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Windows XP Drivers

Working with your Windows XP drivers

Microsoft has discontinued mainstream support for most versions of Windows XP and will be ending support for Windows XP Professional in April 2009 which means a number of different things for computer users still using the XP operating system. First, updated Windows XP drivers from Microsoft will no longer be released nor will security updates or incident support options be available.

While Microsoft won't be issuing new Windows XP drivers, you can still access online support such as through the Microsoft Help and Support Center or Knowledge Base. Using these tools, you should be able to find solutions to numerous hardware issues affecting your computer.

Hardware manufacturers understand that Windows XP computers are still extremely popular. When they build new hardware devices, they will likely continue designing Windows XP drivers so that their devices are backwards compatible with XP computers. For example, all hardware devices must communicate with the operating system of the machine in which they are installed. This is done through device drivers. However, the device drivers provided with a particular piece of hardware are specific to the operating system. You can't load a Windows XP driver on a Windows 98 machine and expect good results. Instead, you must load the specific driver built for your operating system.

Most device manufacturers provide a set of drivers for each device so that the popular operating systems are able to work use these devices. If you buy a new sound card for your computer, it will likely have device drivers for Windows Vista as well as Windows XP.

Continually update your Windows XP drivers for better PC performance

Keeping your devices up to date with the latest drivers offered by the manufacturer is an excellent idea. After the hardware hits the market, it's not uncommon for compatibility problems to arise. The device's manufacturer addresses these problems and releases new device drivers. Usually, you'll find these updates on the Web site of the manufacturer. Microsoft used to regularly release updated Windows XP drivers through Windows update but with mainstream support dwindling for the XP operating system, that's not your best bet.

Not only do driver updates cover known problems with the device, they can also add improved features. For example, let's say that the sound card manufacturer of the sound card that you have installed on your XP machine recognizes that many existing XP users will be upgrading to the Vista operating system. Rather than having to buy a new sound card afterwards, an update adding Vista compatibility to your existing card may be available.

Updating your Windows XP drivers repairs existing problems and enhances your hardware. It's not difficult either. You can easily find updated drivers by visiting your hardware devices' manufacturers' Web sites. Make sure to pay attention to the details by selecting the exact device and the exact operating system. For example, Windows XP Home and Windows XP Professional drivers may be offered. You must download the drivers built for your exact operating system or your device may not work properly (or at all).

Once downloaded, your XP drivers may need to be installed manually using Device Manager. Go into Control Panel, click the System icon, and click on Device Manager. Find your device in the display and double-click it. Once in the Properties dialog box, click on the Driver tab and then choose the Update Driver button. From here, you can install your recently downloaded Windows XP drivers.

Let DriverCure do all the work!

While this is easy to do, there is a much better way to manage all of your Windows XP drivers: DriverCure. This tool takes care of identifying your hardware and operating system and finding the most current drivers possible. Plus, you can set this up to occur on a regular basis.