PC Driver update.

Oldbiggles

I keep getting a message saying some of my drivers are out of date, I think the last one was from 'Winzip', but when I checked, shock horror, they actually wanted money!!!!
Gosh! if I paid for this would I lose my money saving expert credentials?

Techie Guys. Is there any way to get free driver check up/updates?.

kwikbreaks

I'd suggest you run MalwareBytes - just the free one and don't start any premium version trails and look out for PUPs. With any luck that will remove whatever is producing the messages.

You should only need a new driver if something isn't working correctly.

If you are dead set on updating your drivers and don't mind the risk of making things worse rather than better then DriverBooster is as good as any program of this type and offers free options. Once again don't let it install any addition stuff if it tries to and don't sign up for any premium version trials. Make sure to take system checkpoint before installing any new drivers it suggest.

Bollotom

As Kwikbreaks says, DriveBooster is excellent :cool:

pappa_golf

since when did winzip need a driver?

Bollotom

pappa_golf wrote: »

since when did winzip need a driver?

Perhaps OP clicked and accepted Winzip, PG.
You can elect to pay for it or accept a trial version which doesn't seem to expire. DriverBooster list all the drivers you can update before clicking the upgrade button, then selecting the free download. Takes a while but is good.

pappa_golf

driver update or programme update?

forgotmyname

I wouldnt touch ANY driver update software. Before updating drivers check the update will actually improve something first.

All too often you get an update like added Klingon to languages or removing the features that you use most...

Always check first.

pendragon_arther

Some driver update third party programs are absolutely fine like the one mentioned. It's only the paranoid that always tell you to go to the manufacturer's site etc. But having said that you have to be careful of some and do proper research.

esuhl

pendragon_arther wrote: »

Some driver update third party programs are absolutely fine like the one mentioned. It's only the paranoid that always tell you to go to the manufacturer's site etc. But having said that you have to be careful of some and do proper research.

It's just as paranoid suggesting that you need to do "proper research" before using potentially dodgy software.

Going to the manufacturer's site saves you all the hassle of research AND you know you'll be getting the latest official versions. Why would you do it any other way?!

forgotmyname

Avast told me that i have 3 unused programs taking up memory or something like that i took no notice.

I wont let a program decide whats best for my computer, I made that mistake on my first PC in 1996.
Norton utilities ( i think) though it was clever and deleted all my non working shortcuts and fixing some duplicate files. Stupid thing killed my dual booting OS.

When i booted up to the other OS all my shortcuts had gone and a load of missing files.. Never again.

pendragon_arther

esuhl wrote: »

It's just as paranoid suggesting that you need to do "proper research" before using potentially dodgy software.

Going to the manufacturer's site saves you all the hassle of research AND you know you'll be getting the latest official versions. Why would you do it any other way?!

I recall having a similar clash with you on this issue on another thread. Okay, I'll explain my reasoning in the hope the millions of pc users who expound to your philisophy and 100 years of pc experience will use a bit of lateral thinking instead of going through life with a blinkered vision.

I just visited the HP UK site which is the support site for my Compaq Presario CQ71-236SA and to obtain a driver I have to go through a rigorous routine on imputing my details only to find this model isn't supported any more, therefore I can't proceed any further and that's just the second stage of many.

However if I use DriverBooster et al the program will cut out all the hassle and SCAN my laptop in a matter of a minute or so and come up with the results. HP doesn't have the sophistication of having a scanner (why not?) unlike a site like Crucial for example.

My sound was not up to scratch and even though I went through rigorous troubleshooting methods the only solution was provided by DriverBooster which gave me the most recent driver and my sound was soon rectified.

As for doing proper research before downloading any new software and installing it, I would think this is the most sensible procedure considering the amount of malicious sites and false promises there are out there in the guagmire known as the internet, as you should already know.

I hope this clears things up.