Best way to update drivers - DriverTuner?

[scamander]

Hi all,

Uninstalled and reinstalled my Radeon graphics card driver and during this I downloaded the DriverTuner "free" programme. It detected (surprise, surprise) over 30 out of date drivers.

Has anyone used this - is it worth registering for?

Interestingly I ran it after I reinstalled my graphics driver and it's recognised it but says there are problems still. This is interesting as I've been having the occasional crash with it (hence the uninstall/reinstall of it)

As ever, any advice welcome.

scamander

 

[Tews]

IMO, programs such as these are snake oil ... pure and simple ... I (and most other users here) update my drivers from either Windows Update, and the support sites of your equipment!

 

[speedgamer01]

You can use the free software called Driver Sweeper for the same reason.
http://phyxion.net/Driver-Sweeper/Driver-Sweeper/Version-3-2-0/Installer.html

Cheers!

 

[scamander]

Tews,

thanks very much - I thought so. I get how you can update graphics card drivers, but howabout other ones I may not be aware of?

Reason being is that I got a few come up that I don't understand (e.g PCI standard host CPU Bridge). There are a number like this.

It sounded like snake oil, but at the same time I'd like to know what drivers I should be updating.

thanks for the advice though!!

 

[marsmimar]

Personal opinion, FWIW: When it comes to drivers, if it ain't broke don't fix it. If you absolutely feel the need to update drivers that are working fine, I'd go to the manufacturer's website rather than relying on a 3rd party site like DriverTuner. Not to say they're no good, just that the manufacturer should have the latest and best driver(s) available. If you do replace any drivers I'd recommend creating a restore point in case there are subsequent problems. Better still, a system image.

 

[scamander]

Speedgamer,

cheers for that - would you reccommend the PC Speed up programme that's offered alongside it? I've done a free scan with it and it seems problems abound!

Should I just ignore it and uninstall PC Speed Up?

 

[speedgamer01]

You should use no utilities like that, uninstall it now and don't install any software in the future that is said to speed up the comuter.

And only use driver sweeper to delete old drivers when no drivers are installed eg. u can use it if you uninstall ati drivers and you use it when nothing is installed OR if you change from ati to nvidia you can clean up the left-over driver pieces

 

[IronEagle]

Don't even think of buying DriverTuner

I tried this DriverTuner just to see how accurate it was. The result: It identifies a few outdated drivers. Mostly, it identifies current up to date drivers as being outdated and suggests installing the same or older drivers and drivers that are not compatible (ie 32 bit drivers for 64 bit system). It also identifies drivers for non-existent hardware. Totally a POS.

If you do a search for this, you'll find several glowing reviews on fake review sites.

 

[gregrocker]

These programs are XPired-era relics. Win7 is the authority on its own drivers with most of them in the installer or quickly updated via optional Windows Updates.

Only in rare cases with the oldest hardware will a program like DriverMax come up with a driver which can't be found because it was long forgotten and even overlooked by google. This was the case recently where I installed DM for the first time in Win7 and it found a Vista display driver for an old Dell Inspiron C540 that had plagued it's owner. It's the only case I can think of where DriverMax (so useful in XP) has actually found something helpful for Win7. Most of these programs will screw up your Win7 drivers requiring reinstall.

 

[MikeSr]

I bought DriverTuner and my experience is that it is a POS. I requested a refund in the less than the 60 day guarantee period and have asked my credit card company to with hold payment. I have emailed the seller at least 3 times requesting a credit to my card and have only gotten BS replies from them. Don't waste your time or money. You can use the free version of DriverMax and get fairly satisfactory results. It does sometimes recommend a newer driver that does not work, but it also sets up restore points before it updates so if something doesn't work you can roll it back to where it was or go back to a restore point if you have to. Running Win XP Pro V2002 SP3

 

[gregrocker]

Repeat: Any drivers that are not provided by Win7 either in it's installer or via optional Windows Updates can be found on the Support Downloads webpage for the Device. No modern hardware should need DriverMax or any other driver program. They don't hide their drivers but put them out there for anyone with the name of the device can find.

If you need to determine with certainty the make/model of a missing driver in Device Manager use Hardware Identification.

 

[tommytinkroom]

I've been using "driver genius pro"for a few years and i find it excellent.
All well and and good saying go to the device website and download their latest drivers,
but is'nt this the whole point of it to let the software do it for you.
Also it downloads and installs in a fraction of a time it takes to do it from
the websites.
Especially if you have to download any drivers from Realtek which can
be painfully slow.

