Update Legacy Audio Drivers
Computers have been around for some time now. However, personal computers of the type we use now have only exploded on to the scene in the late ’90s. Still, at 2011, that almost a decade of existence. One of the interesting things about that is that some people still use old sound cards. You can’t blame them – unlike developments in graphics, you can only go so far with sound. This is why some computer users are satisfied with using those old 3D sound cards. The problem with that is the inevitable march of software.
Operating systems are now way beyond Windows XP, the time where most sound hardware development stalled. So sometimes, when things go wrong, your sound device drivers may end up corrupted or missing. Why are these drivers important? Device drivers are the way your computer interfaces with your hardware. If they ever get corrupted or deleted, you will have problems in getting those parts of your system to operate.
The problem here is that you’re using old device drivers. Yes, they may just be dated a few years back, but in computer terms, these are ancient. That’s why most of these audio device drivers are called legacy drivers – they get passed on as they are as a computer or a system develops. The fact that they’re old is the problem; you’re going to have to find out the exact audio device you’re using and find the appropriate driver for it on the Internet and download and install. It sounds simple, doesn’t it?
Trouble is, it isn’t as simple as it sounds. Finding out the exact audio device you have installed in your system can be a pain – especially if it’s one of the old ones. You can always check your hardware manager, but that isn’t assured to be one hundred percent accurate. If you do find out what your system is packing, it will be time to find out what device driver you need to install. This can also get confusing – you need the latest versions; and these latest versions can be a few years old. If you’ve ever looked for old information on the Internet, you will know that even a couple of years can be a big barrier. Of course, you’ll have to install the driver properly if you manage to find it. All in all, it will probably consume an afternoon’s worth of time.
Thankfully, you don’t have to do it the hard way. Third-party driver update software is available for your use, one good example being Driver Detective. This program uses the latest in scanning technology to find out exactly what hardware your computer uses and immediately downloads and installs the appropriate drivers, saving you a lot of time and effort.
