What is best way to back up drivers

sindersoot

KillerWatt wrote: »

Drivers do not automatically install themselves with any OS, although Windows may provide a default driver just to get some hardware going with very basic support.


@ Sindersoot,

As you have a Dell, simply go to their website, enter your asset tag, enter your choice of OS, and the correct drivers will be offered to you.

Could you please let me know where I will find the "asset tag"?

As you are saying drivers do not automatically install themselves with any OS that is also what I have been reading on the internet. To me it looks like Windows has drivers but there are others needed outside of Windows, don't know if I have picked that up right or not.

aliEnRIK

Well ive put Windows 7 as a fresh install on my 1 yr old dual core dell and my 5 yr old XP computer. NEITHER required drivers to actually work, and both updated drivers via windows updates (Not sure if they were needed, but I did them anyways)

JasX

sindersoot wrote: »

Could you please let me know where I will find the "asset tag"?

you'll probably be fine searching under your model number, if you post it someone may even link you to the right section

sindersoot wrote: »

To me it looks like Windows has drivers but there are others needed outside of Windows, don't know if I have picked that up right or not.

Basically windows 7 / other OSs will come with a fairly good set of 'generic' drivers for your hardware that will let everything work as a basic level but not at their peak efficiency and alot of more advanced/specialised features won't work.

Once you update to the correct vendor driver for a particular piece of hardware it'll be working efficiently and all the features the hardware is capable of will become active/available.

eg you might get a basic graphics card driver so it'll make the screen work and display with a basic/low resolution and limited colours with windows7, when you get the correct driver you'll get all colours and be able to hike the screen resolution up to maximum/whats appropriate for your monitor and enable advanced graphics card features such as 3D rendering, ability to support multiple monitors simultaneously and operate alot faster.

aliEnRIK wrote: »

and both updated drivers via windows updates (Not sure if they were needed, but I did them anyways)

Yes you might find that too, windows7 have tied in quite well with the major hardware/PC makers to automatically detect what hardware you have and install the appropriate driver direct from Dell etc via windows update

mr_fishbulb

You could jump in front of their car, wave your arms about, and shout "Back up. Back up."

tronator

KillerWatt wrote: »

Drivers do not automatically install themselves with any OS, ...

How many OS's do you know actually. I can't remember when I installed a driver manually the last time.