 

[gregrocker]

What you may be missing is Win7 is driver-complete in the installer and via optional Windows Update when you enable Automatically get recommended drivers and updates for your hardware.

There are very few drivers left after updates which need to be imported and they are easily found on the device/computer's Support Downloads webpage.

Then you should rely on Updates to keep your drivers current. Unlike XP, Win7 is the authority on its own drivers. A third-party driver program will only gum up the works.

 

[Layback Bear]

Things I do and don't do.
1. I don't up date drivers that are working fine.
2. I don't use 3rd party programs to do anything with drivers.
3. I do use Windows to check and update drivers if needed.
4. I do use manufactures sites for new drivers if needed.
5. I do set a restore point before removing and installing drivers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I recommend this method because it has always worked for me.
Windows 7 is boss over drivers and the manufacture is 2nd in command. Their are no others in the chain of command IMHO.

 

[knownware]

Hi all,

Uninstalled and reinstalled my Radeon graphics card driver and during this I downloaded the DriverTuner "free" programme. It detected (surprise, surprise) over 30 out of date drivers.

Has anyone used this - is it worth registering for?

Interestingly I ran it after I reinstalled my graphics driver and it's recognised it but says there are problems still. This is interesting as I've been having the occasional crash with it (hence the uninstall/reinstall of it)

As ever, any advice welcome.

scamander

Hey there Scamander, I personally have used Driver Tuner in the past. I actually still use it. I registered for it and find it useful for updating. If you still are not convinced, I did a quick search for any good reviews for Driver Tuner and found one. Hope it helps!

~knownware

Driver Tuner Review

 

[gregrocker]

No one here recommends driver programs for Win7 which is driver-complete in the installer and updated via optional Windows Updates when you enable Automatically get recommended drivers and updates for your hardware .

The exception is when Standard VGA driver is given for Display, which is a placeholder waiting for Update. If no Update is provided find the lastest on the Support Downloads webpage for your model.

On really old hardware where using Hardware Identification, googling extensively comes up with nothing then I will use the most reliable driver finder program from the XP era, DriverMax for it's 3 free drivers per day. But I never need more than the one I'm searching, and won't change out drivers willy-nilly from the ones Win7 wants unless performance problems first point to that driver.

Using a driver program is XP-era retrogression with a new-generation OS MS spent nearly a billion dollars making driver-complete.

 

[oriabenhaim]

no refound!!! no guarantee!!

no refound!!! no guarantee!!
I purchesed the software online in order to fix my girlfriend computer that was crushing due to lack of drivers.
I tried to work with the software, but it didnt work for me, and i ended up giving the comuputer to a computer lab.
i ask for refound, but they keep on fulling me around.

 

[keebsuk]

Personal opinion, FWIW: When it comes to drivers, if it ain't broke don't fix it. If you absolutely feel the need to update drivers that are working fine, I'd go to the manufacturer's website rather than relying on a 3rd party site like DriverTuner. Not to say they're no good, just that the manufacturer should have the latest and best driver(s) available. If you do replace any drivers I'd recommend creating a restore point in case there are subsequent problems. Better still, a system image.

I agree 100%. We are all guilty of "messing about" with drivers/firmware then spending hours trying to put right what is now kaput! I leave well alone unless I absolutely must and then I use the safety of a restore point, just in case.

Andy

 

[FilleSwe321]

Speeding up PC program

there is actually a program that does work, with speeding up ur PC its called TuneUP Utilities
im using it myself when im playing games and such, just activate turbo mode and the lag is gone, there is a mode for battery saving too, and it comes with recommendactions for pc performance and such, i recommend u to download it. Its from AVG (virus scanner or something)

 

[gregrocker]

Since you're here why not listen to those who've lived inside Win7 since beta? There are no driver finders needed in a driver complete OS. Win7 provides the drivers it wants via Updates. If there are any missing drivers or problems just ask back here.

You're asking for trouble with TuneUp Utilities and other optimizing suites. They are not needed or tolerated by a perfectly feather light OS like this.

What's needed is a perfect install on adequate tested hardware. The reinstall tutorial in my signature pic below compiles everything that works best for Win7 and has been used tens of thousands of happy users without a single complaint.