Driver Updater Programs: Poison for Your Computer
Most driver updater programs are no better than malware – and many come bundled with malware.
Consider this a reminder from your old pals, TC & Darcy…
I don’t know how many times we’ve told you to avoid driver updater programs, but the last time we did was three years ago. I can’t remember what I did three days ago let alone three years ago. So we are going to remind you that Driver Updaters are poison for your PC.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve helped folks who were having problems with their computers, from Blue Screens of Death to unexplained crashes. But I’ve learned over the years to look for Driver Updater programs first because plenty of times folks with BSODs and unexplained, unexpected crashes, had Driver Updater programs installed.
Driver updaters often recommend updates for drivers that are already functioning correctly. Installing unnecessary updates can lead to instability, performance issues, or even hardware malfunctions. Installing unneeded drivers that are not necessary can lead to a range of problems, including system crashes, blue screens of death, and even complete system failure.
So, we want to remind you to check your installed programs for driver updater programs, and if you find one (or more) uninstall it (them) before your computer has big-time problems.
Darcy and I have been using Windows since Windows 3.1 (yes, there was such a thing), and we can’t remember when driver updater programs were necessary.
We can tell you this as well. Driver updaters are popular. They are consistently among the most downloaded programs. And they rank among the most useless (and trouble-causing) programs you can install on your Windows computer.
You don’t need third-party driver updater programs to tell you you need a new driver. You only need to update a driver (or drivers) when a hardware device (printer, sound card, wireless card, etc.) is not working properly or the manufacturer recommends an update. Installing new drivers just because new drivers are available is unnecessary and many times can be a recipe for disaster.
Windows 10 and 11 are very good at updating drivers when necessary. But should you have a hardware device that is not working properly, you can download the correct driver from the device’s manufacturer’s website. Just make sure you know the version of Windows you’re using and the name, model, and manufacturer of your hardware device. Then go ahead and download and install the correct driver directly from the device manufacturer.
If you’re not having problems with your hardware devices there’s no reason to update your drivers even if new drivers become available.
Don’t be tempted to install a driver updater because you think it’s going to make your computer run better, run faster, or it’s going to make it easier for you to keep your drivers updated. Driver updaters are unnecessary, and many times can cause serious problems with your computer. Think of driver updaters as poison for your PC.
Remember these two nuggets of sage advice from both of us:
- If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
- In the world of computer software, less is more.
Be smart and leave driver updaters alone. And if you find one has sneaked onto your computer via those nefarious software bundles that are all too common — or you were tricked into installing one — uninstall it with much alacrity… we tells ya!
It was ironic that there was a pop up ad for a Driver Updater service at the bottom of this article. I always ignore those anyhow. My good buddies Darcy & TC said I should.
I remember you guys saying this for years. I have always followed your wise advice, and have never used any driver updates. People also need to know that if they get an email saying that one or more of your drivers are going bad, to just ignore it. It is spam, or, most likely, a scam! Thanks for this important reminder. So many people these days want everything that is new and shiny.