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Windows 7 - Best Method for Finding Correct Drivers? |
12-25-2010
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#1 | | |
Best Method for Finding Correct Drivers? I heard about Everest Ultimate from a friend and I love it.
It tells me everything about my computer, the name of the hardware, and much more.
After looking up my hardware, i google search the latest drivers using the information from Everest.
Is anybody familiar with this program? How accurate is the information it provides?
Is there a better way?
I've looked up drivers in the past and there were so many options to choose from sometimes, i didn't even know where to begin to look to figure it out.
Any feedback or tips would be appreciated. | My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Dell Inspiron Q6600 OS Windows 7 64 Bit CPU Intel Core2 Quad 2.4 Motherboard Intel G33 Express Memory 2GB Graphics Card Will Update Sound Card Onboard Monitor(s) Displays Samsung SyncMaster181T Keyboard Logitech G15 Mouse Logitech G7 PSU 300w Internet Speed Crappy (changing that soon) Other Info What other info could i possibly put? The other stuff i left out? Who cares. =) |
12-25-2010
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#2 | | |
I don't know, seems like most of the info is already available with device manager and system properties. However, for a similar program to Everest Ultimate, I prefer Belarc Advisor which is easier to read and free (no 30 day trial). | My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Dell Vostro 3500 OS Windows 7 Professional CPU Intel i5 460M Memory 3GB DDR3 RAM Graphics Card nVidia GeForce 310M Monitor(s) Displays 17" Dell (external), 32" Vizio HDTV Screen Resolution 1366 x 768 Keyboard The Virtually Indestructible Keyboard Mouse Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000 Hard Drives 320 GB Seagate @ 7200RPM
(same HDD as an external in a USB Ultra enclosure) Other Info Avira AntiVir Personal, Seagate DiscWizard |
12-25-2010
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#3 | | Windows 7 HP 64bit, Windows 8 64bit |
The best place for drivers is the manufacturers web sites.
Jim | My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Home Built OS Windows 7 HP 64bit, Windows 8 64bit CPU Phenom II X6 1100T Motherboard ASUS M5A99X EVO Memory Crucial Balistic 8gb DDR3-1866 CL9 Graphics Card MSI R6850 Cyclone IGD5 PE Sound Card On Board Monitor(s) Displays ASUS VE258Q 25" LED with DVI-HDMI-DisplayPort Screen Resolution 1920 x 1080 Keyboard AVS Gear Blue LED Backlight Mouse Logitech Marble Mouse USB, Logitech Precision Game Pad PSU Seasonic X650 80 Plus GOLD Modular Case Corsair 400R Cooling Antec Kuhler H2O 620, Two 120mm and four 140mm Hard Drives Two WD Cavier Black 2TB Sata III, WD My Book Essential 2TB USB 3.0 Internet Speed 15MB Other Info APC UPS ES 750, Netgear WNR3500L Gigabit & Wireless N Router with SamKnows Test Program, Motorola SB6120 Gigabit Cable Modem. Brother HL-2170W Laser Printer, Epson V300 Scanner |
12-25-2010
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#4 | | Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1, LinuxMint 9 LTS x64, Debian 6, Ubuntu 10.04 LTS x64 |

Quote: Originally Posted by Phone Man The best place for drivers is the manufacturers web sites.
Jim  +1. Know your hardware, and always, where possible, get the driver from the manufacturer. | My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Golden Mk. I.3 OS Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1, LinuxMint 9 LTS x64, Debian 6, Ubuntu 10.04 LTS x64 CPU Intel i7 860 @ 2.80 GHz Motherboard Gigabyte P55A-UD3R Rev.1. Award BIOS F13 Memory 16GB Corsair Vengance DDR3 @ 661 MHz Dual Channel (9-9-9-24) Graphics Card EVGA NVidia GTX 560 1024MB Sound Card Realtek Integrated Monitor(s) Displays Dual Samsung SyncMaster 2494HS Screen Resolution 1920*1080 and 1920*1080 Keyboard Logitech G110 Mouse Logitech MX518 PSU Thermaltake ToughPower QFan 750W Case Thermaltake Element S VK60001W2Z Cooling Corsair H60 Water Cooling, 2*230mm and 2*80mm case fans Hard Drives 1*OCZ Vertex 2 60GB SSD;
2*Samsung F3 SpinPoint 1TB in RAID0;
2*Samsung F1 SpinPoint 1TB in RAID1;
1*Western Digital WD10EARS 1TB
1*Western Digital 500GB External USB 3.0
1*Seagate 500GB External USB 2.0 Internet Speed Not fast enough!!! |
12-25-2010
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#5 | | Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit & 64-bit both SP1 |

