Very often, users have questions about how to install drivers on Windows 10. Although the system usually installs such software immediately after the initial installation on its own, and also in cases where the hardware is replaced, the driver is not always suitable, and the device itself may not work properly, causing errors in the system. Let's try to consider a few basic methods that help in such situations to cope with emerging problems or with the elimination of possible failures.
How to install drivers on Windows 10: something about the installation order
The main mistake of most novice users is solely that they rely on the supposedly automated means of the system itself, which, it seems, should itself determine the installed equipment and install the appropriate control software for it. ToUnfortunately, these tools (and in any modification of Windows) are very far from perfect. Yes, devices are recognized, but the drivers installed for them often look very doubtful just because the system takes them from its own databases and considers them to be the most suitable. And this, alas, is not always the case.
For most desktop computer terminals or factory-assembled laptops on which hardware has not been replaced, special discs are supplied with the purchase, which contain complete sets of drivers corresponding to the installed equipment. But even here, users forget that in some cases, automatic installers do not install the entire set of drivers at a time, as a result of which you have to install the driver for each selected device yourself, following a clear order. First of all, you need to install the motherboard chipset drivers, then install software for discrete video and sound cards, after that you need to install drivers for integrated graphics, sound and network adapters, and only then proceed with installing software for other devices, including peripherals.
The easiest method to install a missing driver
Determination of any equipment, as already mentioned, is done automatically by the system. And do not be embarrassed that in the "Device Manager" you can find some unknown device marked with a yellow triangle withexclamation point, indicating that there is no driver for it. The hardware itself will still be recognized.
How to install drivers on Windows 10 to make the device work? You can use the same disk and install manually.
If this option does not work, call the properties section of the problem device, on the driver tab, click the driver update button, and then specify the path to the media with the necessary software to the system. It is completely inappropriate to use automatic search, since the system will not find the required driver anyway, but will report either that the most suitable software is already installed or that it could not be found (even when searching for an updated driver on the Internet).
What to do if "Windows 10" does not install the driver for the video card or any other device?
But let's assume that you don't have a disk with a set of drivers. How to act in such a situation? Here, special programs that can scan all the equipment available on a computer or laptop and then install missing or updated drivers will provide invaluable help.
You can install drivers on Windows 10 for free using the most powerful programs like DriverPack Solution (including the Online version), SlimDrivers, iObit Driver Booster and their analogues. Note that the first utility is the most versatile because it hasown database, which is much larger than the one used in Windows. And all three applications are able to automatically search for updated versions of drivers on the Internet with the same subsequent automatic installation. At the same time, the programs send search requests exclusively to the official resources of manufacturers of certain devices and developers of the software part for managing them, which absolutely excludes even the slightest hint of penetration into the system of various virus threats.
In addition, you can refer to the manufacturers' official resources yourself if you know exactly the model of the problem device. Usually sets of drivers are posted in the public domain. But in such sets there may be additional components. For example, you need to install the NVIDIA driver on Windows 10. After downloading software that exactly matches your graphics adapter model and operating system bitness, it is better to use custom installation instead of automatic installation in the running installer.
This is necessary in order to mark additional components in the presented list, among which there may be a PhysX or GeForce Experience utility, HDMI sound drivers, etc.
Manual driver search and integration into the system
But how to install drivers on Windows 10 if none of the proposed methods gives a positive result, and some non-standard device is installed in your computer configuration,drivers of which may be absent in standard sets? In this case, the necessary software will have to be searched manually.
Go to the "Device Manager", through the RMB on the device with the missing driver, call the properties, go to the details tab and set the ID display, after which several lines will appear in the list containing the special identifiers DEV and VEN. The longest line matches your device to the fullest. Copy it, search the Internet for software, download the installer and install the driver yourself.
Now attention! Installers can be in the form of EXE or INF files.
In the first case, just run the installer as admin. Then wait for the process to finish.
For the second type of files, use the RMB menu with the option "Install".
If it is reported that this method of installation is not supported, in the "Device Manager" select the driver update, then browse through the path to the downloaded INF file or its containing directory.
Which technique is best?
Summing up, ordinary users can be advised to use automated programs, since this method is the simplest and ensures the correct installation of the driver almost always (even if the system itself installscompletely inappropriate software). But in the case of non-standard equipment, whether you like it or not, you will have to find the driver and integrate it into the system yourself using the method described above.
