Windows Drivers - Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8
Drivers are computer programs that control how your operating system and applications interact with your computer hardware. Installing the latest drivers can improve application compatibility, reliability and system performance.
Laptops - You should always try to install the latest driver from the component manufacturer whenever possible. Sometimes this is not possible and the drivers must be obtained from the manufacturer of your laptop.
Windows XP is still supported by Microsoft through April 8, 2014
Step 1 - Windows Update
Windows Update - Home Page
Install all of the Driver updates.
Notes - Windows Update will only install "Microsoft Certified" drivers but these will not always be the latest version available. The component manufacturer will often release newer, non-certified drivers that are safe to install and offer better performance. "Microsoft Certified" drivers are guaranteed by Microsoft to work reliably with Windows but if you want the very best system performance you have to manually install the latest drivers from the component manufacturer (if available).
Step 2 - Identify
PC Wizard
- Download
- Home Page
An advanced system information utility designed to help you quickly identify components based on their model and manufacturer, allowing you to install the correct drivers. Only one driver from each of the following categories will be needed.
Notes - It is important to identify the component manufacturer not the board or card manufacturer. There are only a select few component manufacturers while their are hundreds of board and card manufacturers. The component manufacturer will have the latest drivers.
Example: EVGA - GeForce GTX 570 ; Card Manufacturer = EVGA - Component Manufacturer = nVidia (GeForce GTX 570)
Step 3 - Chipset Drivers
Chipset Drivers update any driver associated directly with the core-logic of the system board. They can improve stability, compatibility and performance with all components connected to the system board. It is important you install them prior to installing any other drivers. In certain situations the driver update may be unnecessary as the operating system already includes the latest version.
Chipset
ALi
- Drivers
- Home Page
AMD
- Drivers
- Home Page
ATi
- Drivers
- Home Page
* acquired by AMD on July 24, 2006
Intel
- Drivers
- Home Page
nVidia
- Drivers
- Home Page
SiS
- Drivers
- Home Page
ULi
- Drivers
- Home Page
* acquired by nVidia on December 14, 2005
VIA
- Drivers
- Home Page
Step 4 - Video Drivers
Video Card
3dfx
- Drivers
- Home Page
* acquired by nVidia on December 15, 2000
3Dlabs
- Drivers
- Home Page
* exited the graphics card market on February 24, 2006
AGEIA
- Drivers
- Home Page
* acquired by nVidia on February, 4 2008
ATi
- Drivers
- Home Page
- BIOS (Advanced Users)
* acquired by AMD on July 24, 2006
Intel
- Drivers
- Home Page
Matrox
- Drivers
- Home Page
nVidia
- Drivers
- Home Page
- BIOS (Advanced Users)
PowerVR
- Drivers
- Home Page
* exited the graphics card market on February 13, 2002
VIA
- Drivers
- Home Page
S3
- Drivers
- Home Page
* acquired by VIA on April 12, 2000
SiS
- Drivers
- Home Page
Trident
- Home Page
* acquired by XGI on June 12, 2003
XGI
- Home Page
* acquired by SiS on October 7, 2010
Step 5 - Sound Drivers
Device Audio
Windows XP - Drivers are included with the operating system (Microsoft)
Analog Devices (SoundMAX)
- Drivers
- Home Page
Aureal
- Drivers
- Home Page
* acquired by Creative Technology on September 22, 2000
C-Media
- Drivers
- Home Page
Cirrus Logic (Crystal)
- Drivers
- Home Page
Creative Labs
- Drivers
- Home Page
Ensoniq
- Drivers
- Home Page
* acquired by Creative Technology on January 9, 1998
ESS
- Drivers
- Home Page
Philips
- Drivers
- Home Page
Realtek
- Drivers
- Home Page
SigmaTel
- Home Page
* acquired by IDT on July 25, 2006
SiS
- Drivers
- Home Page
VIA
- Drivers
- Home Page
Yamaha
- Drivers
- Home Page
Step 6 - Network Drivers
Network Card
3com
- Drivers
- Home Page
* acquired by HP on April 12, 2010
Bigfoot Networks / Killer
- Drivers
- Home Page
Broadcom
- Drivers
- Home Page
D-Link
- Drivers
- Home Page
Davicom
- Drivers
- Home Page
Intel
- Drivers
- Home Page
Linksys
- Drivers
- Home Page
* acquired by Cisco on March 20, 2003
Marvell
- Drivers
- Home Page
NETGEAR
- Drivers
- Home Page
Realtek
- Drivers
- Home Page
SiS
- Drivers
- Home Page
SMC
- Drivers
- Home Page
Beta Drivers
- Beta drivers are ones that have not been fully tested for final release and may have unknown issues. It is recommended for optimal system stability to only use Official drivers and not Beta or Prerelease versions. Performance differences between driver versions including Beta or Prereleased drivers is usually negligible. The only time Beta or Prerelease drivers should be considered is when a serious bug is fixed in the Beta or Prerelease version and the component manufacturer has not yet released an Official driver version that includes the bug fix.
Utilities
CPU-Z
- Download
- Home Page
"CPU-Z is freeware that gathers information on some of the main devices of your system."
DriverView
- Download
- Home Page
"DriverView utility displays the list of all device drivers currently loaded on your system."
GPU-Z
- Download
- Home Page
"GPU-Z is a lightweight utility designed to give you all information about your video card and GPU."
End
This guide is under constant revision as new components are released. Feel free to submit suggestions or comments to
OptimizeXP@comcast.net - Do not send Technical Support Questions.
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