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Installing Dell Device Drivers

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Although Dell manufactures some of the best computer hardware in the industry, its products are still vulnerable to common issues. Just as with any device, there may come a time when your Dell hardware stops functioning and needs help getting back on track. Thankfully, when hardware begins to experience problems, solving them is often as easy as updating an outdated device driver. For example, if your keyboard starts acting up, it typically means there is problem with the corresponding device driver. After updating or replacing the driver, the keyboard will usually enjoy the normal functionality.

First Steps to Fixing the Dell Problems

If you want to fix your hardware issues, the first thing you should do is find the driver CD that came along with your Dell computer. This disc should be labeled like “Dell Drivers” or “Drivers and Utilities.” After inserting the disc into your CD drive, a wizard should appear and ask which drivers you want to install. If you know which drivers are causing the problem, you can choose them from the list of selections. If not, you will need to conduct an investigation.

Investigating Which Drivers are Awry

To find the device drivers stirring up all the chaos, open the “Control Panel” and click “Device Manager.” The Device Manager lists all the devices installed on your computer. If you notice yellow markings by any of your devices, this indicates a problem and that the device drivers need to be replaced. Now that you have pinpointed the issue, navigate back to the Dell Driver window, select the appropriate drivers and restore them. Depending on the device, you may have to install one or multiple drivers. For instance, if your motherboard drivers become corrupt, you will be required to install numerous components in order to completely restore the hardware.

Obtaining Drivers from Dell Directly

If you can’t find the driver installation CD, visit the Dell Support website. The company does a good job at making updated drivers and firmware available. In the device driver download area, enter the model number for the device and operating system on your computer. By doing so, you will better your chances of getting the exact drivers you need. After finding the appropriate drivers, download them to your computer. Most downloads from Dell are self-launching files, meaning all you have to do is click the icon and follow the installation prompts. If not, the device drivers will have to be manually installed from the Device Manager utility. From the Device Manager, locate the device in question and right-click on it. Choose the option that automatically browses your computer, select the downloaded device drivers, and follow the prompts for installing them.

If you take the route of downloading device drivers from Dell, be sure to remember where they are saved on the hard drive. By knowing where to look, you can save yourself tremendous if they ever need to be reinstalled again. An easier way to accomplish this would be saving the device drivers file in a special folder or on storage media.