Device drivers can be a nightmare. Have you ever reinstalled your operating system and afterwards realized none of your components were working? The reason being is that all hardware must have a compatible software or at least a particular file called a driver, that lets windows know what type of hardware you have. This file enables the hardware such as sound, modems, network cards and even your video to work properly. The easiest way to check to see if there is any conflicts or other problems after installing is to enter the control panel, then system and then click to open device manager. Once open you will see a list of all hardware installed on your compluter. Normally any issues are expanded in their category with an explanation point or red x. Sometimes you can click on the problem item and delete it and upon rebooting windows will find the correct file and install correctly. If this does not solve the problem you will need to locate the software that you received when you purchased the computer or the component and re-install. If you can't find the software, there are a few places you can look on the web.
In many cases, devices such as printers, graphics adapters, sound cards, network devices, USB peripherals, mainboards, storage devices, and so on, will be supported natively by newer versions of the Windows operating system and may be found using the searchable Microsoft Update Catalog.
At the end of this article I have also listed links to the most common manufacturer's updated drivers available for download.
Microsoft also has a device driver kit that may help found here
There is also a website I use quite frequently titled driverguide.com. This site is a database of drivers uploaded by users such as yourself that contains hard to find drivers that has saved me many of times. The link is www.driverguide.com and requires a free registration to use.
Notebook and desktop computers
Company name
Web site for drivers
ABS
http://www.abs.com/support/index.asp
Acer
http://global.acer.com/support/download.htm
Apple
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/
Compaq*
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/static_software_select?cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&
Dell*
http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/index.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen
E-machines
http://www.emachines.com/support/
Fujitsu
http://www.fujitsu.com/global/support/
Gateway
http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/dlcenter.asp
HP*
http://www.hp.com/country/us/en/support.html
IBM*
http://www.ibm.com/products/finder/us/finders?pg=ddfinder&trac=SU1
Lenovo
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=HOME-LENOVO
NEC/Packard Bell
http://nec.com/cgi-bin/support/support.cgi?cat=download
Toshiba
http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_modSel.jsp
Samsung
http://www.samsung.com/support/index.asp
Sony
http://esupport.sony.com/perl/select-system.pl?DIRECTOR=DRIVER&ref=http%3A//www.sony.com/index.php
Graphics cards
Company name
Web site for drivers
3Dlabs
http://www.3dlabs.com/support/drivers/
ARM
http://www.arm.com/support/downloads/index.html
ATI
https://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894&task=knowledge&folderID=27
Intel
http://www.intel.com/support/index.htm?iid=home+hdr_nav1_support
Matrox
http://www.matrox.com/mga/support/drivers/home.cfm
Nvidia
http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
SIS
http://www.sis.com/download/
VIA Technologies (S3)
http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=2
XGI Technology
http://www.xgitech.com/sd/sd_download.asp
Network devices (wired and wireless)
Company name
Web site for drivers
3Com*
http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/downloadsindex.jsp
Cisco
http://www.cisco.com/public/sw-center/
D-Link
http://support.dlink.com/downloads/
Linksys
http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Content_C1&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1115416835852&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper
Lucent
https://support.lucent.com/portal/productIndex.do
Netgear
http://kbserver.netgear.com/downloads_support.asp
Nortel
http://www130.nortelnetworks.com/go/main.jsp
Third Party Keyboards, Mice and other Input Devices
Company name
Web site for drivers
APC*
http://www.apcc.com/tools/download/index.cfm?isocountrycode=US&tsk=
Cherry
http://support.cherry.de/english/new_download.asp
Keytronic
http://www.keytronic.com/home/keyboards/support/drivers.html
Logitech*
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/downloads/finder/US/EN,CRID=270
Microsoft Mouse and Keyboards
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/Download.mspx
Targus*
http://www.targus.com/us/support_downloads.asp
Printers
Company name
Web site for drivers
Avery
http://www.avery.com/us/software/index.jsp?wtloc=ftr
Brother
http://www.brother.com/E-ftp/softwin.html
Canon*
http://www.usa.canon.com/opd/controller?act=OPDDownloadDropDownAct
Dell*
http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/index.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen
Epson
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/SupportIndex.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes
HP*
http://www.hp.com/country/us/en/support.html
Kodak
http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=2/3/10/7895&pq-locale=en_US
KonicaMinolta
http://konicaminolta.com/support/index.html
Lexmark
http://www.lexmark.com/lexmark/sequentialem/home/0,6959,204816596_652569478_0_en,00.html
Okidata
http://www.okidata.com/mkt/html/nf/Drivers.html
Samsung
http://www.samsung.com/support/productsupport/download/index.aspx
Xerox*
http://www.support.xerox.com/go/prodselect.asp?Xlang=en_US&metrics=HDR
* If you are outside the US, you may need to select a different country to get the correct driver in your language
Ok, well I hope this helps some of you get your computer working perfectly, or well, working anyways...........
until later.........
Computer Gal
www.computer-gal.com
www.computer-gals.net
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