Downloading Drivers: Windows XP

[jmrpjb]

I am trying to update my drivers and seem to be going in circles. (By the way, all of my hardware is working.) I read that the best place to download drivers is the manufacturer's website but when I go there (Microsoft) I keep winding up on sites that offer me a free driver scan, that tell me I have several outdated, very old drivers. (So I did some research and thought I went through the process of updating any drivers that I had been told were old.

1. Go to Control Panel>System>Hardware>Device Manager, and double click on the device to update.
2. Go to the Driver tab and click the 'Update Driver' button.
3. Select 'Install from a list or specific location' then click Next.
4. Select 'Don't search, I will choose the driver to install'
5. Click the 'Have Disk' button.
6. Click on the Browse button and go to the directory where you placed the latest drivers.
7. Highlight the relevant driver file (usually an .INF file) and click Next to install.
8. Reboot your system if prompted and upon reboot the device should be using the latest drivers. You can check this by checking the driver tab in device manager again (Steps 1 & 2 abov

But when I get another "free" driver scan, it seems, I still have ancient drivers.

Am I just totally lost in cyberspace? Did I do anything right? You see, I'm trying to learn about computers (and that's a LOT) but it's like that old saying, "the more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know". Or is it, "a little bit of knowledge is dangerous"?

Thank you to anyone who can make heads or tails out of what I'm going through.

[crunchie]

What 'free' driver scan are you doing? Chances are that it is giving you false information.
The manufacturer by the way, will not be Microsoft.
What is your motherboard make and exact model?
If you do not know, there are a few ways you can get it.
Take a look at it physically, or download a software program that will read the info, then display it for you.
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html
Depending on the age of the motherboard, Everest free may be able to tell you;
http://majorgeeks.com/download4181.html
Once you have the information, post it back here.

[caperjack]

http://www.piriform.com/speccy

Speccy seems to be the latest software [ one i use for past while anyway ]suggested for computer info .when installing if you install it ,make sure to uncheck installing any toolbar ,
after the scan completes if you mist to post results here for help with it , go to file and click on publish snapshot and copy to clipboard and copy link into your next post ,good luck

most fee driver scans eventually want to sell you drivers or put malware/spyware on you computer

[jmrpjb]

What 'free' driver scan are you doing? Chances are that it is giving you false information. The manufacturer by the way, will not be Microsoft. What is your motherboard make and exact model? If you do not know, there are a few ways you can get it. Take a look at it physically, or download a software program that will read the info, then display it for you. http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html Depending on the age of the motherboard, Everest free may be able to tell you; http://majorgeeks.com/download4181.html Once you have the information, post it back here.

Hi, thanks for getting back to me so quickly; I can't say enough good things about Daniweb. I got this info from a help manual I mentioned in one of my previous posts, TGTC Tweakersguide Tweaking Companion which I'm finding very helpful. I downloaded SIW which contains all my system info and have attached it to this post. (This took me about an hour but I now know how to "zip" a file.)

So, hope this tells you what you need to know and I'll look forward to your reply.

Pam

[crunchie]

You uploaded an incorrect file. (Looks like you uploaded the shortcut). Please upload it in a format we can access, like notepad.

[jmrpjb]

You uploaded an incorrect file. (Looks like you uploaded the shortcut). Please upload it in a format we can access, like notepad.

See what I mean about how much I don't know?

Here, I've tried again

[gerbil]

Driver updating, yet another example of how people allow computers to take over their lives. If everything is working as you would like it/expect it, Device Manager reports no problems, and there is no amazing, new feature offered by an update then a driver update will not necessarily deliver anything. Check the update changelog - many updates will not apply to your situation. An example might be a change to ensure compatibility with some new widget that your sys doesn't boast, or to fix an obscure chance error that you've never experienced.
Sure, when you buy a piece of kit the driver software that comes with it may be a bit ropy.... a rush job just to get the hardware on the shelves [I'm a cynic] and an update might get more from the thing, but often, no.

[jmrpjb]

Driver updating, yet another example of how people allow computers to take over their lives. If everything is working as you would like it/expect it, Device Manager reports no problems, and there is no amazing, new feature offered by an update then a driver update will not necessarily deliver anything. Check the update changelog - many updates will not apply to your situation. An example might be a change to ensure compatibility with some new widget that your sys doesn't boast, or to fix an obscure chance error that you've never experienced. Sure, when you buy a piece of kit the driver software that comes with it may be a bit ropy.... a rush job just to get the hardware on the shelves [I'm a cynic] and an update might get more from the thing, but often, no.

:-/[/I][/B]One has to be a cynic in this environment. Idealism is what precedes experience; cynicism is what follows. David T. Wolf ( 1943 - ). What follows cynicism? Cause that's where I'm headed. I mean why do the bad guys want to give everyone viruses? It's not like they gain anything by doing this, right? But I digress. I appreciate your comments because I was just asking myself, "why are you doing all this when everything is working as I "would like it/expect it" to? I guess my only answer (well my only good answer) is that I'm learning more and more. I just hope I don't blow up my computer in the process.

Thanks for your feedback

[07knev]

If the manufacture has updated the drivers version, can download from there site.
Since you have windows XP, i dont think newer version of drivers will be developed. As Windows 7 is over taken XP.

[jmrpjb]

Hi,

Thanks to everyone who helped me with this and, I've decided to leave well enough alone.