Automatic driver installation software, what do you think?

[rul3s]

After using the search engine I think there is no open topic talking about this, so I would like to open the hunt.

First of all, let me clarify that in a relatively new machine with available drivers, the best and most optimal thing is always to go to the manufacturer's website and download them, but I suppose that many of you, just like me, have found yourselves with the typical old computer (P4 and similar) that has a win xp and that of course "for what we need, it is not necessary to change it", but if it needs a format with windows 7 for example.

At this point, drivers are a headache since 99% of the time on the manufacturer's website there is no more support beyond windows xp and in the end you end up spending more time searching and installing the drivers than on everything else.

That is why I want to ask you what you think about these programs that automatically search and install the drivers of the machine. In my opinion, 90% of them are usually scams, loaded with malware and bloatware, etc... BUT, there are some that really work and do their job.

After an intensive search I came across a couple of interesting options:

• Snappy Driver Installer
  It is an opensorce project and totally free which has a database with almost 10GB of drivers, which you can use online or even download the whole thing and use it offline. It is really a very interesting option to have within a memory stick as it can be used offline and portable.

• Slimdrivers Free
  Despite having an interface in the purest "PC Optimicer" style and similar rubbish, if you watch out for unchecking the bloatware when installing, it also seems very effective, it does not have as many options as the first one, but it is true that this one found and installed a driver that the first one did not find.
  The free version does not install all the drivers automatically but you have to install them one by one. Even so... I still do not trust it 100%

And you? Do you use, know and/or trust this type of software? I honestly thought until yesterday that 101% of them are scams and I was not right...

Greetings!

[MrCulito]

Yep,

For those "special" drivers, I've often solved the problem with DriverEasy (the free version has limitations). Right now, I've tried DriverBooster and it only gave me an error with one driver.

[krampak]

I always close the links when I go to a page that offers me an exe installer to download a driver (used to always be spyware, etc.).
What I do sometimes is put in a DVD that I downloaded a few years ago (from I don't know which page) with a huge amount of drivers. When I'm on an "old" machine and don't want headaches I put in that DVD and let it search... it takes a while but usually all the unknown drivers install.
As an alternative method I look at the hardware ID in device manager and search for it on Google, so at least I know what device it is, then there's more or less luck in downloading the appropriate driver.

PD: I'll take a look at that Snappy, it looks good.

[whoololon]

@Rules They are indeed useful if you don't know the manufacturer of a device, from there, I'm from the krampak club: I have folders with drivers for equipment that I haven't had for years, but they're still there.

Outside of that context, I'm not a big fan of such programs. I consider them "use and throw away", once they've done the job, it's best to uninstall them; especially when one is not of those who like to have the latest driver installed, but the one that works well for them.

[cobito]

Well, I do the same as @krampak and @whoololon. Except that my main system is Linux and there the drivers are either extremely easy to install or a hell of a nightmare (there is no middle ground), when I have to resort to a driver from a device that has been without support for years and I want to use a recent Windows, I resort to the folder.

[Sylver]

Here's another one from the old drivers warehouse club (digital diogenes is born, not made 8-) ).

If any don't show up, go to the official websites or previously verified websites, but I also avoid those evil exe files that appear on the horizon, more suspicious than Hilario Pino's sudden hair repopulation

In any case, I'll keep these options in mind to tinker around, thanks @Rules

Cheers!

[Nemo]

Am I the only one who goes to the official website of the component manufacturer and installs the latest driver available?
By the way @Rules I don't know if it's my connection or what, but the link to Snappy Driver Installer that you put doesn't work. I leave this alternative that goes directly to SourceForge.

[rul3s]

@Nemo said in Software for automatic driver installation, what do you think?:

Am I the only one who goes to the official website of the component manufacturer and installs the latest driver available?
By the way @Rules, I don't know if it's my connection or what, but the link to Snappy Driver Installer that you posted doesn't work. Here's an alternative that goes directly to SourceForge.

Obviously if that option is available it's the best, but now imagine you go to the manufacturer's website and there are only drivers up to winXP or vista... and you need them for win7. That's what I'm referring to!