Drivers

Advantages Of Drivers

High System Stability

Device drivers act as the communication bridge between different hardware components and computer peripherals. If the drivers are up-to-date, they assist in keeping the hardware and software components stable during work or gaming sessions. Computer drivers provide greater system stability, leading to a smooth browsing experience and increasing the system's shelf life.

Responsive Hardware

Device drivers quickly translate the generic commands from the peripheral devices into specific instructions that the corresponding hardware device can easily decode. For example, when you click Print when printing a document, the operating system sends the generic print command to the printer driver. The printer driver then converts it into the appropriate format and language for the printer to decode and take respective action.

Less Operating System Errors

Regularly updating the drivers ensures it is compatible with the operating system updates. The synchronization is better achieved and reduces the chances of the Desktop system crashing down. Updated drivers also prevent the malfunctioning of the hardware system. Drivers help fix the bugs and activate the new features that enhance the functionality of the hardware devices. 

Optimum Performance

Device drivers are designed to work seamlessly with various operating systems, thus providing an optimum computer system performance. Whether you are a working professional requiring an eye for every detail in your work or an intense gamer who prefers a lag-free gaming experience, the suitable device drivers compatible with your operating system will provide the desired experience.

Types Of Drivers

Kernel Device Driver

Kernel mode device drivers are generic hardware loaded with the operating system once the system boots up. The Kernel device drivers form the minimum system requirement for each type of OS and often include motherboards, processors, and BIOS. When required, they are invoked and loaded into the RAM.

User Mode Device Driver

The user mode device drivers execute in user mode and may get triggered by the user during a session. Users may bring their own external devices, like plug-and-play equipment. These external devices also need device drivers to function properly. User mode device drivers provide an interface between a kernel mode driver and a Win32 application.

Block Device Drivers

Block Device drivers are responsible for providing structured access to the hardware. The Kernel layer provides a buffer cache to perform crucial input-output tasks. The block device drivers use block-sized buffers from the buffer cache to store frequently accessed blocks.

Virtual Device Drivers

These device drivers are essential to control the virtual machines. It can work in virtualization and non-virtualization environments. Consider the example of a guest operating system working on a host device. It makes function calls to virtual device drivers to access the hardware. It also imitates processor-level occurrences and transmits them to virtual machines.

Motherboard Drivers

The motherboard drivers are simple software applications included in Windows and Linux operating systems. These drivers are essential to perform fundamental computer operations, like allowing the keyboard and mouse’s USB devices to work. Some advanced motherboards have drivers that support video and audio playback systems.

How Drivers Work?

Device driver software has different features that enhance the functionality and usability of the desktop. For example, let’s consider the working mechanism of a keyboard driver.

• Keyboard drivers are a group of files that act as a translating interface between the computer’s operating system and the keyboard device.
• The keyboard device driver reads the incoming data stream from the keyboard, extracts the respective key codes, and converts it to the format used by the computer’s operating system.
• The operating system accepts specific instructions from the keyboard driver and displays the required results on the monitor.

Another prominent function of device drivers includes managing the power and performance of the hardware device. When you plug a USB device, the respective driver detects it and initiates the configuration and power negotiation process. It optimizes the device's performance by adjusting the speed, resolution, or response depending on the user preferences.

A device driver is also responsible for handling the feedback received from the hardware device, such as errors, system events, and status, and reports it to the operating system. Therefore, you must have a crystal clear idea of what you are looking for when choosing device drivers.

How To Choose Right Drivers?

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to choosing the right Device drivers for your computer system. However, you can consider specific tips when selecting the correct device drivers.

• Select device drivers compatible with your Operating system’s Kernel and interface needs and updates.
• Opt for device drivers that are well-tested, documented, maintained, and updated. Whenever you need to troubleshoot, the documentation serves a handy purpose to eliminate the root cause of the hardware or software.
• Ensure your device drivers provide the functionality and features that serve your operating system.
• Take into account the end purpose of buying device drivers. For example, if you are an avid gamer with a high system configuration, you may require additional high-end drivers for quick response and swift moves during gaming. These device drivers encourage a disturbance-free gaming experience.

Considering the above factors will help you make an informed decision when selecting the right computer drivers for your desktop system.

How To Use Drivers?

Drivers need to be installed as per the needs of the operating system. The distributor of the computer drivers usually provides the necessary guidelines to install the drivers.

• Many device drivers are in the form of pre-compiled libraries that can be installed using a package manager.
• Few drivers are in the form of source code that can be compiled using a compiler.
• Some device drivers require manual configuration or installations using settings to work correctly.

The best way to use drivers is to enable your operating system for automatic Windows updates. The sooner an update happens, the faster the device drivers are installed and the better they perform. 

Still, if some device drivers are not working well, you can update the driver manually. Execute these steps:

• Open the search box from the Windows Taskbar and type device manager.
• Select Device Manager from the results and click on the device not working smoothly.
• Right-click on the device and select Update Driver.

The system will initiate the driver update and walk you through the further steps. If the driver file is corrupted, a pop-up window will appear on your screen, indicating that the driver needs more troubleshooting.

Frequently Asked Question

Q1. What Is The Purpose Of A Mouse Driver?

A mouse driver is necessary for the smooth functioning of the computer mouse while gaming or working. It consists of all the relevant information on the current state of the mouse and informs the OS accordingly.

Q2.  Are Mouse Drivers Necessary?

Without a mouse driver in your system, your mouse would be rendered unresponsive. Therefore, it is necessary to have mouse drivers. It could be system-based or third-party-based drivers, but you need them for mouse operability.

Q3. How Do I Know If My Mouse Driver Is Updated?

If your mouse is not working correctly, there could be chances that its drivers are not updated and hence not compatible with the current OS. In the search box of your home screen, type check for updates and then click Check for updates from the results. Your operating system will tell you whether there are any latest updates or not.

Q4. Does My Keyboard Need Drivers?

If you use a gaming keyboard that uses distinctive interfaces like Rapoo V500 Pro, you may require additional software drivers to enable it to function properly.

Q5. How Do I Fix My Keyboard Drivers?

Follow these steps to fix your keyboard driver:

• Click on Start and search for Device Manager.
• Navigate to the Keyboard section and expand it.
• Click on the affected keyboard and select the Update driver option.
• Select the search automatically option.

Q6. Can I Install A Keyboard Driver?

Yes, you can install a keyboard driver from reliable third-party websites. However, current wireless keyboards that use the plug-and-play method can function with the default drivers provided in the desktop’s operating system.

Q7. What Is The Use Of Drivers In Headset?

Headset drivers convert the electrical signal from the desktop system into the sound you hear. Since the headset is a generic computer peripheral, chances are that the embedded sound card is built for maximum compatibility with multiple devices

Q8. Does Audio Driver Affect Sound Quality?

Yes. Audio drivers are responsible for ensuring the audio hardware on your computer is functioning optimally and delivering high-quality audio sound.