Tips for fixing common driver problems

There are several things you can try:

• Make sure that the hardware device is compatible with your computer and with your version of Windows. If the device isn't compatible, you will need to find the correct driver. Check the information that came with your device. You can also search for the device on the Windows 7 Compatibility Center website. This website contains a comprehensive list of computers and devices that have been tested to work with Windows 7.

• Many devices require special drivers to work properly. Be sure that you have installed any software discs that came with the device.

• Restart the computer. Restarting might be necessary if the driver requires it, or if the driver didn't install correctly.

• If the device is a universal serial bus (USB) device, disconnect it and then plug it in to a different USB port. Windows should detect the device and install the drivers, and notify you if the device drivers didn't install properly.

• Updated drivers might be available through Windows Update. When you check Windows Update, click View available updates to determine if an updated driver is available for your device. For more information, see Обновление драйвера для оборудования, которое работает неправильно.

It's important to set Windows to download and install updates automatically. But even if you have Windows Update set to automatically install important updates for your computer, it still might not be set to install all the updated drivers it finds for your hardware. To automatically get available driver updates for your hardware, set Windows to install recommended updates.

For more information, see Общее представление об автоматическом обновлении Windows.

Note

You can set Windows to automatically install important and recommended updates or important updates only. Optional updates aren't downloaded or installed automatically. To get all available updates for your devices, periodically check Windows Update for optional updates.

There are several things you can try:

• Updated drivers might be available through Windows Update. When you check Windows Update, click View available updates to see if an updated driver is available for your device. For more information, see Установка обновлений Windows.

• If you can't find a new driver through Windows Update or the manufacturer's website, try reinstalling the software that came with the device, which might contain drivers.

  For more information, see Обновление драйвера для оборудования, которое работает неправильно.

Internet connection problems are most commonly caused by disconnected cables or by routers or modems that aren't operating properly. For information on how to fix these common problems, see Почему не удается подключиться к Интернету?