To protect yourself from hardware incompatibility after reinstalling Windows, must be done in advance make a backup copy of drivers. Drivers- these are, relatively speaking, library programs that help the system understand what equipment it interacts with.
There are drivers for motherboard, video adapter, monitor, mouse and keyboard, as well as other devices that are more invisible to the user’s eye. There is an opinion that you can back up your drivers using standard means. This is not entirely true.
Yes, indeed, it is possible to create a system restore point, which will store the state of the OS at the time of creation. It is not a fact, however, that the necessary drivers will also remain in place. Further, after reinstalling the system, the point will be deleted, so in our case this option is not suitable at all. Thus, there is only one thing left to do - select a program to backup drivers to a backup file(the one that will return everything “to its place” if necessary).
A brief overview of programs for creating driver backups
Our “rating” of programs is not a standard; you have the right to use any other program that is similar to those proposed. Each of them performs the main function of backing up drivers, but there are also differences. All of them are suitable for use on Windows 7. Later, using the example of one of the programs, we will consider creating backup file recovery.
There is no need to talk much about this program, because... it is rightfully the best of those we tested. The application installs quickly on your computer and allows you to get started right away. A system scan function is available to search for damaged, uninstalled or old drivers.
In addition, the program will automatically find the necessary drivers and offer to install them. All processes are controlled by you, so it’s quite difficult to “break” something.
The portable version looks like this: First, the program will offer to scan the system to check for driver updates, and then you can continue to use it. Among main functions applications: creating backup files, downloading drivers, installing, updating.
A small program that allows you to backup firewood(IT slang) quickly and without installing a program on your computer. It is supplied free of charge and is freely available. Many sites have reviews of this particular utility, but we found it not as convenient as the previous one. Features of Double Driver:
- Displays all installed drivers;
- Ability to save or print the resulting list;
- Creating a structured backup. This means that all drivers will be sorted into folders with names identical to the devices they relate to.
Another program with which we can create a backup of the files we need. In it you can find, update them, create copies, restore files for different equipment. Among the main advantages of the application are:
- Creating a system restore point;
- Uninstall unnecessary or old files from the OS;
- Built-in job scheduling tool.
How to make a backup copy of drivers using the Driver Genius program as an example. Professional Edition
Now let's move on to how to make a backup. Everything is very simple - you need to strictly follow the steps of the instructions.
- Launch the application. If you have a portable version for Windows 7, you will have to go to the folder with the downloaded program and run the file with the *.exe extension. Next you will see a window with a menu and a proposal to scan. Confirm your choice, wait until it is completed and go to step 2;
- You can have two outcomes: the program will display a list of drivers that need to be removed/reinstalled/updated; the program will show that none of the drivers require updates because they are already installed. When checking our computer I got the second option and if you have it too– go to point 3. B case of the first option– update the drivers and install. After that, move on to the next point;
- Next, move on to creating a backup. To do this, click "Back Up Drivers" on the left in the menu. After this, a search will begin for all installed drivers of several types: "Currently Used Drivers", "Original Windows Drivers", "Disconnected Device Drivers". First are responsible for current devices (the first two types) and disconnected ones. There is no need to change anything here. Just click "Next";
- You will then be asked to select backup type. We suggest you choose "Auto-Installer Archive
»
. Upon its launch, at the moment the “firewood” is resumed, they will all be automatically installed in the right places. Select path any, except to drive C, otherwise, when you reinstall, you will lose this file. The save will look something like the screenshot below. To continue creating the backup, click “Next”;
- The backup process can take a long time- This is fine. Depending on the power of the computer, the process will be either very slow or quite fast. To speed up the process a little, we recommend leaving only our website open in the browser and the program. The rest, if possible, should be closed so as not to overload RAM.
- When the process is completed, file compression will begin and a message indicating the successful completion of the task will be displayed. At this point, the backup copy is considered created.
Now you know how to backup drivers on Windows 7. However, this instruction suitable not only for users of this OS, but also younger versions, including Win 10. The Driver Genius backup program is a convenient utility that automatically performs updates on sites or databases, and only then offers to install or update drivers.
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Few people think that someday their computer will crash and they will have to reinstall the entire system. The reinstallation itself no longer causes such problems as before, but installing the driver can be a stumbling block, especially if the driver disk is lost and the Internet does not work for the same reason that there is no driver network card. In this case, a driver backup would be very helpful.
How to backup your drivers
There are many ways to create such backups, but we are interested in the simplest and free one.
Therefore, we will use the free version of the program DriverMax. Go to the official website of the DriverMax program and click on the big green button.
