Things that work are nice, especially when it comes to computers. In the world of technology, however, that’s often not the case. Just when you think you have everything working properly, something breaks or stops working. As a technician, this is one of the most common problems I face. A user had a working device, and suddenly, the device stops working.
There are a number of explanations, but one of the first things I check is the device itself. I make certain that the device is properly connected to the computer, has power and appears to be ready to get to work. If there’s nothing obviously wrong with the device, and I can see the device in the computer’s file system, the next thing I look for is a driver update.

Windows Vista May Not Find Your Driver Updates

Windows Vista can automatically download and install OS updates. Most people configure Vista to do this and assume that they’re covered for important updates, including drivers. That’s not a good assumption. Windows will install important OS updates, but driver updates may or may not make Windows’ list of must-have updates.

You could download and install all of the “important” updates for your computer, and still end up with an outdated or incorrect driver. That’s because Windows distinguishes between “important” updates and “recommended” updates. If you want Windows to install the recommended updates in addition to the important ones, you’ll need to reconfigure Windows Update.

From the Start menu, choose All Programs > Windows Updates. From the left side of the window, choose “Change Settings.” Don’t get confused about the “Install updates automatically (recommended)” button. That doesn’t mean Windows Vista will install “recommended” updates. That’s Microsoft’s way of telling you that they recommend that you install updates automatically.

At the bottom of the control pane, there is a checkbox labeled “Include recommended updates when downloading, installing or notifying me about updates.” Activating this box will tell Windows Vista to include updates to the OS that are recommended but not considered important to every Windows Vista user.

Future updates will include all important and recommended updates, including any new drivers that your computer may need. If you’re unsure about allowing Windows Vista to download and install drivers automatically, you can also configure Windows Update to download updates, but ask first before installing anything. Driver Detective can also help you locate, install and manage all of your computer’s drivers seamlessly.

Photo Credit: Edward, via Flickr