Drivermax.

[Arnold1972]

hi
Does anybody use drivermax.?
How often should i be updating my drivers.?
Regards.

 

[Digerati]

I don't use it. I don't see a need. With the exception of brand new hardware and possible exception of graphics drivers, there normally is no need to update your drivers just because a new driver is out there. This is especially true with the BIOS (not really a driver, but often seen in the same light). Once a piece of hardware has been on the shelves for 6 months or so, there should be no more bugs in need of fixing. So most driver updates after that are just to add support for new CPUs released, some new industry standard for "new" hardware due out on the horizon, or sometimes, to fix some obscure bug when used with some weird HW configuration. If your computer has been working fine with the current drivers, and if you have not made any hardware changes, there's no need to change the driver when the update has nothing to do with you.

I don't update drivers unless (1) the new driver (or BIOS update) addresses a specific problem I am having or (2) the new driver (or BIOS update) addresses a new security issue (this is rare).

Note that any good driver maker will (should!!!) post a "Release Notes", "Change History", or some other readme file listing the changes in the update. If it does not affect me, I am not going to fix something that does not need fixin'.

If you are asking about the system listed in your system specs, then you have Windows 7 64-bit. And Windows Update in Win7 will also keep track of most of your drivers and will notify you when a new one is available - usually as an optional update. If it does not affect me, I hide the update notice so it never bothers me again. Note, I let WU notify me of updates, but I choose which ones and when to install.

I do note that a few of my trusted colleagues have used Drivermax and like it, However, there has been quite a few complaints that Drivermax foists (shoves on to your system without your permission) the AVG Search Toolbar, without providing an opt-out option during the install. I understand these free program makers need to feed their families, not providing (or hiding) the option to opt-out of added stuff (junk or not) is NOT COOL! You can uninstall the toolbar via Control Panel, fortunately, but users should not have to uninstall something they did not want or approve to be installed in the first place. Those complaints were from this last February.

I do use and recommend Secunia PSI. – I recommend setting to inform when updates are available, rather than automatically download or install the updates. It is not for drivers, but for all the programs installed on your system. Keeping them current is important for security.

Note I said "new" hardware above. Whenever I buy new hardware - especially on a new build, I always check for new drivers and BIOS. This is because the driver disks included in motherboard and graphics card boxes are often old to start, and I don't always know how long ago a specific board was actually made. So, with new hardware, I install the latest drivers. After that, if it works, it works.

I also mentioned graphics drivers. Understand the graphics solution, whether a card or integrated, is essentially a very high-tech, mini computer in itself - though dedicated for graphics. It has a central processor, the GPU. It has its own RAM, memory controller, bus, bus controller, AND programming - a mini OS, and "feature" processing code. For example, DirectX. DirectX has nothing to do with "driver" updates.

For years, resolutions have not changed. The digital and analog video protocols have not changed. Communication protocols between the CPU and graphics and monitors have not changed. And those are all "driver" issues. So what most frequently is being changed in graphics so-called drivers is the features - features required to play this game better or that game better.

It really is all about games, and card maker's desires for their cards to support the latest games. So, if you are a gamer who regularly buys the latest games (and thus latest features), then you may need to update your graphics on a fairly regular basis. But the rest of your hardware, if it is working, don't dink with it. At least, that's my opinion on it.

 

[Arnold1972]

thank you so much for your large reply on this matter and i have decided i will update drivers when i really need to.
Thanks again.:beer:

 

[Digerati]

i have decided i will update drivers when i really need to.

And that even sounds like it makes sense too!