Question About Drivers ?

[PeterGriffin]

If I have an old computer and I'm going to reload the OS, but have no other documentation on the computer how do I save the drivers?

Can I simply copy ALL the .inf files to a CD then when I down installing the OS update the drivers from these .inf files? Or are there additional files that are part of the drivers.

I know that I can do a search on the web and find most of these drivers, but that would mean I would have to put more effort into this machine than I really want. Not to mention that I would have to take it apart to find out what the model numbers are for the parts of concern.


Let me know what the easiest way is to migrate these drivers when OS is reinstalled.



Thanks

[Eraserhead]

What OS are you using?
Most devices which are Plug and Play *should* work when the installation goes through the hardware detection stage.
As we know with Windows, this isn't always the case - you might have to check all your devices and download appropriate drivers the hard way.
The .inf files tell the computer which drivers are to be used, plus registry settings etc. You'd have to save the driver files themselves as well and this would take longer than downloading them, I would imagine.
Besides, it would be better to download the drivers since it's always advisable to have the latest drivers installed on your machine (but avoid beta releases 'cause they're often buggy).

[duramax]

you can get ALOT of old drivers from www.driverguide.com they have a HUGE database of drivers not found anywhere else on the net. usually each item can be found by the fccid number. If you would like you can email me personally at pobox2311@cableone.net and use my username and password, it is (if i remember correctly) a lengthy signup process.

DuraMax

[wju425]

The passwords are all the same for everybody at driversguide.

Name = drivers Password = all

\o/ Billy

EDIT: There is a program that will round up the drivers that are not windows specific and put them in folders. It's called WinDrvExpert. Give it a try.

[Bill in SD, CA]

You can use this program to back up your drivers

WinDriversBackup Personal Edition

Bill

[wju425]

That's another good proggie. I have them both.

\o/ Billy

[John Prophet]

I could have used one such proggy about a year and a half ago...formatted a CUSTOMERS system, lol..she had an old #9 vid card...could NOT find drivers....tsk tsk.

JP

[duramax]

are these prog easy to reinstall the drivers from?