Driver Cure programs

[Calaber]

About five months ago, I purchased a new desktop pc and LCD screen, so you would expect the drivers to still be reasonably up to date.

I have done a scan of the drivers using two commercially available driver scanning programs and one shows that 13 of my drivers need updating, the other says 16 need it..

My computer works well and I don't have any issues with it - I suppose I shouldn't when it's so new. But I would like to know if these driver scan programs are the real thing or just a scam. Obviously, if I want either of them to "fix" my drivers, I have to register on line and there is a cost.

I'd welcome advice from anybody who knows whether the programs are worthwhile or not. One is Driver Whiz and the other is ParetoLogic Driver Cure. If these are duds and the drivers should be updated, any recommendations?

[minux]

Erm, why not just use windows update lol? It is free.

[soop]

If you have no drama's then don't stress mate.

[CSP]

Erm, why not just use windows update lol? It is free.

Hahahaha! So true... The only drivers I manually update are my ATI Radeon drivers.

[2DIE]

I use the free version of DriverMax, not hard to get the hang of it after a bit of playing around.

The free version lets you update 2 drivers per day, the registered version is unlimited.

I needed about 40+ driver updates on my laptop when I first used DriverMax so I set it to run on start up, took 2-3 months to get them all but I'm up to date now

Also since then I run it about once a week, every now and then I find something else with a updated driver.

[soop]

And notice what difference?

[Calaber]

Well, thanks gents. I ran the available Windows updates as Minux suggested (obviously had not thought to do that prior to posting the thread) and some of the outdated drivers highlighted in the earlier searches were updated, but 10 remain. I'm not going to concern myself with them as I was of the opinion that automatic updates were effected overnight as they became available. Can't explain why so many were reported as outdated.

On another note, question for CSP. Why do you choose to update the Radeon manually? That was one of the highlighted outdates and was addressed by the Windows download. Is there a particular reason for a manual download rather than using the automatic facility?

[50LTRv8]

if you want any of the drivers for your computer manually download them from the brand,s website. I would worry more about video card drivers than monitor ones, I think mine are using plug and pray drivers and it works fine.

[dijm8]

if your pc is running fine now then their is no need for them, unless your having problems then go right ahead..i agree with the above usaully the pc brand u have will have driver packages with the lastest drivers on them too...but sometimes they can make your pc worse

only drivers i upgrade is also my ATI for my GPU but other then that unless ur pc is crashing and telling you ur driver is at fault then i would not bother

[Calaber]

if you want any of the drivers for your computer manually download them from the brand,s website. I would worry more about video card drivers than monitor ones, I think mine are using plug and pray drivers and it works fine.

Actually, that raises a point I have experienced. Sometimes, if I am on-line, the screen will shut down and fade back to the desk-top and I have to move the mouse or hit a key to return to the original site. Perhaps these updates will sort that out.

[CSP]

Actually, that raises a point I have experienced. Sometimes, if I am on-line, the screen will shut down and fade back to the desk-top and I have to move the mouse or hit a key to return to the original site. Perhaps these updates will sort that out.

Power settings mate. No activity and monitors, HDDs, whole computers can (and do) go to sleep or switch off. They're all configurable.

As for manually updating the ATI drivers, there are different packages as well as the catalyst control centre and there's no way of knowing EXACTLY which one the Windows update is going to install. That's why it's always a manual update.

As for other drivers - I think you've been sucked into a bit of a gimmick with this driver checking software. If shit works and Windows Update says everything's up to date then what the problem? You're more likely to benefit from MB firmware updates - do you do those?