Locate drivers.  


  1. Posts : 11
    x86
       #1

    Locate drivers.


    Is there any application to search for and locate drivers out there?

    I have an uninstalled application, and I want to search for
    any driver files in that app.

    I know I can go through all (500+) files and search on
    the file extensions, but that is a gruesome and tedious task...
      My Computer


  2. NoN
    Posts : 4,166
    Windows 7 Professional SP1 - x64 [Non-UEFI Boot]
       #2

    zzpack said:
    Is there any application to search for and locate drivers out there?

    I have an uninstalled application, and I want to search for
    any driver files in that app.

    I know I can go through all (500+) files and search on
    the file extensions, but that is a gruesome and tedious task...
    You can always go in: C:\Windows\System32\drivers & C:\Windows\SysWOW64\drivers...

    then highlight those are suspected have stayed after uninstall or right click properties of the suspected drivers.

    Once locate, delete it. You'll have to remember the name of the deleted driver to delete the path in the registry aswell.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 11
    x86
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Well, I´m not interested to search for installed or uninstalled drivers.
    I have an uninstalled application and in that package I want to locate any
    drivers.

    I have put out this question on other forums as well, but I don´t get
    any response. So I have come to the conclusion that only the application
    developers can give any answer on their respective apps.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 10,994
    Win 7 Pro 64-bit
       #4

    This might not be exactly what you're looking for but Microsoft has something called Driver Install Frameworks (DIFx) for developers that simplifies and customizes the installation of driver packages for devices that have not yet been installed in a computer.

    Driver Package Installer (DPInst) (Windows Driver Kit)

    Going a few steps forward, developers then provide a driver package which consists of all the software components that must be provided to support the software under Windows. A driver package will minimally include those driver files, which are typically dynamic-link libraries with the .sys file name extension.

    Providing a Driver Package (Windows Driver Kit)

    It seems from this information that a reverse engineering process might be required to extract driver information from an application if it hasn't already been installed on a computer. Not to mention there might be some legal issues involving proprietary information. In the alternative, it seems like it would be easier (relatively speaking) to use a utility like Nirsoft's DriverView to take a "snapshot" of the drivers currently installed on a machine. Then install your application, take a second snapshot, and compare the two to see what drivers have been added. Once that information is obtained you could always uninstall the application.

    DriverView: Loaded Windows Drivers List
      My Computer


 

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 7 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 7" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:15.
Find Us