To maintain the normal operation of the computer, it is necessary to update drivers from time to time, but searching for and installing them manually is boring and time consuming. And why? After all, this work is easy to automate. Today we will consider the ten best programs for updating drivers on PCs and laptops of all brands and models.
Intel Driver Update Utility Installer is a proprietary utility for finding and updating drivers for any Intel products (processors, system logic, network devices, drives, server components, and more). Compatible with Windows XP, 7 and newer editions of this system.
The hardware of the PC on which it is installed is automatically recognized by the utility. Checking for new versions of drivers on the Intel website is done by clicking the "Search" button, downloading and installing - at the request of the user.
In addition, the Intel Driver Update Utility Installer allows you to find and download drivers for any other Intel devices of your choice from the list (option "Search manually").
The developers warn that the application installs only typical drivers that do not take into account the features of a particular brand of computer. Therefore, before launching it, it is worth visiting the website of the manufacturer of your PC or laptop and checking if there is anything suitable there.
AMD Driver Autodetect
AMD Driver Autodetect is a similar proprietary tool from AMD. Designed to keep drivers of video cards of this brand up to date (except for AMD FirePro).
After installation, the utility will monitor the relevance of video drivers and ensure their timely updates. It automatically detects the model of the video card installed on the PC, as well as the bit depth and version. operating system. When launched, it checks to see if there is a fresh driver on the AMD website. If there is, it informs about it and offers to download it. To start the installation, the user just needs to confirm his consent by clicking on the "Install" button.
AMD Driver Autodetect is also available exclusively for Windows.
NVIDIA Update
NVIDIA Update is a proprietary Windows utility for installing drivers on NVIDIA devices. Like AMD Driver Autodetect, it independently recognizes hardware models and checks for the latest driver on the manufacturer's website. The decision to install is up to the user.
Driver Pack Solution
DriverPack Solution is a lifesaver for service engineers, system administrators and those who earn extra money providing services for Windows installation and programs. The application is a huge collection of drivers for devices of various brands and models, as well as a module for installing them.
DriverPack Solution is released in two versions - online and offline.
- The online distribution is designed to be used on a PC that has an Internet connection. Its difference is a small file size (285 Kb). After starting, the program scans Windows for installed drivers and the relevance of their versions, after which it connects to the database (on its own server) and performs automatic updates.
- The offline distribution (size 10.2 Gb) is intended for installing drivers on a machine that is not connected to the Internet. In addition to the installer, it comes with a database of 960,000 drivers for Windows 7, XP, Vista, 8 (8.1) and 10, both for 32 bit and 64 bit. After launch, the scanning module recognizes device types and installs drivers from its own offline database.
The online version of DriverPack Solution is convenient for permanent home use. In addition to keeping drivers up to date, it allows the user to automatically install and update individual applications, remove software junk, view a list of equipment, information about the operating system and computer security.
The offline version is an emergency solution. Its task is not to select the best, but simply the right driver to start the device. And then update it online.
DriverPack Solution and the proprietary utilities listed above are completely free.
Driver Genius
Driver Genius is a universal driver management tool. The latest edition of the program is the sixteenth, optimized for Windows 8 and 10, but can also run on older systems.
In addition to updating the versions of installed drivers, Driver Genius can:
- Create backup copies of drivers and save them as archives - regular and self-extracting, as well as in the form of an installer (exe). To restore from a backup, you do not need to use Driver Genius.
- Remove unused and failed drivers.
- Display information about computer hardware.
The backup feature is a real treasure for those who frequently reinstall Windows. However, the program itself is by no means a gift: the cost of one license is $29.95. You can use it for free only for 30 days.
Snappy Driver Installer
Snappy Driver Installer is an application created by one of the developers of DriverPack Solution and has a lot in common with the latter. Also available in two versions: SDI Lite and SDI Full.
- The SDI Lite variant is a module for recognizing devices and searching for suitable drivers on the Internet. Its size is 3.6 Mb. It does not have its own base.
- The SDI Full option is an installation module plus a base (31.6 Gb). Designed to install drivers regardless of Internet access.
Features of Snappy Driver Installer:
- Works without installation (only portable version, can be run from a flash drive or DVD).
- Completely free - no premium features or ads.
- With an improved selection algorithm, which is based on the principle of "do no harm".
- It has a high scanning speed.
- Creates a system restore point before installing the driver.
- Allows you to change themes according to the user's choice.
- Multilingual (there is a version in Russian, Ukrainian and other national languages).
- Adapted for Windows 10.
driver booster
iObit Driver Booster is an application loved by gamers. Available in editions Free - free, and Pro - paid. The subscription price for the latter is 590 rubles per year.
Driver Booster has one single function - scanning the system for outdated drivers and installing updates in one click. And not simple updates, but (according to the developers) tuned games to improve performance.
is a free and very simple utility for installing and updating PC drivers based on Windows 7, 8 and 10. Its database includes only original, signed drivers from the official websites of equipment manufacturers.
