DriverPack Solution: review. DriverPack Solution

Not all users know what the DriverPack Solution software is. The feedback about it can often be both positive and negative. This is primarily due to the fact that many users of the entry level simply do not know how to use it. Let's look at DriverPack Solution 13 and 12 in some detail, and we'll start from comparing several major versions.

What is Driver Pack Solution

Few people know that the package is quite difficult to use. The same installation distribution of Windows type Zver DVD does not always contain the necessary drivers for the devices available in the system.

In fact, once developed DriverPack Solution 7, although it was a more or less workable version, the developers refused it. It was connected with a few shortcomings, which were corrected in 10 versions. Take at least DriverPack Solution 12. There are a lot of changes not only in terms of support for the latest devices, but also the corresponding software, which will be discussed a little later.

Why this package is needed

Today, the most relevant is DriverPack Solution 14. Reviews about it speak for themselves. The fact is that this software product contains the maximum number of drivers for all devices.

Of course, you can try and versions of Windows verification, but this method can not lead absolutely to anything. At best, the system will prompt you that the driver is not found in the root directory, and you will need to install it from a disk or from a specified location using the Browse ... button.

Far from always this is the right method. If you use the same free DriverPack Solution, you can be sure that it will work. Here you should pay attention to the package itself. Depending on the version, DriverPack Solution may have several major differences between versions.

Automatic driver installation

Consider the general principles of the program DriverPack Solution. Feedback about it may not be the most flattering, from the user's point of view, but not everyone understands what the application is based on.

To begin with, when you first start after installation, the application scans the system and automatically searches for hardware or virtual devices, for which, in fact, you need to install the necessary drivers. Take at least DriverPack Solution 14. Feedback about this application suggests that the system scan for the components present is performed quite quickly, and the program itself supports more than 820 thousand drivers of different versions.

At the end of the first process, you will be prompted to install the necessary drivers for the found devices from your own data archive.

It's clear that when installing the application, you first have to write it to a two-layer DVD-ROM (still more than 9 GB), and then install the database on the hard drive.

The process of driver verification and installation will take 5 minutes, at most. However, you need to be careful. The fact is that not all versions of DriverPack Solution support certain types of virtual devices. For example, it could be a MIDI keyboard or a virtual driver such as Guitar Rig or Kore 2. They are installed only when you run the installation of the programs themselves. So expect from the same package DriverPack Solution 13 something supernatural is not worth it.

Moreover, some specific devices may not be detected during the scanning process. In this case, a manual installation is required.

Manual installation

If this situation occurs, you can use the standard methods by going to the "Control Panel" and selecting "Device Manager" there. As it usually happens, the yellow color will be marked with components with incorrectly installed drivers or without them at all. Then right click on the device will be useful with the subsequent choice of the menu "Properties", where you will have to use the command "Install ...", then specify at least the root folder where the database of the same DriverPack Solution 12 (or any other version) is located.

If you do not find a suitable driver, you will have to use the original disk that comes with the device itself. But this is not common. Here it is worth noting that, with respect to the DriverPack Solution, the feedback of any user indicates that the driver base in almost any version is so extensive that almost everything can be found.

However, as you can see, you will have to create a system restore point . You can do this either from within the program itself, or by using standard Windows tools in the Control Panel.

Benefits

Speaking about the main advantages of the DriverPack Solution, it is worth noting the explicit automation of driver installation, which is user-oriented with minimal PC knowledge. Neither the process of installing the software package itself, nor the installation of drivers, as a rule, does not cause any problems.

Moreover, the application can automatically detect not only its own updates, but also the "updates" of already installed drivers when restarting or under automatic start condition together with Windows. This feature is very convenient in that it allows you to update the device driver without using third-party utilities such as Driver Updater. The application itself refers to the official source, more precisely to the manufacturer's site, and then suggests installing an appropriate update.

disadvantages

As for the shortcomings, they are almost nonexistent. The only thing that can cause inexperienced users to have some problems is issues of writing to an optical disk (if the data needs to be saved for later use) or indicating where the databases are stored. In the case of recording, you must use a two-layer DVD-media (and not two-sided).

Otherwise, nothing happens. Recording can be done with programs such as Nero Burning ROM, UltraISO, Alcohol 120%, Daemon Tools, etc. In principle, the procedure is standard.

Reviews

In the software package DriverPack Solution, the feedback on the same official forum may contain incorrect information. Simply those who do not know how to use this type of programs, and write that they could not do that failed. In fact, a person who is versed in the installation of drivers can easily cope with all versions. After all, you can just go to the settings and update the application to the latest version. It's another matter what version to use.

Concerning the comparison of the versions of the program, it is worth noting only that newer versions and releases simply support the additional number of drivers from different manufacturers. The very principle of the program remains unchanged until now.

To install or not?

The installation issue is solved only in favor of the installation. Well, where else can you find such a collection of drivers for all occasions? Here is only among the versions you can find the distribution kit for installation on the hard disk and the online version. The latter differs in that the PC is scanned for uninstalled drivers or updates when it is connected to the Internet. First, the application scans its own database, and only then refers to the manufacturer's website, if any component is not found.

In principle, manufacturers are clearly interested in promoting this software product. And the updates that are created are constantly referring to this package. Another thing is that Microsoft does not include it in the main distribution, and it has to be installed manually. But I think this is not a problem, especially since the program itself together with the databases is free.

Using a hard drive

As for the hard drive, you do not want to store a lot of data on the order of 9 GB. Although, if you understand, with modern media with space in terabytes of this you do not have to worry. In addition, even if the system "flies", the installation of the drivers after the recovery will be done automatically. Do not even need to insert a disc with information.

Moreover, the image of the hard drive itself "weighs" much more than the original database of the program DriverPack Solution (referring to the created image or the backup of data, if it is included).

Problems with antiviruses

Sometimes there can be unforeseen situations when the anti-virus software installed on the computer terminal or laptop can, to put it mildly, "spit", considering that during the installation of the next driver or "update", unwanted content is installed. Of course, everything depends on the antivirus software.

On the other hand, this problem is solved quite simply. In the bottom panel in System Tray, by right-clicking the mouse button on the antivirus icon, you can bring up a shortcut menu where a short-term protection deactivation command will be indicated. For example, in NOD Smart Security, the minimum time is 10 minutes, after which the protection will be re-enabled automatically. But even this time is enough for the main application to work.

Conclusion

In general, here were given only the basic concepts and nuances concerning the operation of the software product DriverPack Solution. If you dig deeper, there is still a lot of things that concern the so-called "fine" setup of the system. But it should be noted that such functions will be useful to more "advanced" users. But as a standard tool for an inexperienced user this package will do the best. After all, it is understandable, why climb on the Internet in search of "firewood", if you can install all this in a few minutes from the "screw" or DVD? That's why I want to note that this package is one of the best today. Perhaps, no one "surpassed" him yet.

Well, as for the intricacies of installation and use, here every user must understand himself. True, difficulties, in theory, not a single user of any level of training should arise. By the way, even the factory settings are not recommended to change, because the entire system DriverPack Solution is focused precisely on full automatism in operation. Well, where to store the basic information, it's everyone who decides. In principle, the best storage option is not even on a DVD, but on a flash drive or a removable USB hard drive, since such devices are not subject to physical impact in terms of mechanical damage such as scratches, fingerprints, etc., after which it will be impossible to read the information .