A Quick Guide To Drivers For Windows XP

Any computer user wants optimum performance and capability from their machine. Making sure that you have the most current and up to date drivers will contribute significantly. When updates become available for drivers on Windows XP, they should be installed as soon as possible, because these driver updates contain updates which are intended to fix known problems as well as improve the performance of the drivers. Microsoft advises that Beta and pre-release versions of Windows XP drivers should not be used, only official versions of the driver to avoid any security or performance issues.

Which Updates To Get

The first step taken should concern Windows driver updates. Make sure that your system has all of the most current driver updates. The Windows update program usually will install driver updates which are very common, but these may not always be the most recent updates. It is recommended that you manually check for the most recent driver updates for Windows XP and then install only the latest versions.

Sometimes an issue may occur with Windows Update, because the program insists that a driver which is not as current as the one you have should be installed on your system instead. In this case simply do not install the driver. Only ignore the Windows update if you are sure your driver update is more current though. If a driver is not certified by Microsoft, including some that come with devices or software programs, then it will show this during Windows Update, but this is no cause for alarm, as long as the driver is official with the hardware vendor. In this case the hardware manufacturer is correct and the driver has been extensively tested to ensure performance and safety.

Check for DirectX Updates

Verify that your system has the latest version of DirectX drivers on it. Windows Update will normally install the latest version of these drivers, but it is a good idea to verify this by checking manually as well. Go to the start menu, and then click on the run option. Next you simply type in “dxdiag” and then click ok. Once you see the tab labeled System, check the DirectX Version to ensure that the drivers you have are the most current.

The Other System Drivers

Chipset drivers should also be updated as needed. These drivers are responsible for any driver which is directly associated with the motherboard core logic. Chipset drivers help to improve the performance, stability, and compatibility of any component that is part of the system. Chipset driver updates should be done before updating any other drivers. Sometimes it is not necessary to update the chipset because the latest version is included with the operating system.

Also check for video driver updates, sound card driver updates and updated network drivers. All of these drivers are crucial to optimum performance, stability, and efficiency, so having the most current driver versions installed on your computer should always be a priority when it comes to maintaining your system.