Often simply referred to as drivers, device drivers are small software programs that enable a higher level application, such as an operating system, to control devices connected to a computer.
Modern computers interact with a variety of devices, including keyboards, printers, and scanners. All of the aforementioned devices require that the operating system, as well as other applications, have access and control of the hardware.
A driver provides this access and essentially makes the device run smoother and with more efficiency. Consider it a manual that instructs other software on how to communicate with computer hardware.
Devices that Require Drivers
When you purchase a device, such as a printer, it typically comes with a disc that contains special software and drivers the hardware needs to function correctly. In most cases, this software must be installed on the computer first so that the operating system can properly control the device.
While device drivers are considered software, they are relatively small in comparison to other types of applications. In fact, they may only contain a few megabytes of data and sometimes less.
Preinstalled Device Drivers
Today, many of the major operating systems are preloaded with a number of device drivers to support common peripheral devices. What this basically means is that since they are already installed on the computer, when connecting your device for the first time, the operating system will automatically recognize it.
Because the device often has the software needed to control it, there is no need to go through the process of finding and manually installing drivers on your computer. It is not uncommon for the drivers required to control your motherboard, sound card, keyboard, mouse, monitor and other computer hardware to be already installed and ready to go.
Device Driver Updates
While most peripheral devices are sold with a disc that contains the corresponding drivers, sometimes this is not enough to ensure the optimal use of the hardware. This is mainly because that particular device may have received critical updates and functionality that was not included on the disc. When this is the case, it is often better to hop online and visit the manufacturer's website to find out if updated device drivers are available for download.
Many people choose to download the updated versions from online because they have proven to effectively mitigate bugs, performance issues, and other problems. If your hardware does come included with updated drivers, it is still advisable to check with the manufacturer from time to time to see if new ones are available.
The Importance of Drivers
Device Drivers are not only critically important to the functioning of the hardware they are designed to support, but the functioning of the computer system as well.
If these small programs are outdated or corrupt, they could make your computer behave very erratically. This is especially the case when problems exist within the Windows registry. For this reason, it pays to make sure you install the correct device drivers on your PC and keep them updated on a regular basis.
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