Problems arise when a driver is buggy or outdated, or one of the files that
comprise a driver is missing or corrupted. Outdated drivers designed either
for a previous version of Windows or a previous version of the device can
create problems. Additionally, manufacturers must continually update their
drivers to fix incompatibilities and bugs that surface after the product is
released. It??™s usually a good idea to make sure you have the latest drivers
installed in your system when troubleshooting a problem. Furthermore,
newer drivers sometimes offer improved performance, added features and
settings, better stability and reliability, and better compatibility with other
software and drivers installed in your system.
The other thing to be aware of is that some drivers may just not be the correct
ones for your system. For example, when installing Windows, the setup
routine may have incorrectly detected your video card or monitor and hence
installed the wrong driver (or even a generic driver). A common symptom for
this is if Windows does not allow you to display as many colors or use as
high a resolution as the card supports. Make sure that Device Manager
(devmgmt.msc) lists the actual devices, by name, that you have installed in
your system.
314 | Chapter 6: Troubleshooting
Device drivers worth investigating include those for your video card, monitor,
motherboard chipset, network adapter, and any USB devices you may have. If
you??™re not sure of the exact manufacturer or model number of a device
installed inside your computer, take off the cover of your computer and look,
or refer to the invoice or documentation that came with your system.
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