Update Your Display Drivers

Most of the hardware in your computer uses software called "drivers" to operate correctly. These drivers translate commands from the Operating System (OS) and executable programs to the hardware, making things like watching a DVD or connecting to the Internet possible. These drivers are actually lines of programming code called sub-routines. Because these actions are requested of the hardware so often, the code that tells the hardware how to behave is kept in the driver files and called by the executable programs when needed, instead of including the routines in every program. This keeps program files from growing too large, which saves memory, makes the programs run faster, and leaves more resources available for running other tasks in the background. We will discuss this efficiency more in a moment.

While good drivers improve the computer's performance, they also save the programmer(s) a lot of time and frustration. Drivers are just one of many files which contain sub-routines and oft-used code meant to be called from actual programs. These files are sometimes called "libraries." This keeps programmers free to focus on the more important aspects of software design and implementation - such as adding even more detail to a game's already amazing graphics, or compressing an image just a little bit more without losing quality (making it load faster online).

Most operating systems these days can readily identify new hardware or changes in existing hardware, and even notify you when updates are available. All too often though, these operations go unattended for months at a time. They can cause any number of computer problems, including sluggish response, frequent errors and program "freezes," conflicts with other programs and/or functions, and more - in some cases, they affect operations or hardware which have nothing at all to do with them!

Out-of-date or incorrect display drivers, in particular, can result in all sorts of issues, most of which are very general in nature. This is why technicians and white papers suggest updating all hardware drivers as one of the first steps in troubleshooting any computer problem. On the Windows 98se platform, outdated or incorrect display drivers with some models can cause the machine to boot and shutdown on its own - randomly and without warning!

If your computer was starting-up and shutting down at random, would you think to check the display drivers!?

Display drivers - drivers in general - are only sometimes released separately or even announced; they are made available as needed, or as they are completed. Many times, the programs themselves will install any updated drivers they need, or they are included in some larger Operating System (OS) update. Over time, as programs are removed and modified, all these drivers, updates, and supporting files become mixed and mismatched.

While most operating systems will "discover" hardware you attach to the computer and provide working drivers, these generic drivers rarely allow you to get the most from your hardware. Gamers and graphic artists know the difference the proper display drivers can make. However, the manufacturer drivers are sometimes incompatible due to other system concerns. You may be able to use display drivers for a similar model or the drivers included in your OS may be the best ones available.

You may have to experiment to find out what works best for your system and demands, but up-to-date system files and manufacturer-provided hardware drivers will usually make your computer run smoother and more efficiently - not to mention the superior performance. However, the generic drivers which come with your OS should work fine. If you have no problems with either drivers, choose the one that looks and performs the best for your needs.