The need to install a driver for a device appears periodically. Of course, most often this is faced by those people who just rearranged the Windows operating system.
This article will discuss how and how to install drivers on Windows 7. Automatically, of course, it happens, but still it’s worth telling how to do it manually, so let's get started.
Installation using standard tools
It often happens that the need to install or update a driver is taken by surprise. In this situation, there is no time to download additional software or use third-party tools. Fortunately, there are standard tools in which installing drivers on Windows 7 automatically ensures the normal operation of the computer. We’ll talk about this just now.
Device manager
In the standard assembly of Windows 7 there is such a utility as "Device Manager". It is she who will help us install the necessary drivers. Of course, its list of functions has a lot more operations, but at the moment we are interested in installing the driver.
To get started, let's outline the procedure:
search and selection of the desired device;
determination of the installation method;
selection of the place where the driver will be stored;
reboot.
Apparently, there is nothing complicated.
So, in order to start the "Device Manager", first you need to get into the "Control Panel". To do this, click "Start" and in the window that appears in the right pane, find the line of the same name. Click on it with the left mouse button.
Now you have a list before your eyes. In it you need to find the very same “Device Manager”. You can use the search for this. The search bar is located in the upper right of the window.
Once you get into the device manager, you should see a considerable list of the very connected devices to the PC. To facilitate the search, they are all placed under the subitems. If you are thinking of updating the sound driver , then look for the line “Sound Devices” and open it.
Now select the required component and open its properties by right-clicking and selecting the item of the same name. In the window that opens, you need to click on the "Driver" tab, and already in it is the very coveted "Update" button.
Next, you can choose to automatically search for Windows 7 drivers or not. If yes, then the system itself will find and install the necessary component, otherwise you will have to specify the path to the folder with the driver.
Equipment installation
It may happen that the installation of drivers on Windows 7 was automatically unsuccessful. Therefore, there is another option, which we’ll talk about in more detail now.
First, open the Run window. To do this, press the Win and R keys simultaneously. A window will appear at the bottom left of the desktop. Enter hdwwiz in the line - this is the command that will open the necessary “Installation and Hardware” utility for us.
As soon as it opens, click "Next." Now we are faced with the choice: conduct an automatic search for Windows 7 drivers or manual. With automatic, everything will happen, as in the previous example, so now choose manual.
In the next window, click on the “Show all devices” line to display them. In the list, select what you need and click "Next." In the next window also click “Next”.
Now you will be asked to indicate the path to the driver. After installing it, it is advisable to restart your computer.
Application Installation
Drivers for Windows 7 can be automatically installed using third-party software. Often this way is much better. At least due to the fact that it is lighter. In programs of this kind, there is always a simple and accessible interface that is understandable even to inexperienced users. There are an unimaginable number of these programs, but only one will be discussed - this is Driver Booster.
Driver booster
Work with the presented application is very simple. First you need to download it, for this, go to the official website. Use any search engine for this and, entering the name of the program, you will see the desired address in the first line of the list.
Be careful when installing. Since the program is free, it offers to install additional software, always uncheck it so as not to clog your computer.
After installation, double-click on the appeared icon on the desktop. As soon as Driver Booster opens, the system will automatically scan for outdated drivers. Usually this procedure takes no longer than a minute, and when it is completed, a list appears with the devices in need of updating and those in order. At the top of the program there is a “Install” button. Click it, and the automatic update of Windows 7 drivers will begin.
As you can see, when using third-party software, installing drivers on Windows 7 automatically proceeds much faster. However, there is a minus. With the help of Driver Booster there is no way to install the driver from the computer, the download goes directly from the Internet. But then you will always be sure that your drivers are the latest, as the program will inform you if any of them is out of date.