Backing up and restoring (anything!) is a touchy subject with users because most users don’t have a valid backup-and-restore plan. Some users assume that their data are being backed up. (Not usually). Some users have a limited data backup plan, which backs up application data, but doesn’t back up system data. Some users back up system configs but leave their data hanging out. A few very savvy users back up everything. In most cases, however, system and configuration data aren’t backed up. Which means important components, like hardware drivers, aren’t backed up either.

Know What You’re Backing Up and How To Access It

If you ask a user how to back something up, s/he might be able to tell you how to set up a backup, or even where the backed up data are stored. That’s good, but the step few users (and technicians for that matter) take is learning how to restore data from a backup. When a restore is needed, amazingly few people can actually correctly and completely restore data, even if the restored data are intact, ready and waiting.

Why is this important? Having a backup of your data (whether they’re application data or system data) can save significant time, effort, expense and aggravation. Knowing where the backup is stored and how to restore the data is critical. Why even have a backup if you don’t know how to restore the missing data?

When it comes to system data, few users can tell you even simple things, like where the hardware drivers are stored. For the record, drivers are stored in the C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\DriverStore folder. You can make a backup of this folder “by hand” by simply copying the contents of the folder to another folder, or better yet, a removable storage device. If you ever need to reload or replace the driver, you have a fresh, working copy available.

You might argue that this step is unnecessary, since you could go to the manufacturer’s website to download the correct driver. That assumes you have Internet connectivity. If you’re having driver problems or system problems, you can’t assume that you’ll have access to any network, so it’s best to keep a backup of your Windows hardware drivers handy.

For me, the better way to back up drivers – and to manage the entire hardware driver process – is to use Driver Detective. Driver Detective monitors all of the drivers installed on your computer, and stores a backup copy, in case a driver becomes corrupted or goes missing. Driver Detective also looks out for updated drivers, retrieves them and installs them for you. Download your copy of Driver Detective today and see for yourself what a difference it can make!

Photo Credit: yonghokim, via Flickr

By all accounts, Intel had been planning to launch its latest processor platforms for both laptops and netbooks in September, but new reports suggest that Intel’s third-generation Atom chipsets did not achieve Windows 7 certification on schedule. The revised release estimate for the Cedar Trail M and Atom chipsets is November. The holdup surrounds the platform’s graphics drivers.

Thinner Notebooks Kept Waiting

Netbook manufacturers that planned to Cedar Trail, will need to wait until the chipset achieves Microsoft’s Windows 7 certification, which may not occur until October or later. The new netbook chipsets are reportedly smaller and more efficient. The change in design will allow manufacturers to jettison the cooling fan, and offer a battery life of about 10 hours.

The Atom, Intel’s netbook and mobile device platform, was first introduced in 2008. The newest version of the chipset will offer Blu-Ray support, Fast Boot, HDMI and DisplayPort output options, Intel Wireless Music and Wireless Display, PC Sync and more. The new chipset could make netbooks (as well as other platforms) much more attractive and versatile.

There’s no indication that the delay in certification will cause delays for Intel’s next chipset release, the Medfield, which offers a system-on-a-chip (SoC) design, or the Clover Trail chip, which is expected in the second half of 2012. The Medfield is currently expected to hit the market in the first half of 2012.

For such a media-intensive chip, the failure of the graphics drivers to pass certification requirements is significant. Intel will no doubt redouble its efforts to bring the chipset to market before the end of 2011. How problematic the certification delay is remains to be seen.

Netbooks were an almost instant hit when they were first introduced to the market, but consumers have turned their attentions to tablet computers. The delay of an updated Cedar Trail netbook platform by sixty days may not put a significant dent in sales or consumer interest in new netbook products.

The Atom, however, is designed to support mobile devices, and its absence or delay could put a crimp in the plans of a wide range of mobile device manufacturers. The delay could mean reduced holiday availability of new mobile devices, something both manufacturers and retailers would prefer not to miss. Nonetheless, Windows 7 certification is exceptionally important for Microsoft, since the company is pinning future OS development on the Vista/Windows 7 platform.

