Why Is It Important to Update Your Windows or Vista Drivers?

Updating drivers is vital!
June 2009
by Robin Wark

Updating drivers is vital for top performance. First, it is important to understand what drivers are and their purpose. These small programs act as communicators between your hardware devices, software and operating system. Without the proper drivers, the instructions sent by your software can’t reach your hardware. Or, in some cases, the communication is muddled and causes erratic performance. Some hardware devices, such as your video display, might function only in generic mode without the correct driver so you will not be receiving all of the performance and features that you paid for.

Companies frequently update hardware drivers, sometimes more than once a year. Even if you have installed the correct drivers initially it is recommended that you install updated drivers when available.

Some of the top problems caused by old drivers include:

  1. If you are switching operating systems, such as from Windows XP to Vista, the drivers you installed before might not work. This means your hardware devices could be rendered useless when you try to use them with Vista. You will need to install Vista drivers.
  2. Frustrating and confusing Device Manager error codes can pop up on your PC. For example, you might receive error message such as “This device cannot start. (Code 10)” or “This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31).” In many cases simply updating the drivers can quickly correct these and other device manager errors.
  3. If your hardware is not functioning properly, the first step in attempting to fix the problem is to update the drivers. The problem is often not with the device, such as the printer or scanner, but rather the communication between it and the software. Even if you have installed the right driver at the start, drivers can become corrupted over time.
  4. Companies release updates to fix bugs. If you do not have the latest driver, it is possible your hardware might not work properly.
  5. Another reason companies release driver updates is to provide new features. If your drivers are not up-to-date, you could be missing out.
  6. New advancements in programming and technology are made all of the time. If you have a graphics card, for example, that is only a year old, it might not be able to follow the instructions from the latest gaming software without a new driver. In a case such as this, your graphics card might work, but it would cause the software to function at a lower level.

Updating drivers is an easy way to ensure top performance and reduced error messages. To make the process as easy and safe as possible, consider using advanced software that will let you know when updated drivers are available, and guide you from start to finish.