Best software to back up windows system drivers

Windows comes with commands to do that (command prompt = dism /online /export-driver /destination:"path of folder" : powershell = Export-WindowsDriver -online -destination "path of folder")

Having said that I'd question the need to backup drivers rather than simply saving a copy of the drivers you've downloaded due to a lot of Windows drivers coming with their own applications for changing settings, something a simple backup of drivers will miss as it does what's on the tin. It would backup the drivers and drivers only, it would not include any of the software that gets installed along with those drivers.
 
Just take a system image and backup everything, drivers included? For anything else just save the zip files to a flash drive or Google drive. Unless I am missing something?
 
Philtor said:
Just take a system image and backup everything, drivers included? For anything else just save the zip files to a flash drive or Google drive. Unless I am missing something?
Click to expand...
Don’t really want a system image mate want a fresh install you see
 
seanuk said:
That’s what am saying some of them aren’t on the actual support site I had to resort to the usb stick that came with motherboard that I have now misplaced
Click to expand...
Unless you've got some really obscure hardware, the majority are covered with Windows built-in drivers anyway :confused:
 
Murphy said:
Windows comes with commands to do that (command prompt = dism /online /export-driver /destination:"path of folder" : powershell = Export-WindowsDriver -online -destination "path of folder")

Having said that I'd question the need to backup drivers rather than simply saving a copy of the drivers you've downloaded due to a lot of Windows drivers coming with their own applications for changing settings, something a simple backup of drivers will miss as it does what's on the tin. It would backup the drivers and drivers only, it would not include any of the software that gets installed along with those drivers.
Click to expand...

I use the PowerShell command to backup drivers before a reinstall.

Windows update will install driver updates for motherboard components, which sometimes the motherboard manufacturer doesn't make available on their website, meaning you have to go searching for them elsewhere, e.g. Realtek NICs

It's also quicker to install the drivers, using the "Add drivers" option at the top level of Device Manager and pointed to the exported drivers folder.

Or as I do, after a tip on these forums, add the drivers to the install.wim file.

Find the index for the edition, e.g. Home, Pro
Code: 
dism /Get-ImageInfo /Imagefile:T:\WIM_Source\install.wim

Mount the WIM with the index number of the edition you want to add the drivers
Code: 
dism /Mount-Image /Imagefile:T:\WIM_Source\install.wim /index:6 /Mountdir:T:\WIM_mount

Add drivers from the exported folder
Code: 
dism /add-driver /Image:T:\WIM_mount /driver:T:\WIM_Drivers  /recurse

Optional: Add security updates downloaded from the updates catalog
Code: 
Dism /Image:T:\WIM_mount /Add-Package /PackagePath=T:\WIM_Updates

Unmount
Code: 
dism /Unmount-Image /MountDir:T:\WIM_mount /commit

Optional: You can use the original install.wim, but I like to export just the edition I need.
Code: 
dism /export-image /sourceimagefile:T:\WIM_Source\install.wim /sourceindex:6 /destinationimagefile:T:\WIM_Export\install.wim
 
Armageus said:
Unless you've got some really obscure hardware, the majority are covered with Windows built-in drivers anyway :confused:
Click to expand...

Unless it's a laptop I suppose. I've had issues in the past where you have to download it from the manufacturers website but that was years ago might be better now.
 
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