How accurate is driver max?

[greenwizard]

I know I should just go to manufacter site and check or just let windows update get them.Well here is what driver max show me,just now went through a scan.
I tried to add the html code,but it will not show correctly.I select the # symbol for html code wrap.pasted the code between code wraps.And all it shows is broken links.Still have the page incase anyone can help.But,maybe this is readable
Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family

8.15.10.1930
23 Sep 20098.15.10.1930
23 Sep 2009Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family

8.15.10.1930
23 Sep 20098.15.10.1930
23 Sep 2009

Human Interface Devices
DriverYour verLatest verMicrosoft USB Wheel Mouse Optical

6.1.7601.17514
21 Jun 20068.1.239.0
26 May 2011

IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers
DriverYour verLatest verIntel(R) ICH8M SATA AHCI Controller - 2829

7.0.0.1013
08 Jun 201010.1.0.1008
06 Nov 2010Intel(R) ICH8M Ultra ATA Storage Controllers - 2850

9.1.1.1016
05 Aug 20099.1.1.1016
05 Aug 2009

Mice and other pointing devices
DriverYour verLatest verMicrosoft USB Wheel Mouse Optical

6.1.7600.16385
21 Jun 20068.20.409.0
18 May 2011

Modems
DriverYour verLatest verAgere Systems HDA Modem

2.1.87.0
29 Feb 20082.2.99.0
03 Dec 2009

Network adapters
DriverYour verLatest verRealtek PCIe FE Family Controller

6.247.222.2011
22 Feb 20117.44.421.2011
21 Apr 2011Realtek RTL8187B Wireless 802.11b/g 54Mbps USB 2.0 Network Adapter

62.1182.331.2010
31 Mar 201062.1182.331.2010
31 Mar 2010

Sound, video and game controllers
DriverYour verLatest verSigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC

6.10.5609.0
07 Sep 20076.10.5609.0
07 Sep 2007

System devices
DriverYour verLatest verIntel(R) 82801 PCI Bridge - 2448

7.0.1.1011
07 Nov 20087.0.1.1011
07 Nov 2008Intel(R) ICH8M LPC Interface Controller - 2815

8.6.1.1002
20 Feb 20088.6.1.1002
20 Feb 2008Intel(R) ICH8 Family SMBus Controller - 283E

1.0.0.2
08 Jun 20101.0.0.2
08 Jun 2010Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 1 - 283F

8.6.1.1002
20 Feb 20088.6.1.1002
20 Feb 2008Mobile Intel(R) PM965/GM965/GL960/GS965 Express Processor to DRAM Controller - 2A00

8.3.1.1005
19 Oct 20078.3.1.1005
19 Oct 2007Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 6 - 2849

8.6.1.1002
20 Feb 20088.6.1.1002
20 Feb 2008High Definition Audio Controller

6.1.7601.17514
19 Nov 20106.1.7601.17514
19 Nov 2010Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 3 - 2843

8.6.1.1002
20 Feb 20088.6.1.1002
20 Feb 2008

Universal Serial Bus controllers
DriverYour verLatest verUSB Mass Storage Device

6.1.7601.21680
21 Jun 20066.1.7600.30126
27 Oct 2010Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 2836

9.1.1.1016
05 Aug 20099.1.1.1016
05 Aug 2009Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 283A

9.1.1.1016
05 Aug 20099.1.1.1016
05 Aug 2009Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2830

9.1.1.1016
05 Aug 20099.1.1.1016
05 Aug 2009Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2831

9.1.1.1016
05 Aug 20099.1.1.1016
05 Aug 2009Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2832

9.1.1.1016
05 Aug 20099.1.1.1016
05 Aug 2009Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2835

9.1.1.1016
05 Aug 20099.1.1.1016
05 Aug 2009Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2834

9.1.1.1016
05 Aug 20099.1.1.1016
05 Aug 2009
Hesitating weither I should do anything.What is making me want to try is sometimes I do get a hang on logoff and shutdown,not everytime but often.I have avast and advanced system care pro that run on startup,no other extra programs.Both installed correctly and I did a sucessfull restart after installing each one.So I believe its maybe driver issues.

 

[marsmimar]

This is going to be a FWIW type answer. Driver Max has a pretty extensive data base and I use them just to see what they suggest the newest drivers are for my computer. But I always use the manufacturer's driver download site if I ever decide to update a driver. (For example, the manufacturer might put out a new driver but people report problems. They pull the driver while they work on a fix but a 3rd party website like Driver Max might keep the driver in their data base.)

Gateway Support - Drivers & Downloads

My general rule of thumb is if it ain't broken don't fix it. You say your computer sometimes hangs on logoff/shutdown. Before messing with the drivers I'd try troubleshooting by doing a Clean Boot. That might narrow down the issue and give you a specific problem area that's causing the hang at shutdown.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ation-conflicts-performing-clean-startup.html

 

[seth500]

marsmimar[/URL]]My general rule of thumb is if it ain't broken don't fix it. You say your computer sometimes hangs on logoff/shutdown. Before messing with the drivers I'd try troubleshooting by doing a Clean Boot. That might narrow down the issue and give you a specific problem area that's causing the hang at shutdown.

Mine too I don't even mess with the drivers if there isn't a problem, I have run into more problems by fixing things that aren't broken and have never had new drivers rarely give me any type of performance boost to say the least.

 

[A Guy]

I've found it can find newer drivers, but can also list drivers who's numbers don't make sense, even if the date is newer. I generally look for a higher number that seems to be a natural progression. However, if everything is working fine, I generally don't go looking. A Guy

 

[DeaconFrost]

Personally, I don't trust a program to go out and check for drivers when I can do so easily myself. I don't have any extensive experience with any of them, I have just found it to be more accurate to go out and check for myself. Majorgeeks also posts major, common drivers as well.

 

[Dwarf]

I might be being a bit cynical here, but why pay for a program that does what you can do for free? Besides which, it is only as effective as its database (which can contain errors and be, in some cases, several driver revisions behind those available from the hardware manufacturer).

Make a point of identifying the hardware in your system - a handy tool is described in this Tutorial http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/180324-system-info-see-your-system-specs.html - and then go to the relevant hardware manufacturer's websites and download the appropriate drivers directly.

 

[HammerHead]

Agree

I'm with Deacon and A Guy. I have used Driver Max and I found for my hardware they didn't always have the latest and some times it would detect a device that I really didn't have. I was disappointed in it. Another what I considered to be a minus was it would let you install multiple drivers at the same time. I prefer to boot and look things over first (one install at a time). Another minus for me was it did not really let you down load the driver file it just supplied a link and the system would download and install leaving you with out a copy of the driver file. I like to keep the real driver files not just a link.