off topic, Driver update tool??? what do folks use?

[Bubba883XL]

Hi all, 

 

Was just pondering over pc and have thought i haven't really updated any drivers, on my new system since owning it late last year..

 

i have seen Driverfix app....has anyone used this? or have any suggestions ? 

[z1812]

Hi Bubba, I would not use any of those apps. You could end up with all kinds of bloatware and very often malware.

First apply any outstanding updates from Microsoft.

Then go to the company sites to get the newest drivers for your graphics and sound card.

Speccy is a free and respected software that tells you exactly what your computer specs are if you don't know them.

Free Download here   https://www.ccleaner.com/speccy    Just download Speccy. 

[DerKommissar]

I don't use any automated driver updater, either. I generally use drivers that shipped with the device, unless there are problems with it. The biggest exception are graphics card drivers, as newer games sometimes require newer drivers.

For that, I use the native NVidia companion app -- I actually perfered the AMD one (when I used AMD). These companion apps ship with your graphics card. They'll let you know that there is a new version and give you an option to update.

To check all your driver versions, status and options: go to Device Manager (it's native to Win 7, 10, etc.). From there you can even manually install drivers. No disrespect to CCleaner, I have fond memories of using that one.

[Lethaface]

Through the website of your mobo supplier you can usually update drivers specific for your mobo. MSI and others have an automatic tool too which can even be used to update video cards etc. 

However, Like the others here, I usually just update things manually. 

[Bubba883XL]

cheers all! i've kept them softwares away..

[landser]

On 4/30/2020 at 12:43 PM, Bubba883XL said:

 

Was just pondering over pc and have thought i haven't really updated any drivers, on my new system since owning it late last year..

I agree with the others, avoid those sorts of apps. That said, if ain't broke, don't fix it. I don't update drivers because there is a new one. Only when some sort of issue crops up that is driver related. But the only real reason I will do it is if I get a new game that doesn't run well on the old ones.

This is becoming ever more rare. Back in the day it was common. A new WHQL came out for the video card? Get it. But back then we also managed swap files, ran defrag before we installed everything, and did annual reformats of the hard drives just to keep it all ticking along and playing nicely.

Now? Hardly ever needed unless there's an issue with how a program is running. If it runs fine, no need to risk it

 

I see now the necro, but the advice still stands...

Edited February 10, 2021 by landser

[CMFDR]

Driver Booster by iObit, it makes installing and keeping track of your drivers' version a walk in the park rather than a painstaking time consuming activity where it shouldn't be, nowadays.
I would rather spend 30 minutes in CM rather than searching/installing softwares.
https://www.iobit.com/en/driver-booster.php

PS : obsolete drivers also makes your computer (more) vulnerable to hacking, by the way.

Edited February 11, 2021 by CMFDR

[Bulletpoint]

On 2/10/2021 at 9:31 PM, landser said:

That said, if ain't broke, don't fix it. I don't update drivers because there is a new one.

Good advice. Most driver updates these days are basically optimisations for the newest mainstream games. Old games like CM rarely benefit from driver updates, and new drivers might even break some old functionality. There's no reason to update as long as things run decently.

[Erwin]

Hmm...  The first thing Tech Support asked me re CM not running on my new Win 10 machine was whether I had updated drivers, and they urged me to do so.  So...?   You think that updating the drivers has made things worse??

[landser]

Well that sort of advice is like your internet provider saying 'unplug the router, wait 20 seconds, then plug it in again'. It often works and is not bad advice. But it's more like something to get out of the way and if it doesn't solve the issue then we will dive deeper.

Updating drivers isn't necessarily good nor bad. But sometimes you can create a new issue attempting to fix another. My advice was if ain't broke don't fix it. If you actually have it broke, then it is solid advice most of the time and well, you need to fix it. I wouldn't worry.