[roastbeefdinner]

Does anyone know if there is a free program or online scan that i can use that checks to see if all my drivers are up to date? The few I have found scan your pc then wont allow you to grab the updates without buying the software. I suppose i could use the device manager in the control panel..but wouldnt that require getting all the driver versions and then going to each and every products site to find the new one? Seems there should be a program that I can just hit a button and then they tell me what versions are out of date .....and then let me grab them.

[mphenterprises]

Hi RoastBeefDinner.

Try this site, Driver Guide.com

After a free registration, you can also download their driver utility and after you run it, the utility will tell you what drivers you need to update. Now I do not know if this utility will allow you to download the drivers for free. However, it is worth a shot.

[SpiritWind]

Hi Roast :

Also might want to try "DriverAgent" @ http://www.driveragent.com, that was recommended to me about
a yr ago by a knowledgeable person on another Forum . There appears to be no requirement to
"Register " .Back then, Its Scan recommended there were updated drivers for 4, but after clicking on
each one for Recommendations ( called "Possible Replacements" ) , multiple Choices were "offered" and
not being sure IF the 1st "Listing" was the "Best", decided not to get any of them . I saw no indication
on this Site for the need to "Buy" anything .

[rgreen4]

Let windows do the work for you. Go into device manager, click on the "+" in front of the device to get the item specifications showing, double click on the sepcific item and it will open a dialog box and then click on the driver tab. This will show details of the driver and toward the bottom will have an update button. Click on the button and then when the next box opens, click on the button to allow windows to go on the internet and search for an updated driver.

I had problems with my OEM wireless card (a no name) when I upgraded to Vista and couldn't find a driver on the chip manufacturers site or on the HP site, but I let windows find one. It took 2-3 minutes and it has been working flawlessly since.

No fooling with third party software, just Windows.

[roastbeefdinner]

thank you......but strangely when i use device manager and update ......it doesnt give me the option for search online.....im using windows xp.....i must have turned it off but i cant figure out how to allow that option to appear.......hehe

[rgreen4]

Ok, on the driver tab, there are four buttons.

1. Driver Details
2. Update Drivers
3. Roll Back Drivers
4. Uninstall

Clicking on Update Drivers starts the Hardware Update Wizard. Technically this is not a dialog box as it has a different look and feel. The first line says "Welcome to the Hardware Update Wizard" and toward the bottom is a question "Can Windows connect to Windows Update to search for software?" and there are three choices, and you must select one before clicking next. The three choices are:
1. Yes, this time only (I usually select this one)
2. Yes, and everytime I connect a device (I don't like open ended authorizations)
3. No, not this time (this choice forces the search only on the computer)

If you are not getting the Wizard, there may be a problem with the internet connection, or some one has selected option 2 previously. When you the select update driver from the driver tab, what response are you getting? You might watch your internet connection for activity.

[mphenterprises]

Hi Roastbeefdinner. You have this Discussion marked as "Answered." Please distribute the points to the posts you feel helped you the most.