The application is designed for users with no experience. Support for the Russian language, a minimum of settings and one-button control practically exclude the possibility of confusing or breaking something. And if the new driver is not suitable, DriverHub will remove it from the system and return the old one to its place.
All features of DriverHub:
- Search for missing, update outdated drivers and additional software. Automatic installation.
- Simple and expert mode of operation. In expert mode, the user can select a driver from several available ones, in simple mode, the program itself selects the optimal version.
- Daily replenishment of the database of drivers.
- Storage of download history.
- Recovery - roll back drivers to previous versions.
- Display basic information about the computer.
- Launching Windows system utilities from its interface.
DriverMax Free
DriverMax is a free, uncomplicated, English-language utility, the main purpose of which is the same driver update. Unlike other free applications, it has another useful option - creating a system rollback point and backing up installed drivers of the user's choice. As well as restoring from a backup.
After installing DriverMax, it persistently reminds you that it would be nice to register on the site and buy a paid license with advanced features, one of which is fully automatic operation. Annual usage starts at $10.39.
Driver Magician
Driver Magician is the last hero of today's review. I had 2 versions in the recent past, one of which was free. Today there is only a paid one with a 13-day trial period. The cost of the license is $29.95.
There is no Russian language in Driver Magician, but it is not difficult to use it. The set of features is about the same as in Driver Genius:
- Scanning and updating.
- Creation backups drivers with the ability to restore both with and without using the program (the backup is saved as a zip archive or installer application).
- Uninstalling the driver.
- Backing up and restoring individual user folders - Favorites Internet Explorer, Desktop and Documents, and - system registry(one file).
- Identification of devices unknown to the system.
In the trial period, the program is fully functional. Compatible with any Windows versions.
That, perhaps, is all. Choose what you like best and enjoy.
How to manually download and update:
This built-in Windows 8 driver must be included in the operating system. Windows system® or be available for download through the Center windows updates® (Windows® Update). The built-in driver supports the basic features of your Windows 8 hardware.How to perform automatic download and update:
Recommendation: For novice Windows users, we highly recommend downloading a driver update tool like DriverDoc to update your Windows 8 drivers. DriverDoc is a utility that automatically downloads and updates Windows 8 drivers to ensure that you have the correct driver version for your operating system.
With a database of over 2,150,000 drivers (updated daily), DriverDoc ensures you have all of your computer's drivers and are always up to date!
Install optional products - DriverDoc (Solvusoft) | | | |
Windows 8 Update Frequently Asked Questions
What are Windows 8 device drivers for?
Essentially, drivers are little software applications that allow your device's Windows 8 to "interact" with the operating system, and are also key to the functionality of the hardware.
What operating systems are compatible with Windows 8 drivers?
Windows supports drivers for Windows 8 hardware.
How to update Windows 8 drivers?
Windows 8 hardware drivers can be updated manually using Device Manager or automatically using driver update software.
What are the benefits and risks of updating Windows 8 drivers?
Updating your drivers will improve your PC's performance, unlock hardware features, and fix any incompatibilities. The risks of installing the wrong Windows 8 drivers include software crashes, loss of functionality, PC freezing, and system instability.
About the author: Jay Geater is President and CEO Solvusoft Corporation, a global company dedicated to software and focusing on innovative service programs. He has been passionate about computers all his life and loves everything related to computers, software and new technologies.
It is not enough for a modern computer to have powerful hardware to meet all the requirements of users.
In addition, the software part of the system must be configured correctly - the OS must be installed and the necessary Windows 8 drivers. perform a connecting function between hardware and computer programs.
The Windows 8 operating system has been known on the market for a long time, so it has almost complete support from software developers.
Where to get drivers
There are many ways to get drivers for 8:
- The disc that comes with the new device. It contains not only drivers, but sometimes proprietary programs from the manufacturer. The main disadvantage of disk drivers is that they can be outdated.
- Drivers can be downloaded from the support page on the manufacturer's website. This is the most modern.
- Unofficial sites also have large driver libraries. On them you can find old drivers that have already been removed from the official websites of the developers.
- The Windows 8 operating system is pre-installed with special utilities that can independently search for and install drivers for computer components.
How to install automatically
Before installing the driver for Windows 8 yourself, you can enable automatic search in the settings of the personal computer.
For this you need:
- Open the control panel by right-clicking on the "Start" button;
- Change the menu display mode to "Small Icons";
- Go to the section related to devices and printers;
- In the window that opens, select the icon with the image of the PC and right-click on it;
- Click on Device Installation Options.
- Then a window will appear in which you need to click "Yes", and then "Save".
How to install manually
Sometimes the operating system fails to install drivers automatically, it is recommended to install the drivers manually:
- Open control panel;
- Double click on "Device Manager";
- Select a device without a driver in the list that opens;
- Right-click on it and select "Update Drivers";
- This will bring up an additional window in which you need to select "Automatically search for updated drivers."
