Regardless of whether it is a desktop or a laptop, drivers are needed for a computer to work properly and perform all its functions. As you know, most components are located on the motherboard.
Motherboards, which carry the parts of the system and bring them all together, serve as a skeleton. Therefore, drivers are also extremely important. So let’s take a look at the drivers we need to install and how to do it.
What is a Driver?
Drivers, in the simplest terms, are sets of software that allow your operating system to communicate with the hardware. Without drivers you can’t use a printer, use a graphics card, connect to the internet, or print out a photo. In a nutshell, think of drivers as a set of instructions that tell the operating system how to properly interact with the device.
There are certain hardware manufacturers that create drivers for some devices. For example, Microsoft has its own graphics driver developed specifically for Surface computers. Windows Update allows you to automatically install updates over the internet. However, unfortunately, Windows Update does not always do a good job.
Why Are Motherboard Drivers Important?
The motherboard is basically a circuit board inside your computer. All components, external or internal, are located on the motherboard. The functions of the entire system are checked here. Check that the motherboard and all the small chips, SoCs, ports and I/O on the motherboard are working properly. for him to feel These components also need their own drivers.
Drivers act as an interface between the motherboard and the operating system, meaning they are essential for your computer to function. There are many different components on the motherboard and they provide different functionalities: Network drivers, NVMe drivers, audio drivers, USB driver Like drivers, chipset drivers.
What are the Basic Motherboard Drivers?
Some drivers are absolutely necessary for your computer to function properly. These are usually installed automatically, but there are thousands of different systems/hardware on the market, old or new. That’s why we need to know how to load it when necessary.
The most important are the chipset drivers. Chipset is like the brain of the motherboard. Ipset drivers tell your operating system how to communicate with the motherboard and its subsystems. Updating the chipset drivers can fix some basic problems and even some performance issues.
Besides the chipset, there are a few more basic drivers that you need to install in order to properly use the corresponding component:
- USB Driver: This driver ensures that the USB ports on your computer work properly.
- NETWORK (LAN/Wi-Fi) Driver: We provide our internet connection thanks to the network driver. If you do not use external hardware, the network module is also located on your motherboard.
- Audio Driver: This driver helps your operating system communicate with your audio devices, such as headphones, speakers, microphones, and internal sound cards, to keep these devices working properly. It allows you to use it as .
- Storage Drive(s): The storage devices in your computer (such as hard drives, optical drives, SATA Drives, M.2 NVMe Drives) are compatible with your motherboard. It helps to establish communication.
These components are integrated into almost all motherboards today. In the past, you would need extension cards to add LAN or Wi-Fi support, Bluetooth, or even audio features to your computer.
On the other hand, your motherboard contains many different components that are not well known. Components large and small all require drivers. Fortunately, we don’t need to install all of these one by one. Motherboard drivers usually come in a package that contains all the necessary drivers. Additionally, operating systems make things easier by pre-installing these essential drivers. Otherwise, you would never be able to turn on your computer.
Still, while your Operating System may have some default drivers that will work just fine with most of your motherboard’s components, we don’t want “just fine.” We want all components to work the best they can, which means we want original and latest drivers from the manufacturer.
Operating systems are “pretty good” at installing component drivers, especially current versions. But this is not always enough. We always want our computer to work at its best and without any problems.
Before installing the motherboard drivers, we need to know the model.
CPU-Z
First, download CPU-Z from here. Extract the downloaded file to a folder and run the program called CPU-Z.exe in the folder. The first window that appears contains information about your processor. Now from the top MainboardSwitch to the  tab. Here ModelYou can see your motherboard model in section Â.
Motherboard
- Manufacturer: Manufacturer – The company that produces your motherboard. This can be different brands such as MSI, Asus, Gigabyte or Foxconn.
- Model: Your Motherboard’s Model – This model is generally named according to the chipset of the motherboard. When you ask a question on Technopat Sosyal, you will specify this model.
- Chipset: Your Motherboard’s Chipset – This value indicates whether your motherboard is Intel or AMD based.
- Southbridge:Â South bridge.
DxDiag
If you do not want to use software, you can use Windows’ own DirectX Diagnostic Tool. On the other hand, your motherboard model may not always be listed in this tool. To run the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, type DxDiag in the Start Menu and click on the result. Here you can see both your motherboard model and BIOS version.
How to Find Out the Motherboard Model Without Programming?
- Open the start menu.
- HereÂ
msinfo32Type Â. - The System Summary page will appear.
- The Baseboard Product on this page is your motherboard model.
- For example, in our system
Temel Kart Ãrünü X370 XPOWER GAMING TITANIUM (MS-7A31)It goes as Â. So our motherboardX370 XPOWER GAMING TITANIUM
How to Install Motherboard Drivers?