Quote: Originally Posted by Golden 
Quote: Originally Posted by Phone Man The best place for drivers is the manufacturers web sites.
Jim  +1. Know your hardware, and always, where possible, get the driver from the manufacturer. +2. I recommend that as well. All of these programs that purport to locate drivers are, in my opinion, completely superfluous. Not only do you actually have to pay in order to actually download the drivers (the trial/free versions merely display available drivers), but they are not always the latest as they will only display/download what they have in their databases, which in some cases can be wrong. To add insult to injury, the drivers from the device manufacturers will be the latest official versions, with the added bonus that they can be downloaded for free. | My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Home Built, N/A OS Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit & 64-bit both SP1 CPU AMD Athlon (tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 7550 @2.5GHz Motherboard Gigabyte GA-MA770-ES3 Memory 2 x 2GB PC2-6400 (DDR2-800), Ganged Mode, (4GB total) Graphics Card Nvidia GeForce GTX 550 Ti 1GB Sound Card Realtek High Definition on board solution (ALC 892) Monitor(s) Displays ViewSonic VA1912w Widescreen (VGA) Screen Resolution 1440x900 Keyboard Microsoft Digital Media Pro Keyboard (USB) Mouse Microsoft Comfort Optical Mouse 3000 (USB) PSU XFX Pro Series 850W Semi-Modular Case Antec NSK 4000B II Cooling 1 x 80mm Front Inlet (with filter) 1 x 120mm Rear Exhaust Hard Drives OCZ Petrol SSD 64GB SATA III
OCZ Petrol SSD 128GB SATA III
Samsung HD501LJ 500GB SATA II x2
Hitachi HDS721010CLA332 1TB SATA II
1 x Iomega 1.5TB Ext USB 2.0 Internet Speed NetGear DG834Gv3 ADSL Modem/Router (Ethernet) ~4.0 Mb/s (O2) Other Info PCI-Express SATA III controller (Marvell 88SE9128 chipset)
Optical Drive: HL-DT-ST BD-RE BH10LS30 SATA Bluray
Lexmark S305 Printer/Scanner/Copier (USB)
CTF-430 Tablet & Pen
WEI Score: |
12-25-2010
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#6 | | |
Hmm.. I think we're off track just a tad...
I was wanting to know if by using Everest, Getting the name and model and such (Everest allows you to see MUCH more than just that, tho) of my hardware, then going to the manufacturers site to download the latest drivers is the most efficient way of find the drivers.
When your trying to fix someones computer, they could have anything brand of computer, any hardware, etc. So this is why i ask the question. I even have sets Drivers for certain setups, such as an Inspiron 530. Anyway...
Is this program good for this, or is there a less time consuming, more efficient, method. I do not mind paying Everest's small fee. I would like to have input from everyone, but mostly from people that have used Everest before. This is not a program like Driver Detective, etc.
The biggest problem i have is when i find the information i need for the hardware and i cannot find it on the official website.
Thanks alot for all responses.
Last edited by IaskQuestions; 12-25-2010 at 04:13 PM..
Reason: update
| My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Dell Inspiron Q6600 OS Windows 7 64 Bit CPU Intel Core2 Quad 2.4 Motherboard Intel G33 Express Memory 2GB Graphics Card Will Update Sound Card Onboard Monitor(s) Displays Samsung SyncMaster181T Keyboard Logitech G15 Mouse Logitech G7 PSU 300w Internet Speed Crappy (changing that soon) Other Info What other info could i possibly put? The other stuff i left out? Who cares. =) |
12-25-2010
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#7 | | Windows 7 Home Premium 64 & Netbook with Win7 Starter |

Quote: Originally Posted by Hikertrash I don't know, seems like most of the info is already available with device manager and system properties. However, for a similar program to Everest Ultimate, I prefer Belarc Advisor which is easier to read and free (no 30 day trial). I agree--Belarc Adviser is a good one. I use it, and another good free one is SIW. | My System Specs | | OS Windows 7 Home Premium 64 & Netbook with Win7 Starter Memory mG |
12-25-2010
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#8 | | |

Quote: Originally Posted by Frank1 
Quote: Originally Posted by Hikertrash I don't know, seems like most of the info is already available with device manager and system properties. However, for a similar program to Everest Ultimate, I prefer Belarc Advisor which is easier to read and free (no 30 day trial). I agree--Belarc Adviser is a good one. I use it, and another good free one is SIW. Alright i'll try 'em out. Always good to broaden your horizon. | My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Dell Inspiron Q6600 OS Windows 7 64 Bit CPU Intel Core2 Quad 2.4 Motherboard Intel G33 Express Memory 2GB Graphics Card Will Update Sound Card Onboard Monitor(s) Displays Samsung SyncMaster181T Keyboard Logitech G15 Mouse Logitech G7 PSU 300w Internet Speed Crappy (changing that soon) Other Info What other info could i possibly put? The other stuff i left out? Who cares. =) |
12-25-2010
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#9 | | |

Quote: Originally Posted by IaskQuestions 
Quote: Originally Posted by Frank1 
Quote: Originally Posted by Hikertrash I don't know, seems like most of the info is already available with device manager and system properties. However, for a similar program to Everest Ultimate, I prefer Belarc Advisor which is easier to read and free (no 30 day trial). I agree--Belarc Adviser is a good one. I use it, and another good free one is SIW. Alright i'll try 'em out. Always good to broaden your horizon.  That's probably a good idea since, according to this thread, it appear the days of Everest Ultimate are over... Lavalys acquired by Finalwire: EVEREST IS WITHDRAWN! | My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Dell Vostro 3500 OS Windows 7 Professional CPU Intel i5 460M Memory 3GB DDR3 RAM Graphics Card nVidia GeForce 310M Monitor(s) Displays 17" Dell (external), 32" Vizio HDTV Screen Resolution 1366 x 768 Keyboard The Virtually Indestructible Keyboard Mouse Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000 Hard Drives 320 GB Seagate @ 7200RPM
(same HDD as an external in a USB Ultra enclosure) Other Info Avira AntiVir Personal, Seagate DiscWizard System Manufacturer/Model Number Dell Inspiron Q6600 OS Windows 7 64 Bit CPU Intel Core2 Quad 2.4 Motherboard Intel G33 Express Memory 2GB Graphics Card Will Update Sound Card Onboard Monitor(s) Displays Samsung SyncMaster181T Keyboard Logitech G15 Mouse Logitech G7 PSU 300w Internet Speed Crappy (changing that soon) Other Info What other info could i possibly put? The other stuff i left out? Who cares. =) Best Method for Finding Correct Drivers? problems? All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:35 PM. |  |