To simplify the process of installing drivers, third-party developers offer a variety of programs for Windows 8. One of the most common is. It searches for drivers on its own and installs them if necessary. In addition, the program checks developer sites for updates.
Important point!
To protect yourself from loss of information (if a failure occurs when installing drivers), do not forget to copy important data from your computer / laptop to external drives before updating drivers in this way.
All drivers for the Windows 8 operating system (32/64-bit versions) - drp.su/ru. Fully automatic installation of all necessary drivers.
No matter what you do with your Windows 8.1 operating system, you can't do without drivers, the pieces of code that interpret signals between your computer and internal and external hardware.
However, drivers can cause problems, so it's worth talking about the process of installing, managing, and repairing unreliable drivers.
Device Manager in Windows 8.1, compared to earlier versions of the operating system, has not changed. And, as always, contains some, usually hidden, extremely useful tools.
Device Manager.
By default, this displays a hierarchical view of all connected and installed devices on the computer, grouped into drop-down sections. If there are any devices that did not install properly, were misconfigured, or disabled, they are highlighted in the list with a small yellow warning triangle. If the device is not working properly, it may also have a warning icon.
There are other useful views in Device Manager that can show you all sorts of additional information about your computer. The Device Manager's View menu offers several options for this. Resource view - Provides information about I/O ports, and interrupt requests (IRQs). cycles of information exchange with the processor. If you are experiencing hardware problems, this view will help you determine if too many devices are communicating with the processor at the same time.
Resource view in device manager.
Attention. What types of hardware problems can be resolved using Device Manager? The most common are defective or incompatible drivers. Moreover, you can get them from any source, both by direct download from the Internet, and through Windows Update.
Also, you can use custom views to see if conflicting drivers are trying to use the same Windows resources at the same time. This problem is quite rare and is always caused by messy written drivers. Another rare problem is the driver, unintentionally installed Windows twice. Interactive in Windows, looking at the path of a driver, such as looking at IRQ requests, will help you see if duplicate driver instances have been loaded. A restart usually fixes this issue.
Here you can also view the hidden devices of your computer. These are usually Windows system drivers that have no particular relationship to a piece of hardware. However, some hardware may also install hidden devices, and you might want to check if that hardware is causing the problem.
Show hidden devices.
If you want to install a driver for a part of the hardware that is not visible, select the Update Hardware Configuration option from the Device Manager Actions menu. You can then do anything for the hardware drivers, including installing, uninstalling, and updating them. The following sections describe how to do this.
Driver installation
Windows 8.1 usually detects new hardware and tries to install drivers for it. If the hardware is new, that is, released after the release of the operating system, the required driver may not be available. In this case, right-click on the driver, and select Update Driver.
Manual driver update.
After that, you will be asked if you want Windows to search for drivers automatically or if you want to install the drivers manually. For hardware that Windows 8.1 has already failed to install correctly, choose to search for drivers on this computer.
Device Driver Wizard.
Here you have two possibilities.
- Perform an automatic search for new drivers in the pre-configured driver packages that come with Windows 8.1. If you have an active internet connection, Windows Update is also searched. And also on any optical or USB drive attached to your computer.
- Searching on this computer provides additional control. Here you can specify the location(s) of the drivers on your hard drives, hard drives or optical discs manually. You can also specify a location on an attached hard drive, flash memory card, or network location. You can choose drivers from the very long list that comes with Windows 8.1.
Selecting drivers manually.
If you select the option to search for a driver on your computer, Windows will attempt to identify this hardware. Next, if you know where you have the drivers you need, select the appropriate option from the list and point Windows 8.1 to the correct driver.
Search for compatible hardware.
If you don't see your hardware listed, uncheck the "Show compatible hardware" box. You will be presented with a long list of hardware from various manufacturers. These are the drivers that ship with Windows 8.1, and if you find your hardware in this list, select the manufacturer and product name that matches the hardware you are trying to install.
Choice of default drivers.
Removing and Restoring Drivers
Sometimes device drivers cause problems and need to be uninstalled or reinstalled. When you remove most (but not all) of the hardware on your computer, you are given the option to completely remove the drivers for that device as well.
"Since I'm not going to delete my video card, the following picture is taken from the Internet."
Removing device drivers.
Checking this option will completely remove these drivers from your PC. This may prevent Windows from automatically reinstalling the erroneous driver. If you need to restore the driver, you can now reinstall it from Windows Update or from another source, such as the source disk that came with the hardware.
Also, if an updated device driver misbehaves, you can roll back to a previous version of the driver. This is done in the properties window of the device driver.
Clue. You can disable unused or problematic hardware by right-clicking on it and selecting Disable.
Working with drivers
As mentioned above, in addition to uninstalling drivers, you can roll back the driver to a previously installed version(if it has been updated through a service such as Windows Update) by right-clicking on it and selecting its properties.
And, if there is an earlier version of the driver, the button to return to the previous driver is also available.
Revert to a previous driver version.
The driver's properties dialog box provides a lot of information about it, but you can't change anything here. And the general tab provides you with information about the correct operation of the driver.
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