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From: Carl on 22 Dec 2009 09:40
On Dec 20, 3:19 pm, Leonard Grey <l.g...(a)invalid.invalid> wrote:
> Some things to know about updating drivers:
>
> 1- Only update a driver if an updated version corrects a problem you are
> currently experiencing with the hardware in question. There is no reason
> to update a driver merely because a new version is available.
>
> 2- Always obtain updated drivers directly from the device manufacturer,
> if you can. That's the only way to know that you're getting the genuine
> article.
>
> Windows Update will also offer drivers -- which Microsoft gets from the
> hardware manufacturers -- but for the optimal results and the best
> support you should still go directly to the hardware device manufacturer
> for updated drivers. Windows Update is good for users who are not
> knowledgeable or experienced enough to install drivers on their own.
>
> 3- If the hardware device in question was installed by your computer
> manufacturer, your first stop for drivers, even before you try the
> device manufacturer, is your computer maker's website. The reason is
> that the computer maker may have customized the hardware for its own
> purposes.
>
> 4- Always follow the computer or hardware manufacturer's installation
> instructions very carefully.
> ---
> Leonard Grey
> Errare humanum est
>
> On 12/20/2009 12:56 PM, Carl wrote:
>
>
>
> > I saw a plug for DriverMax on CNet, downloaded it and tried to update
> > my drivers.
>
> > It's my first time attempting to update a driver.
>
> > I chose to be careful and try updating just one, to see how it went.
>
> > It didn't.
>
> > After following all the instructions for updating the driver for my
> > Broadcom Bluetooth 2.0 USB Device, receiving a notification from
> > DriverMax that the driver had been updated and restarting my Netbook
> > running Windows XP Home SP3, I went to Device Manager>  Broadcom
> > Bluetooth 2.0 USB Device>  Properties>  Driver only to find that the
> > driver version was 5.1.0.5800, dated 7/28/08 and not the downloaded v
> > 4.2.7001.1.
>
> > Any advice, suggestions, etc., as to where to go from here or on how
> > to update drivers in general??

Thanks Leonard. Good advice, every point. Especially the first one:
if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Carl
From: Carl on 22 Dec 2009 09:40
On Dec 21, 9:43 am, "Tim Meddick" <timmedd...(a)gawab.com> wrote:

> And in many cases, in attempting to update needlessly, you may end up with a
> non-functioning and incompatible driver and will have to use XP's "roll back"
> facility.

Thanks, Tim. Bless that rollback facility. I've had to us it once in
this effort

From: Carl on 22 Dec 2009 09:44
On Dec 21, 1:22 pm, "Unknown" <unkn...(a)unknown.kom> wrote:
> "Leonard Grey" <l.g...(a)invalid.invalid> wrote in message
>
> news:eCpSuGbgKHA.3552(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...> Some things to know about updating drivers:
>
> > 1- Only update a driver if an updated version corrects a problem you are
> > currently experiencing with the hardware in question. There is no reason
> > to update a driver merely because a new version is available.
>
> Did you ever hear of 'PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE'?
> Don't oil it if it doesn't squeek? Don't fix it if it isn't broken?
> Very poor stand. Why do you think autoupdates came about?

As I think about it Leonard, the preventative maintenance approach is
what probably drove me to this. I am a major believer in the adage
that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but am also well
aware of its opposite: leave well enough alone. It sometimes can be
tough to reach a good balance between the two.

From: Leonard Grey on 22 Dec 2009 10:22
Drivers do not require preventive maintenance.

The parts in your car experience wear...they require preventive
maintenance. Software stored on your hard drive does not suffer 'wear'
so there is no preventive maintenance to perform.

That said, there is one occasion when you want to have the latest
drivers on your machine: before you make major upgrades to your
operating system, like installing a Service Pack or upgrading Internet
Explorer. That's because these upgrades are more likely to have better
support for recent drivers than for drivers that are years old.

But even on those occasions, you don't need to upgrade every single
driver on your system; just update for I/O devices like your video card
and sound card.

Always test your hardware after upgrading a driver. Sometimes 'upgraded'
drivers are worse than what they replace.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

On 12/22/2009 9:44 AM, Carl wrote:
> On Dec 21, 1:22 pm, "Unknown"<unkn...(a)unknown.kom> wrote:
>> "Leonard Grey"<l.g...(a)invalid.invalid> wrote in message
>>
>> news:eCpSuGbgKHA.3552(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...> Some things to know about updating drivers:
>>
>>> 1- Only update a driver if an updated version corrects a problem you are
>>> currently experiencing with the hardware in question. There is no reason
>>> to update a driver merely because a new version is available.
>>
>> Did you ever hear of 'PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE'?
>> Don't oil it if it doesn't squeek? Don't fix it if it isn't broken?
>> Very poor stand. Why do you think autoupdates came about?
>
> As I think about it Leonard, the preventative maintenance approach is
> what probably drove me to this. I am a major believer in the adage
> that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but am also well
> aware of its opposite: leave well enough alone. It sometimes can be
> tough to reach a good balance between the two.
>
From: Unknown on 22 Dec 2009 12:23
The IMPORTANT part of this discussion is where and how you get the driver
update.
It is NOT whether you have a problem.
If for example you have a video card and there is an update from the
manufacturer it is
sheer stupidity NOT to install it so that two years down the road you don't
experience a
problem caused by the lack of it. How many times do you read about someone
with a
problem only to find out their system hasn't been updated?
"Carl" <carlhammel1(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1bcb3c5b-c39e-41d8-a628-6fe87d0d78f5(a)n35g2000yqm.googlegroups.com...
On Dec 21, 1:22 pm, "Unknown" <unkn...(a)unknown.kom> wrote:
> "Leonard Grey" <l.g...(a)invalid.invalid> wrote in message
>
> news:eCpSuGbgKHA.3552(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...> Some things to know about
> updating drivers:
>
> > 1- Only update a driver if an updated version corrects a problem you are
> > currently experiencing with the hardware in question. There is no reason
> > to update a driver merely because a new version is available.
>
> Did you ever hear of 'PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE'?
> Don't oil it if it doesn't squeek? Don't fix it if it isn't broken?
> Very poor stand. Why do you think autoupdates came about?

As I think about it Leonard, the preventative maintenance approach is
what probably drove me to this. I am a major believer in the adage
that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but am also well
aware of its opposite: leave well enough alone. It sometimes can be
tough to reach a good balance between the two.


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