Every hardware device on your system needs a little help to keep doing the job correctly, drivers are pieces of software that act like a chauffer to your computer hardware, they basically tell the device what to do, and how to interact with the operating system. Having outdated drivers on your computer might lead to unexpected errors, crashes, etc. Windows XP and Windows Vista make driver checking easier through the use of Microsoft update.
To use windows update, go to, http://www.update.microsoft.com you will get two options there, Express, and Custom. Press on Custom and wait for awhile until Microsoft determines what updates are available for your computer. Once the windows update finish scanning your computer; you will notice that updates are categorized into three options types on the left side of the screen, driver updates will be contained under the last category called Hardware, Optional.
Typically, is a good idea to download and install all the optional drivers you find there, click the Hardware, Optional category and select the checkboxes next to each driver update, Once all have been selected, click the review and install update link. Next, click the download updates button, and agreed to any End-User License Agreement. Probably you will need to reboot the computer after the installation.
Nelson,
This is a great reminder. I oftentimes get so busy on my computer, I forget about updating.
Thanks for the link, and the great advice.