Laptop Drivers

Are you among the millions of consumers who prefer a laptop computer to a desktop model? Did you know that in sales to individuals, laptops outsold desktops in 2007? (Daily Tech) If you own a laptop, you are probably familiar with the advantages such as portability, convenience and smaller size. However, you may find that in some cases, dealing with device drivers can be more difficult on a laptop than on a desktop PC.

What is a device driver and why do I need it?

A device driver is just a small software program that interprets data from a device such as a printer or video card to your laptop’s operating system. “A driver is software that allows your computer to communicate with hardware or devices. Without drivers the hardware you connect to your computer…will not work properly.” (Microsoft)

So you need drivers for all devices such as keyboards, joysticks, printers, webcams, and many more. Drivers are required even for items you might consider internal parts of you laptop, such as video or sound cards, as well as for integral parts such as hard drives and CD/DVD drives. Luckily, most of these types of drives are built into your operating system, so you don’t have to worry about them. But, anytime you add a piece of hardware such as a printer or digital camera, for example, you will need to add a driver for it. And you may need to update your drivers from time to time.

Why would you want to update drivers?

Like all software, drivers are subject to bugs and errors. In some cases, they can cause widespread system problems. “Driver problems are often responsible for system problems, and if your hardware isn’t working as it should, more often than not, it’s a driver issue.” (No Device) And newer versions of drivers may result in increased performance of your hardware or peripherals. So, it’s a good idea to update your drivers on a regular basis.

How do you add or update laptop drivers?

If you buy a new piece of hardware, it will usually include a software driver on a CD-ROM or floppy. Simply follow the instructions and you’re in business.

Updating laptop drivers can be more of a problem, as unlike desktop computers, the drivers are not always available through the manufacturer of the hardware or device. “Device drivers for laptops are proprietary, installed by the manufacturer. (Wise Geek)

While finding drivers for desktops is pretty simple, finding the most current version of a driver for a laptop can be a more difficult proposition. “Most desktop computers can use the generic drivers form the manufacturer’s website. Laptops need to be updated from the laptop manufacturer, as they are usually proprietary to the model of laptop.” (Hi Tech Creations)

So, if you own a laptop and want to update a driver you will need to go to the website of the laptop manufacturer and look for a section called “service and support” or “downloads and drivers”. You may need to enter the model number of your laptop to find the correct available drivers. Once you locate the driver you need, it will generally be available as a download. Most of them will self-install, so you don’t need to be a tech wizard to be able to update your drives.

Can I update the graphics card driver on my laptop?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions in the area of drivers and the answer is maybe. It all depends upon what type of laptop you have, if the graphics card is integrated and what type it is and the manufacturer’s policies. Unlike desktops, where you simply go to the website of the graphics card manufacturer and download new drivers, laptop manufacturers may control the graphics drivers for their laptops.

For example, people who use their laptops for Internet gaming usually want the newest and fastest drivers to improve their game performance. However “Manufacturers generally aren’t interested in updating the drivers for GPUs [graphics processing units] in their laptops after a certain point. For gamers, this means that they’ll be stuck with old drivers offering marginal performance.” (DSL Report)

So if you are heavily into extreme gaming or multimedia functions, a laptop may not be the best choice for your needs.

How else can I find laptop drivers?

If you have checked with your laptop manufacturer and they do not have a specific driver version you are looking for, there are a few other places you can try. For graphics drivers, you could try Omega Drivers or Driver Heaven. For a variety of laptop drivers, you may want to visit Laptop Video 2 Go or Laptops-Drivers.

Just be very careful whenever downloading drives form a site other than the manufacturers. Always set a system restore point just in case you have any problems with the new drivers, so you can go back to the old setup. Another good safety precaution is to “keep backups of essential drivers burned on a CD-ROM”. (No Device) And just in case you are tempted to try opening up the body of your laptop to see what’s in there, keep in mind that in most cases, opening the laptop chassis voids the manufacturer’s warranty. (How Stuff Works)