Device Driver Error

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Device Driver Error

Most computer users are familiar with computer errors such as “out of memory” errors, “illegal operation” errors, or dreaded Blue Screen of Death errors.

But did you know that faulty hardware is often responsible for many computer crashes? You may or may not see a screen telling you that you have a device driver error. This makes it hard to pinpoint the cause unless you notice that a particular device is malfunctioning. How do you rule out your hardware as the culprit?

Your computer has a built-in tool for managing your hardware devices called Device Manager. Anytime you have a computer error that you suspect could very well be a device driver error, pay a visit to this handy utility. Go to the Start button, choose Control Panel and find the Device Manager icon. This icon is sometimes readily visible; other times you’ll need to click the System icon first.

Once launched, the Device Manager lists all of your computer’s hardware (except printers) by categories. If you see any yellow triangles with an exclamation point in them, these indicate problems with your devices. Click the small plus sign to expand the category. Double-click the device you want to check. If the device is functioning fine, a message in the General tab will say “This device is working properly.” If not, you’ll see a device driver error or similar message. For example, you might see something such as “This device is disabled” or “Windows cannot load the device driver for this device. The driver may be corrupt or missing.”

You have several different options available to overcome some of these device driver errors. One option is to uninstall the existing device driver by clicking Uninstall. You’ll need to restart your computer and then go back into Device Manager. This time, right click the device and choose Scan for hardware. This activates the New Hardware wizard which will reinstall the device driver.

If you’d rather try something different, click on the Troubleshoot tab if one is available to launch the Troubleshooting wizard. Follow the prompts to troubleshoot your device driver error.

Another thing you can do is see if an updated device driver exists by choosing Update driver in the General tab. This option scans the Internet for driver updates. Sometimes, all you need is a new driver and all of your device driver errors will disappear.

If the Update Device driver function doesn’t turn up any new device drivers, double check the manufacturer’s website to see if they have any updated device drivers for your device available for download. Sometimes downloading the same version of the driver and installing it solves problems related to corrupt or missing device driver files. For example, if a required DLL file is missing from your system thanks to file corruption, reinstalling the driver using a fresh download will replace the missing file and solve your device driver error.

If your device driver errors just recently cropped up, try using System Restore if you have Windows XP or Windows Vista. System Restore can restore your device drivers to a previous state if you have it enabled to do so. To open System Restore, go to the Start button, choose Accessories, System Tools, System Restore. Restoring the system only restores system files, device drivers, and other computer settings. It doesn’t affect your data. Choose a restore point that was created sometime before your hardware began generating device driver errors and follow the system restoration prompts.

Device driver errors show up for many reasons ranging from missing files, corrupt drivers, faulty drivers, and conflicts with other applications or devices. Your first step is to use Device Manager to analyze and troubleshoot the problem. A System Restore may be all you need to get everything back in order. Other times, downloading and installing new device drivers will solve your problems. If everything checks out with your devices, your computer errors could be caused by something else including spyware, computer viruses, or a corrupt Windows registry.