Formatting - how do you know which drivers to get first?

TheBigCheese

TheBigCheese

TheBigCheese

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Joined
6 Sep 2005
Posts
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Hi guys

My PC is constantly BSODing so I'm formatting it.

How do I work out which drivers I need to download ready for after the reinstall?

I remember I had a nightmare getting something working when I first did this install but I can't remember what it was now.

Is there a program that says "you need x, you need y" etc?


Thanks!
 
Ethernet/wireless (update even if there are working ones detected)
Chipset
Reboot.
Graphics
Sound
Reboot.

Webcam
Printer
Keyboard
Mouse
 
Thanks for the list bledd., I'll follow that but I was wondering if there was something that could list the different drivers or what needs drivers...automate the process a bit.


Good idea theheyes, I did do that not too long ago when I was having problems but I think I'll run Memtest86+...see if it finds anything, I've got 4 sticks so there's an increased chance of one going wrong I suppose!
 
Well at theheyes suggestion I am currently testing the RAM and seem to be encountering all sorts of problems...I hope it is that at fault so I can take out the dodgy stuff but I'm not sure what the results are telling me.

I've created a specific thread in the right forum for it here, I would be grateful if someone can take a look.

Thanks.
 
I download all my drivers before the format then:

update bios
install Windows
chipset
gfx
NIC
audio
everything else
Windows updates

Ideally you would reboot after each install but I'm too lazy and fingers crossed never had an issue

MW
 
It depends what you're after. The drivers pushed out through Windows Update you could bet your house on in terms of stability.
 
theheyes said:
It depends what you're after. The drivers pushed out through Windows Update you could bet your house on in terms of stability.
Click to expand...

yeah they have to be stable on windows and i would say with each OS that comes out there even more stable :) on my Dell Laptop i only have the Nvidia drivers installed and all the other drivers are either Dell , Intel or Windows :) and never had an issue , just hope when i do take the windows 8 road things stay the same !
 
The only ones I usually bother with are the GPU drivers as there can be a big improvement, but I've not even done that this time around. My games run absolutely fine (all two of them)
 
doing the drivers in a set order really isnt needed these days, it was back in the day but we are talking back in the win 95-98 days.
win 7 does a great job sorting it all for you..


jamjar said:
I always use the drivers of the hardware makes :)
Click to expand...

and who do you think makes the drivers windows finds for you..
 
ShakenNstirred said:
doing the drivers in a set order really isnt needed these days, it was back in the day but we are talking back in the win 95-98 days.
win 7 does a great job sorting it all for you..




and who do you think makes the drivers windows finds for you..
Click to expand...

Agree I stand corrected ! your right they are Nvidia etc drivers just Microsoft use them as third party :) so yes Windows can do all the drivers for you :) your also right we are talking about the win 95 & 98 days when you needed every driver for everything ! what a right pain that was lol
 
My heart sinks when I see an XP box that needs blowing away because tracking down drivers can sometimes take longer than the install itself.
 
theheyes said:
My heart sinks when I see an XP box that needs blowing away because tracking down drivers can sometimes take longer than the install itself.
Click to expand...

Agree surely Microsoft will stop supporting XP now or have they ? can,t believe anyone still uses XP it was good at the time ,but things have to move on :)
 
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