Find out which Drivers are Installed on Your PC [Quick Tip]

Knowing which drivers (and versions) are installed on your computer is necessary when you want to keep them updated. But how do you know which versions (and which drivers) are installed on your system ?

Let me show you …

Two ways …

I have two solutions for you. Using the built-in Windows Tool, and a freeware tool that collects most of the information for you.

Device Manager.

The Device Manager keeps track of every gadget and device installed on your system. Using it is easy, but getting an overview of each driver takes time as you have to expand each device, and choose its properties.

There are many ways to access the Device Manager, here are three:

Right Click “My Computer” icon and choose Manage, then Click Device Manager
In Windows 7, Click the Start-button, and type “Device Manager” in the search field
Open Control Panel, and choose Device Manager

Getting Driver Information

Expand each device, Right Click it and choose Properties.

Using DriverView

DriverView is an “old” tool which was developed many years ago, but has been regularly updated to work on the newest windows versions. DriverView supports both 32-bit and 64-bit architectures.

DriverView comes in a ZIP-file, and doesn’t need any installation. Just UnZip and Run.

Once you run it, DriverView will search your system for installed device drivers, and generate a report. The main view shows you all drivers, version and manufacturer.

Features

DriverView let you save the report in various formats, highlighting non-Microsoft Drivers, hiding the Microsoft Drivers from the list, as well as providing you a direct search link to Google. Which comes in handy if you should happen to find a suspicious driver of unknown origin.

It doesn’t get any easier.

Search Windows Guides

Comments

Anonymous

Nice. Of the many ways to access Device Manager, your list includes the most common, easily used ways. My most frequently-used method is

Windows Key+Pause/Break
CLICK “Device Manager”

BTW, it’d improve your presentation, IMO, were you to correct the mistake in “There are many ways to access the Device Manager, here’s [sic] three”. To those who are fluent in English, this rather makes it seem as though you can’t count. :-) “Here’s”=”here is” (singular, indicating only one thing is to follow). “Here’re”=”Here are” (plural, indicating more than one thing is to follow),though te formulation “here are” would be best.

I hate seeing a decent post ruined by innumeracy in grammar. :-)
- Rich
  
  Good tip :)
  
  (Updated the guide, thank you.)
  - Anonymous
    
    Thanks a lot. Now my comment seems out of place… *heh* No, seriously, I appreciate the fact that you accepted my lil critique in the spirit it was intended. :-)
- LOL
  
  “I hate seeing a decent post ruined by innumeracy in grammar. :-)” ….. lol!
- Anonymous
  
  As the author of that “innumeracy” error I can only ask your forgiveness and try not to do it again ;-)
  
  Thank your calling it a “decent post” btw :-)
  - Anonymous
    
    Well, “decent post” was an understatement. Useful,helpful and concise could be added. I couldn’t count the numbers of times I’ve had to walk newbie Windows users through accessing Device Manager, while trying to narrow down issues over a phone call. Having this kind of information more widely disseminated is always a Good Thing.
  - Anonymous
    
    Well, thank you again :-)
    
    If you (like me) get these “support calls” regularly , then this tool might be of great value to you: http://www.mintywhite.com/more/news/logmeinexpress-joinme-free/
    But I assume you have already seen it :-) ?
- Anonymous
  
  Thank you for reminding me.
  We “non-native” English writers tend to forget the difference :-)
  
  I always seek to improve my English, so keep commenting.
Shixinyu

Autoruns in Sysinternational suite is able to see which drivers are installed.
- Anonymous
  
  Thank You for the tip
-Ade-

Try also “Driverquery” command from command prompt.

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