Return to BetaFlux Home Page

  Getting To Know Your Kingsbury Computer

General Topics

Tuning PC Performance

Using Windows

System Performance

Sluggish PC

Setting XP Services

Troubleshooting

Driver Problems

Applications

Organization

Included Programs In
Most Models

Avast Anti Virus

Konfabulator

Webshots Desktop

Window Blinds Themes

Picture It 99 Photo Editor

NTI CD/DVD Burning

DVD Shrink

DVD X-Copy


Troubleshooting Driver Problems

 
Intended For
Windows XP
Windows 2000
Windows Me
Windows 98
Windows 95

Drivers are used to help your computer communicate with a specific piece of hardware, and if the driver is flawed or outdate (both very common), the device will either not work properly, or will cause another device not to work properly. Contact the manufacturers of the various devices in your system for their most recent drivers; most are available for free download (be sure to scold the company if they try to charge you for drivers for their products). Newer drivers can also improve performance and add new features. This is especially true of video drivers; new versions can improve speed and can increase the maximum resolution and color depth of your display. In fact, most visual problems (flicker, mouse cursor problems, and even errant font behavior) can be attributed to buggy video drivers. Although it's a good policy to check with your manufacturer for the most recent drivers on a regular basis, you should only do so if you have the time to spend on it (new drivers may introduce new problems, as well). In other words, if it aint broke, don't fix it.