Audio Driver Updates – How to Update Audio Drivers
How Audio Drivers Solve Sound Problems >
If your computer’s audio card isn’t working or stops working under certain circumstances, it’s possible that a sound card update could solve the problem. Like all hardware devices on your system, the sound card can only work if audio drivers are installed. Even with drivers installed, problems such as conflicts with other devices are common. Not only that, new hardware or software installations could render your current soundcard driver useless. Updating your computer’s audio drivers could solve the problem because hardware manufacturers are constantly receiving bug reports and issuing fixes via updated driver software. In addition, if another program overwrote your existing device driver or if the driver somehow became corrupt, an update will solve the problem by replacing the existing or damaged driver with a fresh copy.
Using Device Manager to Find Audio Drivers
Of course, before you can update your device, you’ll need to find the replacement drivers. Start by trying the Device Manager, which is built into Windows. If you have Windows Vista or Windows 7, simply go to the Start button and type Device Manager into the Search bar. An icon for the Device Manager will appear. Launch the Device Manager by double-clicking its icon. Next, find the Sound, Video, and Game Controllers section in the list. Double-click this category and locate your sound card. Right-click your sound card and choose Properties. Click the Driver tab followed by the Update Driver button. Allow Windows to search for a fresh driver. If it finds one, it will automatically install it. Reboot your computer to complete the update and see if your problem is solved.
Searching the Manufacturer’s Website for Audio Drivers
The manufacturer of your audio card most likely offers updated drivers on its website. Normally, manufacturers place this essential software in their “Downloads and Support” section. You will need to search for the specific model of your sound card and then choose the correct driver for your system. Make sure to pay attention to detail during this step as audio drivers are created specifically for the exact model of the card and for the exact operating system of your computer. Once you find the correct driver update, download it to your computer. The installation process varies from one manufacturer to the next with many manufacturers providing self-installing files. If the download doesn’t self-install, use Device Manager to update the sound card. Once again, you’ll go to Device Manager > Sound, Video, and Game Controllers, > Your Device > Properties > Driver > Update Driver. This time, you’ll choose the “Browse disk” option and locate your newly downloaded file. Once located, Windows will install the drivers and update your sound card. After the process completes, reboot the computer and see if your sound card’s problem is repaired.
Updating the soundcard is relatively easy and it can solve numerous audio problems, especially those manufacturers have identified and fixed. In addition to updating the sound card when problems occur, it’s also smart to update it periodically as a preventative measure.
If you’re tired of manually updating audio drivers, consider automating the process. Driver Helper shows you how!