Microsoft announced on June 1 that all hardware manufacturers seeking certification for Windows Vista must also test their drivers on Windows 7. According to documentation on Microsoft’s Web site, “…all Windows Vista client and Windows Server 2008 submissions must include a complete test log for the new beta OS.”

Microsoft Doesn’t Want A Repeat Of Vista Driver Disasters

According to Microsoft, the drivers don’t have to pass muster on Windows 7 to gain a Windows Vista certification, but the company wants to see the test results. Vendors aren’t completely off the hook; Microsoft also says that its partners must investigate and resolve issues with hardware, system BIOS and drivers prior to the Windows 7 release. Earlier this month, Microsoft said it would send Windows 7 to market on October 22, ahead of the December holidays, but after the back-to-school rush.

Microsoft says it has stiffened the requirements for Vista certification because it wants to ensure a smooth transition to Windows 7. Drivers are especially important to Microsoft because the company fielded so many complaints from users who were unable to find compatible drivers, or got drivers that didn’t work with Vista. Hardware manufacturers were unable or unwilling to produce compatible, stable drivers, even (in some cases) for their latest hardware revisions.

Finding compatible drivers is a chore, even with the latest version of the Windows operating system. Driver Detective enables you to keep track of all of your hardware drivers and driver updates automatically. Adding new hardware to your computer is simplified because you’ll always be sure to have the correct driver.

Driver Detective can also keep track of your installed drivers to ensure that they’re working properly. If you accidentally delete a driver, or it becomes corrupted, Driver Detective will retrieve a fresh copy of the correct driver and install it automatically.

Driver Detective will automatically check for driver updates when you download and install operating system patches and updates. No more finding out after you’ve installed an update that a critical driver for your system no longer works properly and then having to back out of an installation while you try to locate an updated driver.

Driver Detective handles all of these issues automatically. Once it’s installed and configured, you don’t need to wonder whether your hardware drivers are up-to-date or spend hours chasing down and installing updated software for your computer. Take the hassles out of maintaining your driver library with Driver Detective.

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