riahc3 Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Hello, Today configuring a PC, I installed all the drivers simply scanning the DVD. Should I install the software (which installs the drivers) as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jamesyfx Subscriber² Posted January 10, 2014 Subscriber² Share Posted January 10, 2014 It depends on what it is, I think. Sometimes software can give you more control over something such as with my laptop I have a few utilities which are specific to my hardware which wouldn't function without the software. Elliot B. and Brandon H 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I never install Wifi software as I find that Windows does a much better job. vcfan, Brandon H and Phouchg 3 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cork1958 Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 It depends on what it is, I think. Sometimes software can give you more control over something such as with my laptop I have a few utilities which are specific to my hardware which wouldn't function without the software. The few weird utilities that came with the Lenovo laptop that I have require drivers AND software. The software is such crap that the laptop is much better off without it. I'm much better of without it also as I would've probably smashed the thing trying to use that crap! Stuff like printers though, I DO NOT install the software that comes with them. Nothing but bloat! Starbuck84 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francescob Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Samsung makes laptops for which you can't download any driver from their website and are forced to install their garbage software to download any driver, a software that pesters you with notifications 24/7 if you don't have the same exact matching driver versions (even a newer driver could trigger the warnings every couple of hours). What a nightmare. Also all custom bluetooth software loading hundreds of megabytes of background services every damn boot must die a wired, horrible death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
123456789A Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I install drivers for some things, but a lot of drivers and the software they come with are poorly coded and they crash a lot. If Windows can already do everything, I just send the crashing drivers back to DUI school. Bryan R. 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coagulated Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Depends on the hardware, but usually I don't install the software unless it is needed to tweak the settings of the hardware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xahid Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Just Drivers, all I need, Except if its Camera, you need a program to use Camera too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+InsaneNutter MVC Posted January 10, 2014 MVC Share Posted January 10, 2014 Also all custom bluetooth software loading hundreds of megabytes of background services every damn boot must die a wired, horrible death. Anything that can't use the Windows Bluetooth stack is not worth having, i would sooner just not install it. Elliot B. and Eric 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neo1911 Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Except Nvidia/AMD drivers, I do not install any driver which I perceive to be a bloat. I don't even install Realtek audio drivers. I feel the default Microsoft sound drivers for it do much better job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francescob Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Except Nvidia/AMD drivers, I do not install any driver which I perceive to be a bloat. I don't even install Realtek audio drivers. I feel the default Microsoft sound drivers for it do much better job. You've been lucky then, there are plenty of motherboards or laptops where the manufacturer didn't bother configuring the input/outputs properly and chose to rely only on customized drivers that will never be further updated again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUTZIFER Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 On my Win 8.1 Pro install, the only driver programs I have installed are Intel Graphics and Media Control Panel and ASUS Smart Gesture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
He's Dead Jim Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Hello, Today configuring a PC, I installed all the drivers simply scanning the DVD. Should I install the software (which installs the drivers) as well? Yup, it depends whats bundled with the software, If I can easily find the required *.inf in the bundle that's all I use, unless of course the full software is required for the device to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_dandy_ Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 If I can just point Device Manager at the folder containing the INF for the device, that's what I stick with--absolute minimal setup. Most of the rest of the bundled crapware is just that, crap, that insists on starting automatically, constantly looking for updates, constantly nagging you, adding system tray icons that are useless, chewing RAM and CPU cycles for services that don't do anything useful, leave poorly written apps running all the time that present security holes, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambroos Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I usually install Intel drivers for network stuff since you actually gain a lot of configuration possibilities. And on my Sony laptop there are a few utilities you need to control the backlight, WiFi/Bt/3G switches, ... But they work quite well, hardly take any resources and actually look good so I don't mind. For example, Sony's connectivity switching app: All the actual connecting is done through the Windows tools by default, but this offers a few device-specific configuration options (like 2.4Ghz/5Ghz/dual modes for WiFi). And Vaio Control Center has some pretty cool stuff too and runs nothing in the background: Only background service I have is the one that monitors the hotkeys and displays the OSD, and compared to the atrocities I've seen on Asus/Acer/Samsung laptops it's really not bad: Elliot B. 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Eternal Tempest MVC Posted January 10, 2014 MVC Share Posted January 10, 2014 I prefer to install network driver only to get connected to the net. Then I let windows update install as many hardware driver's as possible. Then I will got to OEM site, or get reference driver's (especially video cards) from the manufacturer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+John Teacake MVC Posted January 10, 2014 MVC Share Posted January 10, 2014 Generally I do Just Drivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleNeutrino Veteran Posted January 10, 2014 Veteran Share Posted January 10, 2014 Yeah, i would say it depends on what it is you are installing. Certain things like a web cam or keyboard and mouse might need special software to fully configure then whereas a standard printer that just prints, there software will probably just junk up your computer (im looking at you HP, and Epson) Brandon H 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger H. Veteran Posted January 10, 2014 Veteran Share Posted January 10, 2014 I never install all that junk that come with drivers. Before it was sorta required for Brightness, Bluetooth and even Fingerprint readers but now that's basically all built into the OS so i don't bother with it. I don't need OSD stuff or stupid hovering on the top of the display all the time thing. goretsky 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phouchg Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Just so much as to have no Unidentified Devices in the Device Manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaphat (Myles Landwehr) Member Posted January 10, 2014 Member Share Posted January 10, 2014 I don't really care either way for additional software. Sometimes it adds useful features. For example, the network printer/scanner/fax we have at my work has remote scanning features if you have the additional software installed, otherwise you have to hook a USB thumb drive into it and scan and save that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John.D Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Only drivers I installed on Win7, were the SATA (I updated them, after Win7 was installed), /chipset drivers, the wireless drivers (since Win7 doesnt install them, when I do a clean install). And I did install the Nvidia Gfx drivers. And the webcam drivers from Windowupdate. I use the default Windows sound/network/LAN drivers. And use the tuner drivers from Windowsupdate. They seem to work ok,and haven't caused any probs On Win8, the only drivers I installed were the SATA/chipset drivers., webcam, and Nvidia drivers. It installed everything else, inc the wireless and the tuner drivers. And they work fine. I could use driver magician which can back up the drivers. And it'll save time next time when / if I do a clean install. Just run a file, it'll reinstall the drivers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Overlord Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Unless it's hardware specific, I'd say no, just browse for the driver. But some hardware can need specific software, so you would have little choice unfortunately +Raze 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Lee Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Drivers are essential like motherboard, audio, graphics and etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goretsky Supervisor Posted January 29, 2014 Supervisor Share Posted January 29, 2014 Hello, Generally speaking, just the drivers, unless the management application which goes with the drivers does something Windows does (or a better job than Windows built-in management tools for the driver). Regards, Aryeh Goretsky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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