Win 7 x64 driver backup?


  1. Posts : 31
    windows 7
       #1

    Win 7 x64 driver backup?


    Hi,

    I've finally got everything working driver wise. No conflicts I can detect anyway.

    I'd like to back up my drivers so with future installations I can use them again & not have to scramble like I had to before.

    There are some softwares like "DriverMax" that supposedly will find the newest drivers for you but I haven't found them to be much use with Vista x64 or Win 7 x64. Drivermax for instance only works with a 32 bit OS. One of the things these "driver finder" programs do is supposedly keep all your drivers in an archive so you can re-install them later without doing the driver scramble. For the moment, that's all I need.

    Any idea of what software will back up all the Win 7 drivers and then make them available for redeployment when needed?

    Thanks!

    M
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 16,129
    7 X64
       #2
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 6,879
    Win 7 Ultimate x64
       #3

    Or you could just save the downloaded installer files to a separate partition, burn them to disk, store them on a flash drive, etc; no need for those Mickey Mouse driver programs. Then you have them the next time you need to install them.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 31
    windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #4

    stormy13 said:
    Or you could just save the downloaded installer files to a separate partition, burn them to disk, store them on a flash drive, etc; no need for those Mickey Mouse driver programs. Then you have them the next time you need to install them.
    I will be saving them to a flash drive anyway. If I were to save the files as you suggest, are they in a folder that I save & then point to there to re-install?

    I've found Windows 7 much more unfriendly when it comes to adding/changing/modifying files than XP was. When I replaced the bogus windows "help" file with one that works, I had to go through a lot of steps to finally taking ownership of the native winhlp32.exe, just to finally delete it so I could then I could put in the "real" winhlp32.exe in it's place. A PITA. Do I have to do that with the files/folders or maybe more to do as you're suggesting?

    Thanks!
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 6,879
    Win 7 Ultimate x64
       #5

    If I were to save the files as you suggest, are they in a folder that I save & then point to there to re-install?
    Yes. I have a folder on a separate partition that I keep a backup of all drivers that I need, and replace as needed if I updated any of them so I always have the most recent version.

    All you do is once Windows in installed is go where you saved the downloaded drivers (they should be either zip or exe) and double click on it to install the driver.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 31
    windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #6

    stormy13 said:
    Yes. I have a folder on a separate partition that I keep a backup of all drivers that I need, and replace as needed if I updated any of them so I always have the most recent version.

    All you do is once Windows in installed is go where you saved the downloaded drivers (they should be either zip or exe) and double click on it to install the driver.
    I was thinking you were saying there was a native Win 7 folder, a sub-folder with all the drivers contained in it the windows directory that I could copy to a thumb drive and then point to that folder from a new windows installation.

    Some of the drivers I was able to download as .exe and some installed directly. As I don't have a .exe to run every driver (I do have a copy of all the salient x64 .exe files I have found) I think my best bet is to use a program like the one mentioned above and simply delete it afterwards if I find it is of no ongoing use.

    I do appreciate the reply & the thoughts.

    Cheers,

    M
      My Computer


 

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