in the Software forum where it belongs.

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Mara, I never get the chance to help you, someone gets there before me ha ha. However I do hope that the new drivers have done the job and everything is now OK. However if not, you know we will continue to help.

[Mara]

Oh gracious, I just read your kind note, Nev - and I'm really tempted to hang my head in shame because I keep having computer woes - gentle eep!

 

For, while I learn from each one, who knew that a different one would keep popping up - sigh. And yes (red-faced), I'm popping over to post in 'Software' because now my CD burner software has gone a tad nuts.

 

Yup, I should take shares out in our PC Help!

[Dalo Harkin]

Just wanted to add that the drivers you are missing are the most common to be missed - when people reinstall an OS - they forget to run the drivers disk, normally the MOBO disk, but on a laptop its a drivers and utilities disk - when you install or reinstall an OS the driver sequence should always be:-

 

Latest Service pack (if any)

MOBO driver disk/drivers and utilities disk (or the latest ones from the manufacturer)

GPU drivers (from NVIDIA or ATI website)

[Goku]

Mara, burn them on to a disc for future reference and convenience. :)

 

-- Goku

[RandyL]

Excellent points Dalo and Goku.

 

Some drivers can be extremely hard to find again. Especially if they are the computer manufacturers ones and they drop support for them. Updated drivers in particular.

 

Backing them up to disk is always best just in case.

[Mara]

Not getting disks with the computer was a wee pet peeve when I got it a couple years ago and perhaps worse, no instruction manual came with it either. :).

 

So although I finally figured out how to make 'recovery disks', learning a MOBO disk with all the drivers should be burned as well - and in which order they should be installed once a reformat has been done - is great to know.

 

Another question, I'm afraid ... how does one find the section within the computer that contains all the actual 'drivers', please? (My new drivers were very polite and just installed themselves wherever they were supposed to go instantly, without my having to find a route for them).

 

(When I type 'drivers' into Search, several categories show up, including some under C:\Windows and others under C:\Windows\system32... and an assortment of other things).

 

Thanks again, kind ones!

[BeeCeeBee]

Hi Mara,

 

If you left click and open My Computer and then do the same with your C drive you should see a group of folders on of them should contain the system drivers that were installed on manufacture. In my case it is listed as Toolscd and contains a number of Toshiba tools as well as the essential drivers.

 

I am not sure whether it will have the same name in a non Toshiba but it should be there.

[Mara]

Thanks so very much, beeceebee!

 

Just to clarify something ... drivers have 'exe' behind their names?

[BeeCeeBee]

"exe" is the extension for an application and does not indicate a driver. If you find the file and look at one of the drivers (chipset for example) you should see a set up or install icon.

[Mara]

Aha, just learned that a 'chipset' is a driver! - and now that I know, off I go once again to find them.

 

Thanks once again - not just for your answers but your incredible patience as I learn all these things, kind man!

[BeeCeeBee]

Nope a chipset is not a driver but it requires one!! :D

[Mara]

Oh my dod! (Thumping my head on the keyboard because of my astonishing ignorance of something that seems as simply as 'drivers'!) - yup, egad.

 

Okay ... a driver is something that 'drives' another thing to work (like a printer/scanner) - and a chip set is something that is built-into a driver ... or separate but necessary in order for a driver to work? And when Microsoft installs Updates/Service Packs automatically, they include up-dated drivers - but not all specific to different things that may have been bundled with one's Windows XP?

 

Oh dear, please do feel free to thump me (gently!) if I seem like a complete duffus about this!

[BeeCeeBee]

I wish now that I had not picked a chipset as an example instead of graphics or something else. The Chipset is hardware and it needs a driver that is specific to it. There are drivers for most, not all, of your hardware.

 

Windows updates are usually security or performance related and have nothing to do with drivers since your drivers will be different than mine even though we may use the same version of XP. We will however get the same updates.

 

I hope that makes things a bit clearer.

[Mara]

Now I understand - thank you, thank you!

[Goku]

Thanks so very much, beeceebee!

 

Just to clarify something ... drivers have 'exe' behind their names?

"exe" is the extension for an application and does not indicate a driver. If you find the file and look at one of the drivers (chipset for example) you should see a set up or install icon.

Not really. The essence of driver installations lies in *.inf and *.sys files which stand of information and system files respectively. When you try to install a driver, windows draws the installation instructions and configurations from the *.inf files while the *.sys files are used to install the actual driver components. These files are often accompanied by a collection of other files such as documentation, operating system support, autorun, etc. The *.exe packages you get from the manufacturers are merely an self-extracting archive which extract their contents to a temporary folder and proceed with the driver installations.

 

For your own safety, Windows hides these type of files. I will post the instructions, if you need them, but I would rather recommend you to backup the executables themselves so you don't have to stress yourself when reinstalling them.

 

Hope that helps. :)

 

-- Goku

[BeeCeeBee]

"exe" is the extension for an application and does not indicate a driver. If you find the file and look at one of the drivers (chipset for example) you should see a set up or install icon.

I have tried my best to answer Mara's question without over complicating things. It seems, however, I have failed in that respect.

 

The default view in XP is set to hide extensions on certain files. The setup files I referred to are in fact the .exe files for the specific drivers. However unless the member changes the settings in windows explorer she will only see the function(setup) and not the extension.

 

Again for the Mara's benefit there are many .exe files throughout your computer. They may be saved or in temporary files until they are "opened." They are, for the most part, not related to drivers a all.

 

None of this is really important though. The important thing is that if you are unsure, the safest thing to do is back up the containing folder (all the files.) Should it become necessary to install the drivers from it in the future you can seek instruction at that point.

Edited January 28, 2009 by BeeCeeBee

[Mara]

Thanks for clarifying things, Guko - truly appreciate it.

 

And beeceebee, I'll do as you suggested and back up the entire folders to ensure everything is included - thanks.

 

My one wee moan about these magical computers is the lack of clarification within the Windows 'Help' section itself. For instance, the lack of a basic 'operating manual' when one buys a new computer. While it's lovely to know that the Fl key will bring up the built in 'Help' menu, how is one supposed to know this if they can't find the 'Help' menu in the first place - gentle smile. And when one finally figures out how to check the 'Device Manager' section re drivers, it has this lovely little section called 'Do you want to update this driver?'. Well, heck - it gave me the option of checking my Disc (which didn't come with the new computer either) and the other option simply sits there for a moment and then says 'No newer one available'. How does it know if it doesn't even go onto the internet to look for one, I wonder.

 

Enough of my grumble - but truly, without all the wonderful help my computer would have long ago stopped being magical and just because a reason to develop frustration wrinkles. Thank you, thank you, thank you - what lovely people you are!

[BeeCeeBee]

Welcome to Fpch, Mara!!! Why do you think we're so busy?:)