Is Driver Detective a good product to use?

Hi golfetoo,

The problem with automatic driver updating tools is that when they fail the results

will be spectacular to catastrophic so its best to update the drivers manually. The

program suggested in my reply above does not automatically update driver. It only

gives the dates and versions installed on the computer and other information to

help manually update them.

Another problem is automatic updating tools do not always find the latest (if even a

correct) driver. By going to sites and checking manually you can see the latest versions,

even betas. And you can see the notes and check with support or any forums for even

more knowledge.

Hope this helps.

Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

Hi,

To add some to Dena B.'s excellent advice :

When those automatic driver programs fail they fail spectacularly. Better to update the

drivers manually when needed.

This is my generic how to for proper driver updates :

This utility makes it easy to see which versions are loaded :

DriverView - Free - utility displays the list of all device drivers currently loaded on your system.

For each driver in the list, additional useful information is displayed: load address of the driver,

description, version, product name, company that created the driver, and more.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/driverview.html

For Drivers check System Maker as fallbacks and Device Maker's which are the most current.

Control Panel - Device Manager - Display Adapter - write down the make and complete model

of your video adapter - double click - Driver's tab - write down the version info. Now click UPdate

Driver (this may not do anything as MS is far behind certifying drivers) - then Right Click -

Uninstall - REBOOT this will refresh the driver stack.

Repeat that for Network - Network Card (NIC), Wifi, Sound, Mouse and Keyboard if 3rd party

with their own software and drivers and any other major device drivers you have.

Now go to System Maker's site (Dell, HP, Toshiba as examples) (as rollback) and then Device

Maker's site (Realtek, Intel, Nvidia, ATI as examples) and get their latest versions. (Look for

BIOS, Chipset and software updates at System Maker's site while there.)

Download - SAVE - go to where you put them - Right Click - RUN AD ADMIN - REBOOT after

each installation.

Always check in Device Manager - Drivers tab to be sure the version you are installing actually

shows up. This is because some drivers rollback before the latest is installed (sound drivers

particularly do this) so install a driver - reboot - check to be sure it is installed and repeat as

needed.

Repeat at Device Makers - BTW at Device Makers DO NOT RUN THEIR SCANNER - check

manually by model.

Manually look at manufacturer's sites for drivers - and Device Maker's sites.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/driverssupport/ht/driverdlmfgr.htm

Installing and updating drivers in Windows 7 (updating drivers manually using the methods above

is preferred to ensure the latest drivers from System maker and Device makers are found)

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/43216-installing-updating-drivers-7-a.html

Hope this helps.

Hi edgarmon,

Here is a thread that suggest Driver Detective causes conflicts with Windows 7 and does not start properly. For more information on this third party product, visit Driver Detective's website if you have not already.