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This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book

THURSDAY, MARCH 28

WINDOWS TIP

A driver is a small program that tells Windows how to use a specific device. Whenever you add a new piece of hardware, such as a sound card, to your PC, you need to install a corresponding driver in order to use the device.

Drivers are frequently updated to eliminate bugs and improve performance. To download and install a new or updated driver, follow these steps:

  1. Connect to the Internet.

  2. Right-click My Computer.

  3. Click Properties.

  4. Click the tab marked Device Manager. (In Windows 2000 and XP select the Hardware tab, and then click the Device Manager button.)

  5. Double-click a listed device; a new window opens.

  6. Click Drivers to find out what drivers you currently have installed on your computer.

  7. Click Update Driver and Windows checks to see if you have the latest driver. If there's a newer driver available, it's usually a good idea to upgrade.

You also can find updated versions of drivers by visiting hardware manufacturers' Web sites.

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