New
#11
I try the manufacturer's website first. About half the time it works.
Anyone know a legit (non-scam/junk mail) drivers source/site?
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New #12
Does anyone know any more of this utilities BUT being really FREE?
The only one I know is SnailDriver but it's in ßeta stage and it doesn't work for XP.
PS - Tried IOBit one, but its interface is messy as hell, slow as molasses on certain PCs and it will clutter your PC with a lot of IOBit folders and such crap. It will also nag you constantly to purchase the PRO version.
PS2 - There are also DevID and 3DPChip but keep in mind that you may get some nasty adware/malware by using these if you are not prepared. You have been warned.
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New #13
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New #14
...but if you can find a way onto the device maker's FTP site...
...you may find some very old and obscure hardware drivers!
The FTP Site Boneyard : Free Software : Download & Streaming : Internet Archive
"the FTP Boneyard"
Sometimes, entering the FTP site using a cached Google entry drops an anonymous FTP login that you cannot do manually (sign in with username anonymous and your email address as password)
Just went to:
All Laptop Drivers: Request Driver
Which is quite a useful site, and downloaded 3DP Chip* to backup and check and potentially update my drivers. The site warns you to watch out for adware in the setup program, but I found none. I do run a modified hosts file though, so I may be protected.
* :: 3DP Chip :: 3DP Software (3DP Chip / Net / Bench)
Seems free and OK to meLast edited by Fafhrd; 06 Apr 2016 at 15:04.
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New #15
I use Auslogic Driver Updater it is not free
It sits in your Taskbar monitoring your drivers
Once it finds one out of date and one to replace it
It downloads and installs it for you
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New #16
I have found Station-Drivers to be an excellent site for free drivers.
No scamming, no pressing for fees or other such stuff.
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New #17
It looks nice but some categories are just empty.
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New #18
Hi there
I HATE this type of Sneakerware -- all these other sites are just SCAMS - theu sucker you in and then to use the bit you need you have to usually "Go Pro" --i.e PAY. Avoid like the plague.
A decent way is to find the drivers ID by going into the EVENT and seeing the &xxxxx stuff. Then Google for that and often you will get a link to the drivers.
For example
Hardware drivers are invariable FREE - the only check on some manufacturers sites is that the site might check to see if the hardware is actually on your system before letting you download - but usually that's not the case.
If in USA / Europe - try the ASIAN sites as they often have drivers available you don't see on the European / USA manufacturers sites.
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New #19
No one is going to provide such an enormous service for free, that would be impossible to maintain.
Free versions are good to find out, what driver you are missing, so you can download it elsewhere.
But they are so eager to find new drivers, they sometimes find bad instead, so backup is mandatory.
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New #20
Hi there.
All these sites do exactly what I suggested above - from the device / driver ID (gleaned from the events panel) they then build up a database.
Anybody as a user could do this easily themselves - especially when only looking for one or two drivers.
Seems the art of "Googling" is becoming a lost cause these days !!!! -- Ah well it's only YOUR OWN money you are wasting --for nothing.
Cheers
jimbo
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