| Getting the right driver is essential | | | | or a hard drive formatting. Sometimes |
| for your computer and your peripherals. | | | | our drivers are not compatible with new |
| It might even be detrimental to the | | | | systems and other times we need new |
| health of your entire network. In this | | | | copies just because there was something |
| article you will learn about what a | | | | corrupt on our computer that disrupted |
| driver is, what you need to know to | | | | the integrity of the driver or deleted |
| determine what driver you need and where | | | | the software. |
| you can get the right device drivers for | | | | If you don't install the right driver, |
| you computer. | | | | not only will your device be unlikely to |
| What is a driver anyway? A driver is a | | | | work but you could cause other problems. |
| small piece of software that is | | | | When a computer is looking for a device |
| installed on your computer. It is | | | | to initialize or command and it cannot |
| software that "drives" a device. Your | | | | find it, it can cause other networking |
| computer needs to know how to get each | | | | problems including fatal errors. Be sure |
| individual device working, whether it's | | | | that when you download a driver, not |
| installed or plugged in, so if you | | | | only does the manufacturer and model |
| consider the driver as the instructional | | | | number of the peripheral match but also |
| manual that your computer reads, you can | | | | that the operating system matches as |
| get the picture. You need the right | | | | well. This is something that is |
| device driver for your computer, because | | | | discussed in more detail on the website |
| not all device drivers are created | | | | which is filled with information on how |
| equally. | | | | to find the right driver for your |
| The device is based upon both your | | | | laptop. |
| device and your operating system. A | | | | There are programs that can help you |
| printer driver won't be the same for | | | | find the right drivers whether you are |
| your Vista machine as a video card | | | | having problems with your computer after |
| driver. Without the right device driver, | | | | an upgrade or if you are determining |
| the computer becomes illiterate. If you | | | | what your requirements for upgrading an |
| have drivers for the same device but on | | | | operating system will be. Beyond this, |
| two different operating systems, there | | | | manufacturers and third party websites |
| are differences. Some people will also | | | | exist to guide you and help you find the |
| describe a driver as a liaison or a | | | | right driver. |
| translator between the computer and the | | | | You might require drivers for any number |
| peripheral. Anything you add onto your | | | | of devices including: monitor, keyboard, |
| computer can require a driver. Some | | | | mouse, printer, scanner, plotter, USB |
| items are considered plug and play but | | | | port, Bluetooth device, video cards, |
| many require just a small program to act | | | | PCMCIA cards and other hardware as well. |
| as that translator or instruction | | | | But whatever you need it for, the |
| manual. | | | | golden rule is to make sure that the |
| You may need device drivers when you | | | | device driver is the right one or you |
| install a piece of hardware or plug it | | | | could end up with malfunctioning |
| in. You may also need device drivers | | | | equipment, not to mention a bad |
| when you do an operating system upgrade | | | | headache. |