The motherboard consists of dozens of individual components, each of which requires drivers. But luckily the manufacturers offer support pages that bring it all together so you can easily download and install drivers. Onboard audio drivers, LAN drivers, onboard SATA AHCI/RAID drivers, Bluetooth drivers, as well as Thunderbolt and Wi-Fi, etc. It is possible to download the driver for the thing from a single page.
Since motherboard hardware is often much more specific than general peripherals like keyboards and mice, Windows is unlikely to recognize many of the motherboard’s features. For example, your motherboard may come with integrated Wi-Fi. You may need to install the latest drivers for the wireless connection to work or operate at the highest possible speeds.
Almost all Wi-Fi-enabled motherboards also have Bluetooth, as they are supported by the same antennas. Recognition of Bluetooth is only possible after installing your Bluetooth drivers. So many people actually have this feature, but they are not aware of it because they do not install the correct drivers.
IntelAA AMDÂ You can install chipset drivers directly from your motherboard manufacturer’s website. Here you can find LAN, USB, SATA, audio and chipset drivers, and even more. In addition, some companies offer shareware that brings all drivers together. Here are the driver download pages:
Alternatively, you can access the support page yourself by searching Google for the exact model of your motherboard.
For example, my motherboard is MSI H310M PRO-VDH PLUS. On the support page you will see buttons such as “Support” or “Downloads” which will direct you to a list of downloads for your motherboard.
In addition to the motherboard-specific control software and chipset drivers, sometimes we do not download other drivers and software from here. For example, the Realtek LAN driver or audio drivers may not always be up to date, even on the motherboard support page. However, the updates offered on these pages are always presented harmoniously and generally without any problems.
Speaking of updates, let’s not forget the BIOS. Beyond basic drivers, we recommend updating your BIOS to the latest revision. Motherboards often offer increased system stability, greater hardware support, and potential fixes for hardware-related issues. to present being patched.
Motherboard: Which are the Important Drivers?
Some models, especially high-end motherboards, may include extra components. These aside, let’s briefly list the most important drivers:
- Chipset driver
- Network (LAN/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth) driver
- Audio driver
- Storage drives
Network Drivers Not Installed Automatically?
It happened that Windows did not install the network drivers automatically and you could not connect to the internet. In such cases, download the files to a different computer and use a USB memory stick to transfer them. Another alternative is to use the CD that comes with the motherboard. After temporarily installing the network drivers, you can update them to the current versions, and then obtain all other installation files from the internet.
Check Device Manager
If there is a deficiency, a warning icon will appear on the side of the device. You can go to the official product page of the hardware and download the latest drivers. Some peripherals may come with drivers on CD, but these drivers will not be up to date. As a matter of fact, it is always useful to do research for updated drivers. Here you can get help by finding out the Hardware ID of your device, copying it with Ctrl + C and opening a topic on Technopat Sosyal.
Generally, but not always, unknown devices are related to the chipset driver. For example, if you see a listing like PCI Device, all the exclamation marks will disappear when you install the chipset driver.
Installing Motherboard Driver Using CD/USB
Using CDs to install motherboard drivers is a thing of the past, but this method can sometimes be a lifesaver. As you know, most motherboards come with a CD containing all the basic drivers.
This makes sense if you don’t have an internet connection. Additionally, if you have a computer with old hardware and cannot find a compatible driver, you can turn to CDs. At least for that moment, it is possible to use the hardware without any problems.
On the downside, old drivers often become outdated because they are in the physical environment. So, even if you install it with a CD in the beginning, it is useful to switch to the latest versions afterwards. Finally, many device drivers will be installed automatically by Windows, especially if you have an active internet connection during the operating system installation.
Should Motherboard Drivers Be Updated?
Updating motherboard drivers can have many benefits. Updated drivers can be a cure for any problems you may be experiencing with your system:
- Increases the efficiency and performance of your computer/associated component.
- Fixes outdated and corrupt drivers.
- It can eliminate software-related errors.
- Increases system/component stability.
- Security issues can be fixed.
- Support for newly released components may be added (BIOS update may also be required).
- It can fix problems when the associated component is not working at all or not working properly.
How to Remove Old Motherboard Drivers?
To uninstall old drivers, go to Start → Device Manager. Right-click the driver you want to uninstall and select Uninstall Driver. However, you can uninstall some drivers from Add or remove programs/Applications and features in Windows.
Is it Safe to Download from the Internet?
It is safe as long as you download the drivers in question from the manufacturer’s official website. You can download from third-party websites, but we don’t recommend it unless you really have to. If the source is reliable, you can of course download it. The first choice should always be official pages.
