INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER DRIVERS

Computer drivers, often simply called “drivers,” are small software programs that act as
interpreters between your computer and its hardware devices. They enable your computer to
properly use devices like printers, video cards, keyboards, and mice by translating the
computer’s commands into a language the hardware can understand. Drivers are essential for
the functionality of these devices, ensuring compatibility with your computer’s operating
system and enabling all the features of the hardware.

A Computer driver is software that tells your device how to interact with the hardware like
graphics cards, printers, keyboards, and monitors connected to it. They act as a link, ensuring
the computer and the hardware understand each other to work smoothly. The role of drivers is
important because they ensure the hardware works properly with your computer. Drivers are
key in boosting the hardware’s performance and reliability, helping it to work at its peak.

For example, printer drivers not only allow for basic printing but can also offer advanced
features like color adjustment and double-sided printing. Additionally, updating drivers can
enhance device performance and fix bugs, ensuring that every part of your computer works
efficiently and effectively.

TYPES OF COMPUTER DRIVERS

In the world of computers, different types of hardware need different types of drivers to work
properly. Here are a few common types of computer drivers:

 Device Drivers : Software that lets your computer work with different devices like
printers or cameras. They translate basic computer commands into actions the device
understands. Each driver is designed for a specific device to ensure proper functionality.
They usually install automatically and are updated to fix bugs or enhance performance.
Good drivers ensure system stability and smooth device operation, while bad ones can
cause problems or device malfunctions.

 Kernel Drivers : Core parts of a computer’s system that communicate directly with the
operating system and hardware. They manage critical tasks such as memory handling
and device operations, playing a crucial role in computer stability and
performance.Kernel device drivers are layered. Higher-level drivers, such as file system
 drivers, receive data from applications, filter it, and pass it to a lower-level driver,
supporting drive functionality. Kernel device drivers are implemented as discrete and
modular components that have a well-defined set of required functionalities.

 User-mode Drivers : User mode device drivers execute in user mode. They refer to
device drivers that users may trigger during a session. When using a system, users may
have their own external devices that they bring to use, such as external plug-and-play
devices. These devices also require drivers to function. These drivers operate in a
separate space from the main operating system, reducing the risk of crashing the entire
system if issues arise. They handle tasks related to specific user applications and are
noted for their manageability and safety in maintaining system stability.

 Virtual Device Drivers : Virtual device drivers are essential in controlling virtual
machines, a simulated, or virtual device within your computer . They operate in both
virtualization and non-virtualization environments. In virtualization environments, these
drivers are used to emulate the hardware of the host device. They control or manage
the resource hardware of the host device to ensure that both the guest and host device
run as expected. For example, when a guest operating system works on a host, it makes
function calls to virtual device drivers to access the hardware. In addition, they imitate
processor-level occurrences like interrupts and transmit them to the virtual machine.
They allow software to interact with these virtual devices as though they were actual
hardware, which is useful for testing or running multiple systems within a single physical
computer.

 Network Drivers : Software that facilitates the connection between your computer and
networked devices, managing communication between your computer and its network
hardware like Wi-Fi cards or Ethernet cables. These drivers ensure proper access to
networks and the internet.

 Storage Drivers : Software that enables communication between your computer and
storage devices like hard drives, SSDs, and USB flash drives. They are essential for
reading and writing data to these devices, ensuring correct file storage and access.
 Character drivers : Character device drivers provide unstructured access to the
hardware. They transfer data to and from devices without using a specific device
address. They allow the reading or writing of one byte at a time as a stream of
sequential data. Character drivers do not handle input/output (I/O) through the buffer
cache, so they are more flexible in handling I/O. They are paired with block devices to
circumvent the buffer cache to offer raw I/O operations straight to the program address
space of the user. Additionally, they provide additional interfaces such as I/O control
commands, device polling, and memory mapping. Examples are modems and bus
controllers.
 BIOS : The basic input output system (BIOS) is the most fundamental driver on a
computer. It is located in a read-only memory (ROM) chip, which ensures that BIOS will
be available even when the hard disk is formatted. It is in charge of booting a computer
and providing it with a set of instructions during this process. It also performs power-on
self-tests (POST) that are required during startup. The BIOS also provides drivers for the
basic hardware, such as keyboards and monitors, to ensure that they interface with the
operating system to function as intended.
 Motherboard drivers : Motherboard drivers are simple applications that both Windows
and Linux may utilize. They exist within the operating system and enable fundamental
computer operations. These drivers comprise applications that allow the keyboard and
mouse’s USB devices and I/O ports to work. Some motherboards have drivers that
support video and audio. Motherboard drivers are specific for the chipset model, such
as B460 for Intel computers. To realize the motherboard’s full potential and enable
components connected to it to work correctly, users may need to install additional
drivers.

