In search of a Driver Updater

[y1nn]

I was wondering if anyone on here knows of a absolutely 100% free driver updater program?

Ive tried a few and they scan my computer but when it goes to update the drivers it requires me to buy the program.

Thanks in Advance.

[rabb1t]

Um... that'd be you.

Outside of graphics, sound, and maybe your mouse, unless there is something wrong with your system you shouldn't change drivers.

Pretty much the only drivers there are are...
- Graphics
- Sound
- Mouse
- Keyboard (sometimes)
- Monitor (sometimes)
- Motherboard bios

It's not hard to check them yourself, and again, I don't recommend messing with motherboard bios unless something is wrong with your system.

[Vonyr]

Most computer manufactures offer free driver updates check there sites. I agree with rabb1t if it ain't broke don't fix it

[LordXenophon]

If you meant a program which scans every application, driver and piece of hardware on your computer and checks for updates for all of your software and firmware, then no. I have never heard of anyone offering this sort of service absolutely for free.

If you want free updates, check each application and hardware manufacturer individually. Most updates are free if you go to the website of the original manufaturer/publisher. The latest version isn't always the best, however. As has already been said by those who posted before me, don't bother unless something isn't working.

[pongsifu]

Originally Posted by rabb1t

Um... that'd be you.

Outside of graphics, sound, and maybe your mouse, unless there is something wrong with your system you shouldn't change drivers.

...

It's not hard to check them yourself, and again, I don't recommend messing with motherboard bios unless something is wrong with your system.

Originally Posted by Vonyr

Most computer manufactures offer free driver updates check there sites. I agree with rabb1t if it ain't broke don't fix it

Originally Posted by LordXenophon

The latest version isn't always the best, however. As has already been said by those who posted before me, don't bother unless something isn't working.

What!? you're supposed to update your drivers often, not wait until something is wrong.

I can't believe others agree. Graphics drivers updates can greatly improve performance in your gaming, it ain't broke so go without the 10-20 extra frames per second? It doesn't make sense. You aren't going to screw up your computer by UPDATING, that's like saying don't download windows updates because it might fuck something up. And if you ever really REALLY needed to you can always go back to the old driver. It boggles my mind that people willingly go without free performance upgrades that would improve their gaming experience, especially in newer games, for no reason at all. Especially since they can always fall back on the old drivers if really necessary.

Here is an example of a performance boost from one driver to the next:

• Accelerates performance in several 3D applications. The following are examples of improvements measured with Release 185 drivers vs. Release 182 drivers (results will vary depending on your GPU, system configuration, and game settings):
  • Up to 25% performance increase in The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
  • Up to 22% performance increase in Crysis: Warhead with antialiasing enabled
  • Up to 11% performance increase in Fallout 3 with antialiasing enabled
  • Up to 14% performance increase in Far Cry 2
  • Up to 45% performance increase in Mirror's Edge with antialiasing enabled

Will you get those exact results? Maybe and maybe not, but you will almost certainly see an improvement. And that isn't even including the standard stuff like bug fixes.

To update your drivers go to the manufacturer's website and download for free. Say you have an Nvidia graphics card, you go to the website below, put in the graphics card and OS you have, and download the latest version.

http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

and say you have an EVGA motherboard you would update with them on their site below in the same manner.

http://www.evga.com/support/drivers/Default.asp

These are just examples, do not download these drivers unless you actually do have an Nvidia graphics card or an EVGA motherboard.

If you don't know what you have go to start/programs/accessories/system tools/system information

Then look under components, soundcard is under sound, graphics card is under display, ect.

If you don't want to do it that way, go to run program, type in 'dxdiag' without the two ' and hit enter, save the file and open it up and it will show your system information.

[rabb1t]

Originally Posted by pongsifu

Graphics drivers updates can greatly improve performance in your gaming

Graphic drivers sure, I'd say update those with every actual release (ignore beta drivers unless something is wrong.)

You aren't going to screw up your computer by UPDATING

You obviously haven't had a motherboard bios update bite you in the butt. I have. I've done a motherboard bios update which actually took out a working feature and made it non-functional and it was a huge pain in the butt to get it working again.

And if you ever really REALLY needed to you can always go back to the old driver.

Very easy for graphics sure, but something like a motherboard bios change can be a huge pain if you have to revert.

It boggles my mind that people willingly go without free performance upgrades that would improve their gaming experience, especially in newer games, for no reason at all. Especially since they can always fall back on the old drivers if really necessary.

Again, you obviously haven't had a bad experience. Yes, I'd agree there is no reason at all not to change graphics drivers anytime you feel like, but any other drivers, particularly motherboard bios drivers, can actually mess up performance or cause something which was working to no longer function as it once did. It's rare, but yes, new drivers can actually mess things up. (Though this is pretty much unheard of with graphic card drivers.)

[pongsifu]

Originally Posted by rabb1t

Graphic drivers sure, I'd say update those with every actual release (ignore beta drivers unless something is wrong.)



You obviously haven't had a motherboard bios update bite you in the butt. I have. I've done a motherboard bios update which actually took out a working feature and made it non-functional and it was a huge pain in the butt to get it working again.



Very easy for graphics sure, but something like a motherboard bios change can be a huge pain if you have to revert.



Again, you obviously haven't had a bad experience. Yes, I'd agree there is no reason at all not to change graphics drivers anytime you feel like, but any other drivers, particularly motherboard bios drivers, can actually mess up performance or cause something which was working to no longer function as it once did. It's rare, but yes, new drivers can actually mess things up. (Though this is pretty much unheard of with graphic card drivers.)

I should have been more clear that I was mainly referring to graphics updates, I figured since I was talking about "performance upgrades" that it would be assumed. Yes I update motherboard drivers much less frequently, but you suggested that he shouldn't update drivers at all until something is wrong, without saying that you update graphics drivers so I assumed you didn't either, which is just crazy for a PC gamer to do. So we both had a little bit of misscommunication :/

[LordXenophon]

Rabb1t is right. You don't want to update a firmware driver just to have the latest version. Never update any driver, even a graphics card driver, if you don't need to.

In the case of your BIOS, never update it if it is working. The only reason to ever update one is because it has a bug or has become corrupted.

As for other drivers, read the patch notes. If the changes are all UI improvements and a system tray control panel, then you don't need it at all. If there are serious bugs which the patch claims to fix, then you might need the patch. If the patch notes specifically say that they changed something in order to improve performance, then you might consider downloading the patch. Even so, you shouldn't apply any patch until you read the feedback. If there are serious bugs in the new version, negative comments will begin to appear the day that patch is released.

Just remember, the latest version of a driver is not always what you want. What you really want is the most recent version with only positive feedback.

[pongsifu]

Graphics drivers are easy to revert and I've never had a problem with them. Maybe it is just because I'm usually playing the newest of the new games as soon as they come out (which get updated the most) that I feel it very required.