Advice Request Never Download a Driver-Updating Utility; They’re Worse Than Useless

[Cortex]

To be fair system restore doesn't work properly, always leaves garbage behind not to mention it fails to properly recover all the files and configurations, system restore is as the name says, focused on the system not on third-party software.

I personally only use Driver Utilities at work, on old computers with unknown/ancient hardware that lack an official page to get the drivers (it helps a lot).

Beyond that, I install and update all the drivers manually (and you should update them, for performance, compatibility and even security fixes).

As I said I don't use System Restore & haven't for many, many years (if ever) as I find it's worse than useless, it does slow PC's down as it churns away doing bugger all - Imaging works perfectly & IMHO everyone should consider using it. As regards I should update drivers for security surely that does depend on the specific driver (potential exploitation) & updating manually to a newer driver, isn't necessarily an advantage: For example on this particular PC a network driver update causes issues, (increased internet ping, & slower network throughput, when things were fine before) updating drivers isn't always a solution, esp if there isn't a problem, but it may be? That's just my opinion, not a factual statement.

 

[roger_m]

As I said I don't use System Restore & haven't for many, many years (if ever) as I find it's worse than useless, it does slow PC's down as it churns away doing bugger all

System Restore, almost always works fine for me. I don't use it much, because when I have issues, the first thing I do is to try and diagnose and hopefully fix the problems myself. By doing so, I sometimes learn something. I only ever use images as an absolute last resort.

You are right about drivers. While I like to keep my systems updated, unless you are having issues with a particular device, usually it's not important to update drivers.

 

[Cortex]

System Restore, almost always works fine for me. I don't use it much, because when I have issues, the first thing I do is to try and diagnose and hopefully fix the problems myself. By doing so, I sometimes learn something. I only ever use images as an absolute last resort.

You are right about drivers. While I like to keep my systems updated, unless you are having issues with a particular device, usually it's not important to update drivers.

Admittedly I may have deep unresolved personal issues with System Restore that I need to see a life coach (clinical psychologist) about, probably regarding issues years ago. I only keep Windows & some installed programs on C:\ the rest are on separate partitions / drive so imaging / restore only takes a few mins.

 

[Dhruv2193]

It is best to use driver updaters only if your are experiencing driver related problems like BSOD(although there are more obvious reasons like Hardware components like RAM, HDD etc.becoming faulty, software bug etc. ) and one should always backup before updating in case something wrong happens.

 

[Kyle_Katarn]

Just released a better version (2.20) of DUMo, my Drivers Update Monitor : KC Softwares
Feedback is welcome !

 

[roger_m]

Auslogics has just released a new version of Auslogics Driver Updater and it now lets you update drivers for free.

I've just installed Driver Updater, a great tool to make your PC run fast and smooth

Easily update all your PC drivers with this smart driver updater to fix sound, connectivity, and hardware issues. Feel confident that downloading driver updates match your device perfectly.

www.auslogics.com

1.22.0.2

• New feature: free to use manual driver update added
• Fixed all known minor bugs

You can update one driver at time and like with the paid version the drivers are installed automatically. After updating a driver, you need to exit Driver Updater and open it again to be able to update more drivers. After updating a few drivers, you have to wait a few minutes (and the time increases with each additional driver you install) before you can update another driver.

It's worth noting that the accuracy of the driver matching could be better. Some of the driver updates it finds will not be the correct OEM driver, but ones for a device from a different manufacturer. There drivers will usually still work, but it's generally better not to install them. Driver Booster and Driver Easy, for example, are much better at finding the correct drivers.

However, since you can now use this for free, it may be of use to some people. It's a welcome change, considering that the trial versions of the last few releases, would scan for outdated drivers and then not even tell you what drivers it had found updates for, or even how many updates were found until paid for it.

Also, if anyone's interested, Auslogics have just released a free version of BoostSpeed.

I've just installed BoostSpeed 13 Free, a great tool to make your PC run fast and smooth

Are you wondering, why is your PC running so slow? Then it needs to be tweaked for better performance. Make it simple with BoostSpeed 13.

www.auslogics.com

 

[superleeds27]

I'm still using Driver Genius.