 Open-source drivers : Open-source drivers refer to drivers that are released under a
free and open-source license. For instance, open-source graphic drivers control the
output to the display if the display is part of the graphics hardware. The source code for
open-source drivers is available to everyone, making software collaborations easier.
They are more trustworthy as people can check them for any malicious code. Open-
source drivers offer more privacy. If they track users, people can redistribute a copy of
the software with the tracking removed. Open-source drivers last longer as more people
continue to make improvements, thus ensuring that even when the company stops
distributing them, a copy remains
 WHY DO COMPUTER DRIVERS NEED UPDATES?

Computer drivers are like translators that help your computer communicate effectively with the
hardware attached to it, like printers, video cards, or keyboards. Just like any language can
evolve over time, the way hardware and software communicate can change too. That’s why
drivers need updates. Updates make sure that the drivers can understand the latest “language”
and can communicate effectively with newer versions of hardware and software. The following
are the reason for updating computer drivers:

1. Staying in Sync With Operating System Updates

When you update your operating system, your old peripheral drivers may no longer be fully
compatible. That means your hardware won't work as you expect or could even stop
functioning altogether. Driver updates ensure that your peripherals work perfectly with
your OS's latest patch.

2. Ensuring Compatibility With New Software

Updating drivers can also allow your OS to take advantage of newer software, unlocking the
potential of your hardware. A driver update can optimize the hardware for more recent
apps, like later versions of Adobe Photoshop or popular new games.

3. Improving performance
Computer drivers update can make your computer faster and maximize the performance of
any new hardware devices you want to use. For example, you will need to update your
Bluetooth drivers to use the latest pair of wireless earbuds.

4. To increase longevity
Regularly updating your drivers is like taking a car in for a routine tune up. If you
regularly make those updates, you are device may last for several extra months or years.
Conversely, outdated drivers can cause device to expend excess energy and burn
themselves out more quickly. Developers will also release updates to improve a driver's
effectiveness and prevent it from using up too much battery or CPU power.

5. Fixing Bugs
When peripherals become available, many users try them on a variety of systems. This can
help to reveal previously undetected issues. Developers and manufacturers typically release
updated drivers to address these issues. Updates ensure you get the very best experience
possible.

6. Providing Security
 The most important reason you should update your drivers is for device security. That's
because hackers and cybercriminals can find weaknesses in old drivers and exploit them.
They might even gain access to your operating system's secure environment. Some drivers
communicate directly with your computer's kernel, at a very low level. A vulnerability in the
software could allow direct access to your OS, letting unwanted programs hijack your
system.

FUNCTIONS OF COMPUTER DRIVERS

 Enable Communication: Drivers communicate with hardware devices through the

computer’s operating system. They send commands to the device and relay data back to
the operating system.
 Control: They control the hardware device like printers and video cards by telling it what
to do based on the instructions received from the operating system.

 Ensure Compatibility: They ensure compatibility between the operating system and
various hardware devices. Drivers make sure that hardware works well with different
versions of operating systems, helping devices to function correctly no matter the
system they are connected to.
 Boost performance: They are tailored to the specific needs of the hardware, helping
devices to walk at their best, often getting updates to improve how they function.
 Manage devices: They give your computer the ability to use the hardware's features like
sending a document to a printer or displaying images on a screen.
 Troubleshooting problems: when something goes wrong with a device, drivers help
figure out the issue and can sometimes correct it.
 Organize resources: They manage how the hardware uses the computer's memory and
processing power ensuring that devices do not hog resources and slow everything
down.

STEPS TO REINSTALL COMPUTER DRIVER

Step 1: Locate the search box in the lower corner of the Windows taskbar and type “Device
Manager”
Step 2: Select Device Manager, and choose your device from the list provided. You may have
more than one device to choose from in each category

Step 3: Right-click on the device you wish to update and select Uninstall

Step 4: Restart your computer using the Start menu; do not do a hard restart by pushing the
power button

Step 5: Your computer will attempt to reinstall the driver upon restart.