In most instances, Windows will acknowledge new {hardware} you put in in your PC and you may simply begin utilizing it. This works for inside parts, equivalent to a community or graphics card, in addition to exterior gadgets like a scanner.

Usually, the working system will establish the system, then load and set up the proper driver. This could be checked within the Windows Device Manager (right-click the Start button > Device Manager), which usually lists all entries with out additional directions.

But what do you do if Windows marks a element with a yellow exclamation mark and makes an attempt to search out the fitting drivers through Windows Update additionally fails? It shouldn’t be all the time instantly clear which {hardware} is having points, since a Device Manager entry like as “Other devices -Unknown device” doesn’t instantly assist.

Instead of guessing and making an attempt out doable drivers willy-nilly, you need to use Windows as an identification support. To achieve this, open the Device Manager, right-click on the marked entry and choose “Properties” within the context menu. Switch to the “Events” tab, spotlight the generally cryptic system designation in data part on the backside of the sphere, and replica it to the clipboard.

Brad Chacos/IDG

From there, paste that data together with the system producer and, if crucial and doable, the particular system title right into a Google search. If the search exhibits you the title of your element, obtain the corresponding driver from the help web site of your PC or system producer. (Do not obtain drivers from third-party websites, as they are often hiding malware.)

This article was translated from German to English, and initially appeared on pcwelt.de.