Driver Updates

[karldenton]

How do you guys update the drivers for all your machines ? Do you rely on windows update or do you go to the manufacturers website ?

I know theres a few driver update sites out there as well that are paid for.

Thanks

[K.C.Leblanc]

To be honest I've never routinely updated drivers and only done it on an as needed basis.

 

It tends to just get done manually.

 

EDIT: Although if I'm building a PC I do get the drivers from windows update if I can.

Edited November 1, 2010 by K.C.Leblanc

[6Foot2]

I have been using this site of late:

 

Link: Welcome to SlimDrivers - Update Easily

 

It came out of beta recently and now if you want full functionality you have to pay. However all that amounts to is downloading all drivers automatically rather than one-by-one [which is probably what you will do anyway if you don't use this utility: It just saves the 'legwork']

 

Give it a go see if you like it. What have you got to lose? If you don't like it you can uninstall it.

[elsiegee40]

Unless I'm doing a new build or there are problems, I don't touch drivers. I stick firmly to "If it aint broke, don't fix it!"

 

Where do I get them from? Ideally windows update, because I'm lazy... With a new build, being able to connect to the internet in the first place is usually an issue and I invariably end up on the manufacturer's website looking for the driver for the ethernet port.

[Oxcidius]

I personally always try and download the latest drivers from the Manufacturers.

 

Most of our machines are Dells and the great thing about the Dell drivers is that even though they are all .exe's you can extract the drivers from them using software like 7zip and then use 'Update Driver' from the device manager to install them. This means that I get no hideous software installed that I don't need.

I think the only time I don't 7zip them is for the Chipset where it pays to run the .exe as they can be a right pain otherwise, especially with the integrated chipsets.

 

I find that the Windows Update drivers can be a bit hinky so I try not to use them if possible, although it does save you time...

 

Hope this helps!