Camberwell
Gawd
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2008
- Messages
- 947
What are your opinions on the best programs for driver updates and diagnostic utilities, around the $30 mark?
![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
Navigation
Install the app
How to install the app on iOS
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
More options
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Driver update software and diagnostic software
- Thread starter Camberwell
- Start date
Joe Average
Ad Blocker - Banned
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2008
- Messages
- 15,459
Not a single one, seriously.
Driver updates are best done manually as required although I know people are freakin' lazy and want some all-in-one-caretaker-hold-my-hand application to do it for them. The issue with driver updates is this:
If the update doesn't address specific issues you're having, like a bug or a glitch, or if there is no application compatibility issue the update is meant to resolve, or if the driver update doesn't specifically improve overall system performance or performance for the specific piece of hardware they are for (primarily video card drivers), then you should never update the drivers, period.
I'm totally serious with this and most people just don't get it. Driver updates are designed to either fix bugs/glitches or improve performance to some sufficient degree high enough to warrant the driver maker actually releasing a new version. Aside from that, if your machine is solid, and stable, and works fine and has no major issues a driver update isn't meant to resolve then it's truly the best idea to leave it alone.
The simple rule of thumb is this: newer doesn't always mean better. Say a driver update comes out, and you automagically pounce on it without reading the readme.txt or the specific information for that driver that tells you why (or at least it should) it's being released in the first place, and you happily update the driver on your machine only to discover it wrecks the entire box. What then?
The automated driver update agents that exist out there don't take such variables into account, they just update to the "latest" which may most certainly not be the greatest and then all hell breaks loose. Best advice: do it yourself, and only - and I mean only when driver updates are actually called for as described above.
As for diagnostic software, why pay for something that's essentially free in the form of:
Sisoft Sandra has a free version that is widely used and very popular.
Everest I think still has a free edition someplace also, very popular.
PCWizard 2008, from the makers of CPU-Z, very popular.
PCMark 05 is good for older versions of Windows like 2K and XP, and 3DMark Vantage is an all-around PC diagnostic/benchmark app for Vista from the makers of 3DMark itself, Futuremark.
And some assorted others. Not sure what you're looking for, but those tend to be the most commonly mentioned and widely used applications for "diagnostic" stuff to see how your machine is performing.
Driver updates are best done manually as required although I know people are freakin' lazy and want some all-in-one-caretaker-hold-my-hand application to do it for them. The issue with driver updates is this:
If the update doesn't address specific issues you're having, like a bug or a glitch, or if there is no application compatibility issue the update is meant to resolve, or if the driver update doesn't specifically improve overall system performance or performance for the specific piece of hardware they are for (primarily video card drivers), then you should never update the drivers, period.
I'm totally serious with this and most people just don't get it. Driver updates are designed to either fix bugs/glitches or improve performance to some sufficient degree high enough to warrant the driver maker actually releasing a new version. Aside from that, if your machine is solid, and stable, and works fine and has no major issues a driver update isn't meant to resolve then it's truly the best idea to leave it alone.
The simple rule of thumb is this: newer doesn't always mean better. Say a driver update comes out, and you automagically pounce on it without reading the readme.txt or the specific information for that driver that tells you why (or at least it should) it's being released in the first place, and you happily update the driver on your machine only to discover it wrecks the entire box. What then?
The automated driver update agents that exist out there don't take such variables into account, they just update to the "latest" which may most certainly not be the greatest and then all hell breaks loose. Best advice: do it yourself, and only - and I mean only when driver updates are actually called for as described above.
As for diagnostic software, why pay for something that's essentially free in the form of:
Sisoft Sandra has a free version that is widely used and very popular.
Everest I think still has a free edition someplace also, very popular.
PCWizard 2008, from the makers of CPU-Z, very popular.
PCMark 05 is good for older versions of Windows like 2K and XP, and 3DMark Vantage is an all-around PC diagnostic/benchmark app for Vista from the makers of 3DMark itself, Futuremark.
And some assorted others. Not sure what you're looking for, but those tend to be the most commonly mentioned and widely used applications for "diagnostic" stuff to see how your machine is performing.
Camberwell
Gawd
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2008
- Messages
- 947
That's good advice, thanks! I have Everest and Sisoft, but they read my hardware all wrong, and also my cpu clock, but PCWizard sounds good so I'll give that a try.
What about programs for cleaning up the hard drive, something like WinTools, is that worthwhile?
What about programs for cleaning up the hard drive, something like WinTools, is that worthwhile?