Never really had any issues with This in the 2/3 machines I've had it on over the last 3/4 years

 

[EMET]

A few months ago my PC was having a hard time shutting down so out of desperation I looked at my Device Manager and discovered about 10 or 12 "unknown devices". I tried to update their drives with the Device Manager...no luck...I checked Windows Update but it said it was all caught up.
So I downloaded iObit Driver Booster and it found several out dated drivers so, knowing I had a fresh RollBack Snapshot I allowed it to up date the drivers and sure enough the "unknown devices" were gone in Device Manager, and my PC now shuts down as it should.
Just make a System Image or a RollBack app (or even the Windows system restore) and stop spreading FUD.

 

[Lucifer656]

I did this from the point of view of an average user, I did an image before I installed IOBIT, I did attempt to remedy the situation using the program & restore the SATA driver, as an average user would. I did not succeed - I tried this program twice, a few days ago too - I had the same results. I make no point other than on this really well working PC things got worse so for me Booster failed big time. Others have a different point of view, of course at any time I could have imaged back within a few mins.

 

[Cortex]

A few months ago my PC was having a hard time shutting down so out of desperation I looked at my Device Manager and discovered about 10 or 12 "unknown devices". I tried to update their drives with the Device Manager...no luck...I checked Windows Update but it said it was all caught up.
So I downloaded iObit Driver Booster and it found several out dated drivers so, knowing I had a fresh RollBack Snapshot I allowed it to up date the drivers and sure enough the "unknown devices" were gone in Device Manager, and my PC now shuts down as it should.
Just make a System Image or a RollBack app (or even the Windows system restore) and stop spreading FUD.

FUD, you mean experience gained from buying Drive Booster & using it on two PC's? How long have you been employed by iOBIT lol

 

[ForgottenSeer 55474]

Hello, Allow me to disagree, I have the paid version of Driver Booster, and of course, you should double-check when it comes to drivers, but this particular program has never been wrong, not on my PC anyway.

 

[Cortex]

Hello, Allow me to disagree, I have the paid version of Driver Booster, and of course, you should double-check when it comes to drivers, but this particular program has never been wrong, not on my PC anyway.

You are fully entitled your opinion as regards Drive Booster & all things in life, I have the paid version to & feel differently, it really messed my SATA controller up which wasn't apparent for some time (messed Macrum Reflect boot up) - As I image often the situation was sorted, but IMHO it didn't improve the system one jot either which maybe is as important - But... All our systems are different & so we will have a different outcome

 

[The_King]

I have used Driver Booster for several years with numerous different motherboard configurations. I have never run into any issues with the updated drivers.

I had to update windows on an old ECS motherboard awhile ago but could not find the audio driver anywhere on the inter-webs or official website.
Driver Booster found the driver in just a few clicks which if i had used sooner would have saved me from hours of searching for
hardware id strings and not well documented model numbers for the audio chip that was present on that board.

This program can get up to date drivers for older motherboards that Manufacturers and OEM's have stop supporting or updating on their websites.
Driver booster always impressed me with how fast it downloads drivers and installs them.

 

[FireHammer]

Very good read, I purchased Iobit Driver Booster, and it installed a wrong graphics Driver, it was a mess but I took care of it and now the right AMD driver is installed.

 

[Ink]

Used IObit Driver Booster 7 (FREE) to fix some driver issues, everything working as it should now.

 

[codswollip]

Courtesy of this thread I've been using Driver Easy. As long as you are intentional about which drivers you install, and have a pre-install backup image handy, this has worked for me for graphic/wireless drivers. I've had less success with Realtek audio (and frankly I don't understand why I have multiple Realtek drivers when one should suffice).

 

[FireHammer]

I have updated AMD Audio COProcessor & everything works fine(With Driver Booster Pro I forgot to mention)
I have updated 8 drivers with this tool since my factory reset, which was not so long ago, 2 months I believe.
Since then I have received 9 driver updates from Microsoft, and off course without any issues.
My AMD graphics driver I updated through AMD program on the Notebook(my PC)

 

[amirr]

Lately, I used CCleaner's driver updater and it did update all the drivers without any problem. It was the first driver updater tool I ever used. I wanted to test mostly, but in the new PC I will get soon, I don't think I will use any driver updater tool.

 

[amirr]

I ditched CCleaner Pro for good:
1)Is Using CCleaner A Bad Idea? - YouTube
hxxps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbqlJKiENvQ

2)Pros Use Bleachbit - YouTube
hxxps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oT4qrHmDMY

3) The 7 Mistakes Windows Users Make - YouTube
hxxps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn0eto5bY-A

The last one also talks about CCleaner.