Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

driver update software

Jan 13, 2010 2:12AM PST

which driver update sites are legitimate and recommended and which are scams?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
I wouldn't recommend any...
Jan 13, 2010 8:00AM PST

I have yet to find a single website or application that possesses the ability to provide an analysis that is 100% accurate, leading to attempted installations of incorrect drivers, payment for partial information, etc. In addition, even valid driver updates can cause compatibility issues, introduce stability issues should the updated driver contain a flaw, etc. Thus, I would recommend visiting the websites of the hardware manufacturers and searching for available updates directly, and then only installing the updates if they resolve a problem or performance issue you're experiencing. Such updates are rarely necessary and have a much more significant impact on your system, so they should not be taken lightly, nor paid for when they are available to all users free of charge.

Regards,
John

- Collapse -
driver update software
Jan 14, 2010 5:16AM PST

John,

Thank you for your answer. That was my suspicion. It was the answer I was looking for.

Mike