Installing Device Drivers from Hardware Manufacturers

Although we often install additional external devices, such as printers and scanners, a computer comes with a variety of built-in hardware components. This ranges from system BIOS and motherboards to network cards and pointing devices. Whether it is built-in hardware or something you install, each device requires a driver in order to function as intended.

There are many types of drivers, but not all are created equal. For example, there are universal drivers that work with any operating system, as well as generic device drivers created by third-party developers. While both will do, neither is recommended. The best way to get the most reliability is to retrieve the drivers directly from their manufacturer. This way, you get the exact driver specifically designed for the device you have. If your hardware is acting up, retrieving the appropriate updates from manufacturer can usually solve the problem.

Below we have provided details on the some of the most common manufacturers and their device drivers.

Logitech Drivers - Logitech manufactures various types of hardware, including keyboards, mice and pointing devices, soundcards, USB microphones, and webcams. On the website, you can get all the device driver and software updates for your Logitech hardware. Finding the updates are as simple as entering the product type and model and performing the search. Before the download, you will be prompted to enter your operating system. Unless it is a universal variation, installing a device driver for the wrong system will not work, and therefore, you definitely want to be precise.

Toshiba Drivers - Many Toshiba computers offer built-in tools that allow you to update the necessary device drivers. If yours doesn’t, visit the Toshiba support site to download the drivers you need. You will be prompted to select from a category, such as “Desktops or PDAs,” choose the product family, and then enter the model number. Next, click “Show Results” and you will see a list of device drivers available for download in a new window.

Intel Drivers - If you need device drivers for your Intel products, the updates can be obtained from the Intel Download Center. Simply enter the product name, filename or keywords into the search engine and wait for the results.

Samsung Drivers - From the Samsung Download Center, you can search for Samsung device drivers by entering the model number or product type. Here you will find updates on everything from monitors and hard disk drives to mobile phones and MP3 players.

Realtek Drivers - If you have computer peripherals or networking hardware manufactured by Realtek, head to the Realtek Download Center and perform a search for the product updates you need.

After finding and downloading the device drivers from these manufacturers, you will need to install them onto your computer. If the drivers download as .exe files, you should be able to click the icon and initiate an automatic launch and setup. If not, you will need to manually install them. From the “Start” menu, select the “Control Panel” and then click “Device Manager.” Double-click the device in question and choose the “Driver” tab. Select “Update Driver” and the option that automatically browses your computer for device drivers. Simply follow the instructions and install the appropriate drivers, remembering to reboot your computer once the installation is complete.