ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SUPPLEMENTAL DEVICE DRIVERS

SafeBytes Software

Great as your Windows computer is, you will, over time, customize it to suit your needs. This generally includes adding new devices and hardware to enhance usability and performance of the system.

As you would know, each device you add to your computer requires you to install the right drivers. Usually, an installation disc comes with the package which you simply have to pop in and launch the installation. This will hardly take a few minutes. However, some devices require supplemental drivers, which you have to install in addition to the drivers that you installed initially.

Some of the devices for which you will need supplemental device drivers are plug and play devices and hardware abstraction layers (HALs). In the case of plug and play devices, you simply have to plug the device in your computer and it will start functioning without any additional installation.

However, some devices aren’t recognized by Windows operating systems as soon as they are connected, which is when you need to install additional drivers. This includes graphic cards, as it is likely that the operating system doesn’t have the necessary drivers pre-installed.

Thankfully, you don’t have to put in too much effort to locate the supplemental drivers you need. You simply have to head to the site of the manufacturer of the device and search for the driver. From there, you can easily download and install the drivers you need.

However, it is important to find safe drivers that not only work but also don’t cause any harm to your system. Drivers which contain malware are commonly available and you should beware. The best option in this regard is downloading only those drivers which are signed digitally by Microsoft. Not only does this verify that the drivers are genuine but also that no user will be able to tamper with it.

To check for the signature, you have to go to RUN on the START Menu and in the command field paste sigverif. A window will pop up on the screen, where you have to click start. Any drivers which are unsigned will be identified by the scan and you can move ahead accordingly.

You can also check the signatures by accessing the Device Manager, which you can find in the Control Panel. Select the device and right click on it. Then, click PROPERTIES followed by DRIVER and then DRIVER Details. Here you will be able to check if the device and driver are compatible with Microsoft or not.

Using this information, you can find the right supplemental device drivers for your needs and install them on your computer without hassle. The key is to maintain the drivers properly so that you don’t face any issues with performance and compatibility.