Photo Credit: Nima Badiey, via Flickr

A relatively new document released by the Australian Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) indicates that at least 70 percent of computer intrusions are preventable. The document outlines nearly 3-dozen actions computer users can take to reduce the likelihood that their computer will be compromised by unauthorized third parties. One of the top 5 actions is running a host-based intrusion detection system (IDS) that monitors hardware driver loading.

Document Stresses Importance of Updates

Running outdated software (including hardware drivers) and the unauthorized loading of rogue drivers constitutes a significant security threat. Users who are unaware of the drivers that are installed on their computers run the risk that their computers will be compromised, most often with no appreciable signs of the intrusion.

Maintaining awareness of the drivers that are required can help users recognize drivers that don’t belong, and can hasten detection of an intrusion or an intrusion attempt. Host-based intrusion detection systems monitor activities that could be considered suspicious. These activities include process injection, keystroke logging, driver loading and call hooking.

By itself, driver loading isn’t suspicious, but the report underscores the ways in which clever hackers can take advantage of operating-system architecture to gain access to system-level operations. It also underscores the importance of routine driver maintenance.

One way in which you can control the drivers that are loaded on your computer is by running a driver management program like Driver Detective. Driver Detective keeps track of the drivers that should be loaded on your system and routinely monitors their performance. If a driver goes bad, Driver Detective will download and install a fresh copy. Driver Detective will also notify you when new or unrecognized drivers are being loaded. If Driver Detective manages all of the bona fide drivers on your system, new (and possibly malicious) drivers will be easy to spot.

Downloading and installing the current version of a driver also helps protect your system against vulnerabilities that may have been discovered by hackers. Driver Detective routinely checks for new or updated drivers. When it finds a new driver, it downloads and installs it, and backs up the new driver. It also gives you the option to roll back the upgrade to the old driver if the update doesn’t work properly or causes other problems for your system.

A program of regular hardware driver updates is a great way to ensure that you keep your system as secure as possible.

Photo Credit: Zodman, via Flickr

Microsoft is stepping up the pressure on Windows XP users to migrate to Windows 7. The company re-iterated its call to move to Windows 7 ASAP at the company’s Worldwide Partner Conference, reminding users that Windows XP will lose all support in 2014 and Vista will get the same treatment starting in 2012. So far, the migration hasn’t been as fast as Microsoft would have liked, despite the fact that Windows 7 has been well received by consumers and IT professionals alike. One stubborn area remains the availability of Windows drivers.

Support Won’t Last Forever

Sales of Windows 7 remain strong, driven in part by the sales of new PCs. Upgrade remains a problem for enterprises that opted out of the Vista intermediate step. Missing out on the Vista upgrade meant that critical portions of the underlying Windows 7 infrastructure were not loaded. Since there’s no direct upgrade path from Windows XP to Windows 7, those who skipped Vista are in for a complete reload.

That’s one part of the problem on the enterprise level. Many enterprise customers aren’t willing to roll out Windows 7 on old computers, and have opted to do a more controlled rollout over a longer period of time. Second, the development of Windows drivers for some hardware remains a stubborn issue. For enterprises, migrating to Windows 7 may also mean significant investments in replacement third-party hardware that’s not currently supported under Windows 7.

The same concerns are true for individuals who have not yet upgraded from Windows XP or some earlier version of the operating system. An upgrade to Windows 7 may require more than simply licensing the operating system. Peripherals that work well with an earlier version of Windows may not be supported under Windows 7.

There are some ways to overcome this, however. Windows 7 does support emulation, and provided that emulation support is also built into your hardware, you may be able to emulate an older version of the Windows operating system, complete with drivers, to ensure that your unsupported hardware is still accessible.

For individuals who are considering upgrading, or who must upgrade for other reasons, check with the Windows 7 Compatibility Center to determine whether your peripherals are or aren’t supported under Windows 7. You may not have a good workaround for your unsupported Windows hardware, but at least you won’t be surprised and can plan a workable alternative before you upgrade.

Photo Credit: SFSD Technology Help Desk, via Flickr