Hardware drivers are essential pieces of software that allow hardware devices to interact with software running on your computer. Without the proper driver, a device may not work correctly or at all.
Step 1: Check the Device Manager
The first step in troubleshooting hardware driver problems is to check the Device Manager. This tool, which is built into Windows, will list out the hardware devices installed on your system and identify any problems with their drivers. To view the Device Manager, right-click on the Start Menu, then select “Device Manager” from the pop-up menu. You may be asked to confirm UAC if you have this turned on.
In the Device Manager, any problematic devices will have an exclamation mark beside them. Expand the sections to view more detailed information about the device, including the name of the driver and what version it is. Click on the device to open a Properties window and access the Driver tab. Here you can find out more details about the driver, such as its date and whether a newer version is available.
Step 2: Check for Updates
If there are updates available for your driver, you can usually download these from your device manufacturer’s website. Look up the exact model of your device and visit the Support page. Here you can usually find drivers for different versions of Windows along with instructions for installation.
However, some manufacturers have moved to releasing driver updates through the Windows Update feature. You can check for updates here by pressing the Windows Key + I and clicking “Update & Security”. At the top of this menu, select “Check for update” to see if there are any available driver updates.
Step 3: Uninstall and Reinstall the Driver
If updating the driver doesn’t solve the problem, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling the driver. To do this, right-click on the device in the Device Manager and select “Uninstall device”. Then, reboot your computer and Windows will automatically download and install the latest driver for the device.
Step 4: Use Compatibility Mode
If the driver still isn’t working correctly, you can try using the Compatibility Mode feature. This allows you to run an older version of the driver on a newer version of Windows. Right-click on the driver’s executable file and select “Properties”. In the Properties window, go to the Compatibility tab and tick the “Run this program in compatibility mode for” box. Select the Windows version you want the driver to be compatible with in the drop-down menu below.
Step 5: Run a System File Checker
Sometimes hardware driver problems can be caused by corrupt system files. You can run the System File Checker (SFC) to fix any damaged files. Type “cmd” into the search box, then press Enter to open a Command Prompt window. Now type “sfc /scannow” and press Enter. SFC will now scan your system files and attempt to repair any it finds any damaged ones.
Conclusion
Troubleshooting hardware drivers can be challenging, but following these steps should help you identify and fix any issues you are having. Once you have identified the problem, you can install the updated driver or use Compatibility Mode to get the device working properly again.