1. Check for Driver Updates:The first step in troubleshooting any driver-related issue is to check if there are any available updates for the affected driver. This can be done from the Device Manager utility. To access the device manager, open the Windows Start Menu, then type in “device manager” and press Enter. Once in the device manager, look for the driver causing the issue, right click it and select “Update driver” option. If an update is available, it will be installed automatically. This should resolve most of the driver related issues.
2. Rollback Unsuccessful Drivers:If installing the latest driver update doesn’t solve your driver issue, you can try to roll back the driver to a previous version that was working. This can be done from the device manager. In the device manager, right click on the device and select “Properties”. In the properties window, select the “Driver” tab and then click “Roll Back Driver” button. Follow the instructions on the screen and let the system install the previous version of the driver.
3. Uninstall and Reinstall the Driver:If none of the above steps work, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling the driver completely. To do this, open the device manager, select the device and then right click on it and select “Uninstall”. In the uninstall window, select “Delete the driver software for this device” and then click OK. Once the driver has been uninstalled, open the device manager again and right click on the device. Select “Scan for hardware changes”. This will prompt the system to look for drivers online and install them.
4. Restart the System:Sometimes Windows drivers can start misbehaving due to various background tasks that keep changing system settings or corrupting file structures. One simple way to fix this is to restart the system. This will reset all the settings and remove any temporary files that might be interfering with the driver.
5. Run System File Checker Tool:Windows provides a built-in tool called System File Checker (SFC) which can scan and repair any corrupted or missing system files. To run this tool, open the start menu and type in “cmd” and press enter to open a command prompt. In the prompt window, type “sfc/scannow” and press Enter. Let the system scan for any errors and follow the instructions if any repairs need to be made.
6. Check for Windows Updates:Windows regularly releases updates to fix common driver issues. To make sure that you have the latest version of Windows, open the Start Menu and type in “windows update” and press enter. Follow the instructions on the screen to check for and install any pending updates.
7. Perform a Clean Boot:Sometimes other programs running in the background might interfere with the driver installation or functionality. To reduce this interference, you can perform a clean boot in Windows. To do this, open the Start Menu, type in “msconfig” and press Enter. Then select “Selective startup” and uncheck the “Load startup items” option. This will prevent any programs from automatically loading when you start your system and might help with your driver issue.
8. Use Intenet Troubleshooter:Windows also provides a handy Internet troubleshooter which can detect and fix most of the common problems related to networking, internet connection and driver related issues. To use this tool, open the Start Menu, then type in “troubleshoot” and press Enter. Then select “Internet Connections” and follow the instructions on the screen.
9. Disable Third-Party Antivirus Software:Some third-party antivirus software can also prevent Windows from properly installing drivers. To disable these programs, first open the Start Menu, type in “task manager” and press Enter. Then go to the “Startup” tab and select each of the antivirus software entries and click “Disable”. Once all of the programs have been disabled, try to install the driver again.
10. Use Windows Restore Point:If your driver issue started appearing after some recent changes in your system, you can try using the Windows restore point feature to roll back the settings to a previous state. To use the restore point feature, open the Start Menu and type in “Restore point” and press Enter. Then select the most recent restore point and follow the instructions on the screen to complete the restore process.
11. Scan for Malware and Viruses:Malware and viruses can interfere with the driver installation process or even corrupt the drivers themselves. To scan for such infections, install and run a full system scan using reliable antivirus software. If any malicious programs are found, follow the instructions on the screen to remove them.
12. Use Driver Repair Software:There are many third-party programs that provide automated solutions for driver-related issues. Such programs can detect missing or outdated drivers, download them and install them automatically. Some programs even allow you to create system restore points before installing new drivers in case of any issues.
13. Contact Manufacturer for Specific Drivers:Sometimes Windows doesn’t have the latest version of the driver for a particular component. In such cases, you can contact the manufacturer of the component and request the latest driver from them.