Is there a way to make a driver back-up disc?

[AimeeUk]

I just downgraded to Windows 7 - but whenever I format my laptop I will have to install all of my drivers manually and it's been an absolute nightmare!

It's all finally working, but I wondered if there's a way I can make a disc to back-up my drivers; preferably something I can put in after I re-install Windows that installs all of my drivers quickly and painlessly.

Does such a procedure exist?
Can anyone give me advice please?

I have a huge folder full of random drivers, so I'm not sure which ones are the ones that worked or I'd just back it up as a data disc.

Is there anything that will back-up my device manager or something?

Thanks! ♥

 

[maxie]

A better way to do things would be to make regular System Images to an External drive ...... That way should never have to Re-Install again ....

You could put all the Drivers on Disc ... The problem with that is like every thing else from time to time they need to be Updated

 

[Mark Phelps]

I used to use a product known as Double Driver, but recently, it stopped working.

So, I switched to Driver Backup. Using it, you can make a copy of all the drivers in use to a folder, and then copy that folder to a USB stick. This could then be used to reinstall any missing drivers.

I have done this and it works.

 

[AimeeUk]

Thank you
How do you make system images?

 

[AimeeUk]

I used to use a product known as Double Driver, but recently, it stopped working.

So, I switched to Driver Backup. Using it, you can make a copy of all the drivers in use to a folder, and then copy that folder to a USB stick. This could then be used to reinstall any missing drivers.

I have done this and it works.

Thank you so so much - i'll try this now

 

[maxie]

Macrium Reflect is the Program you need highly recommended here on Seven Forums ...

 

[AimeeUk]

Macrium Reflect is the Program you need highly recommended here on Seven Forums ...

Thanks! ♥

 

[PSCO2007]

You can use Macrium ( free) to create the image.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/content/pa...2270j1060538j7


Be careful when downloading to always click "custom" and decline any of the crap it wants to add - i.e. changing search engines, home page, etc.

Make a boot cd( instructions on main page) and also after creating the image, do a Verify.

I do this by clicking Restore and browsing for the created image and you will see a link to Verify.

Put the image on [FONT=inherit !important]a different internal hdd and if you have an external hdd[/FONT], put one there as well.

Do an image backup periodically, (I do it once a week or after any major changes).

As was said, this is the easiest way to save all your drivers and an image restore is quick and painless.

 

[AimeeUk]

Thank you so much! ♥

 

[PSCO2007]

You're welcome!!

Good luck and ask for any additional help.

Paul

 

[Kaktussoft]

I just downgraded to Windows 7 - but whenever I format my laptop I will have to install all of my drivers manually and it's been an absolute nightmare!

It's all finally working, but I wondered if there's a way I can make a disc to back-up my drivers; preferably something I can put in after I re-install Windows that installs all of my drivers quickly and painlessly.

Does such a procedure exist?
Can anyone give me advice please?

I have a huge folder full of random drivers, so I'm not sure which ones are the ones that worked or I'd just back it up as a data disc.

Is there anything that will back-up my device manager or something?

Thanks! ♥

Exactly what HP notebook do you have?
HP Software and Driver Downloads for HP Printers, Laptops, Desktops and More | HP® Support there you can find your model and find all its "drivers". Download the wired LAN driver and the wireless driver. So you can access the internet and download/install the remaining stuff. But better wait a few days and let windows install the drivers automatically. Of course you need a network connection and network drivers to do so.

What is the problem?

 

[PSCO2007]

Thank you so much! ♥

Aimee,

One thing I forgot to mention is if you have to do an image restore, you will need to use the boot cd.

Make sure you go into BIOS and set the dvd drive with the cd as the boot device.

Paul

Also, with an Image Restore, if you get a virus, you won't have to go through all the Malware removal steps- just do the Restore and you're back to a clean image.

 

[dsperber]

Just for clarification, don't ALL drivers live in C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository? These include all currently in-use as well as all other unused drivers which came from MS as part of the Win7 install, along with all additional drivers you caused to be installed either automatically when "new hardware detected" occurred or manually when running a SETUP.EXE provided by a hardware vendor.

This folder is generally over 4GB in size, and of course has probably thousands of INF files which would need to be examined in order to find the correct one for some new hardware install, but as I understand it ALL drivers live here (again, either via original Win7 install or subsequently as you add new hardware and install vendor-provided drivers) specifically for historical purposes and also possible re-use should it be needed to (e.g. if you UNINSTALL the hardware, and then plug it in again so that Windows goes through its "new hardware detected" logic and attempts to find the correct existing driver in \DriverStore\FileRepository).

So while this might not be the world's most efficient method for accessing the needed drivers if you were to reinstall a brand new Win7 from scratch, it seems to me that everything you previously had in your prior Win7 installed system would indeed already live in your old C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository (or your private copy of it) and could thus be discovered by Windows if you asked it to "browse my computer for driver software" and navigated to your private copy of the old C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository folder.

Am I right?