We start the installation of the program by double-clicking with the left mouse button on its icon.
In the first window, click on the button “ Launch».
A window with an installation scale will appear and after a few seconds the program itself will open.
We are only interested in driver backup, so we will not be distracted by its other functions, but will immediately go to the “ tab Backup ».
Set the switch to the line “ Create a driver backup archive" and below click the button " Next».
If you are not a completely confident computer user, then first it is better to create a system restore point, and only then start archiving drivers. It never hurts to be on the safe side. It won't take long. Literally in a minute you will have created a system restore point, which in case of any problems can easily return everything to normal.
After creating a system restore point, first go to some other tab, and then return to the “Backup” tab again, and set the switch to the “Create a driver backup archive” entry.
In the next window, at the very bottom, check the box to select all our drivers, and click the “ Backup».
The process of copying your drivers will begin. Be patient and wait.
After the program has finished creating a copy of your drivers, you need to go to the folder using the link at the bottom of the window
Under no circumstances should you leave the driver archive only in this folder, because... it is created on the disk with the operating system. And if at one point your system does not start and you have to reinstall it, then you may lose this archive.
Also store the program installation file there, because after reinstalling the system you most likely will not have access to the Internet.
This is why I don't store all my files on the same drive as the operating system.
For this purpose, I have 5 hard drives on my computer and some of them are divided into partitions. Therefore, I am not afraid that my system may “fly”. I have a copy operating system on a separate disk and its backup copy.
I advise you not to wait for the system to tell you to live long, and take care of this in advance. Then, in case of unforeseen situations, you can quickly and painlessly restore everything.
How to restore drivers on a new operating system
It's as simple as creating a driver archive. Install the DriverMax program on the new OS and select the “ Recovery" There, go to “Restore from a previously created backup” and click the “Next” button.
In the next window, click the button “ Download».
And specify the path to the driver archive and click the “ Open»
In the next window, put a checkmark at the very bottom and click the “ Restore».
And in a few minutes all drivers will be installed.
Many PC users have encountered the need to install drivers. What is there, even a new operating room Windows system 10 cannot always recognize the device and select a driver for it. For this reason, even now you have to look for drivers on websites or install them from disks that come with this or that equipment. In short, it takes a lot of time.
But in order not to waste extra time searching and installing, you can create a backup copy of the drivers so that you can quickly restore them if necessary. For example, many people reinstall the OS, but why search for drivers again every time? Or another example: you purchased a computer without a driver disk, which also happens quite often. Be that as it may, creating a backup copy is a useful thing and that’s what we’ll talk about in today’s article.
- To make a backup, you need special program, as well as a disk or flash drive. Although, in principle, a copy can be saved in another disk partition. If the OS is located on drive C, then a copy can be placed on drive D.
- It is recommended to create a backup copy immediately after installing and configuring the equipment - in other words, at the moment when everything is working properly.
- Restoring the copy must be performed on the same OS. If you have changed or updated Windows, it is better not to install drivers, as some of them may not work correctly.
Now that the theoretical part is over, you can get down to business directly - that is, programs that allow you to create a backup copy of drivers.
TOP 3 programs for creating a driver backup
Let’s immediately say that there are simply a huge number of such programs. But today we will consider only the best of their kind (at least according to visitors to our site). By the way, all of them can not only create copies, but also update drivers for each and every device. So let's get started.
No. 1. Slim Drivers
Considered one of the best programs for drivers. With Slim Drivers you can not only create backup copies of drivers, but also search for them and update them, and the devices can be of any kind. This program also boasts simply huge base data (we are talking about drivers), so we use it as an example.
No. 2. Driver Checker
One more good utility, with which you can make backup copies and restore drivers from them. Yes, the database here is not as large as that of the previous program, although this does not in any way affect the creation of a copy (it only affects the update).
No. 3. Double Driver
A small program (but completely free) that allows you to make backup copies of drivers. Many users have it, they even say that it may be better than the Slim Drivers described above.
Making a backup copy of drivers using Slim Drivers
Let's start with a few important introductions. So, in order to work with this utility, you must be connected to the Internet. The point is this: if before installing the drivers you did not have the Internet, then later, say, during the reinstallation of the operating system, problems will arise when restoring the drivers - you will not be able to install the Slim Drivers utility. It turns out to be a kind of vicious circle.
Pay attention! That is why in such cases it is better to use the Driver Checker program, which has a similar operating principle.
Step one. To create a copy using Slim Drivers, first configure the location on your hard drive where you will save the copy. To this end, after starting the program, go to the “Options” section and select Backup there, indicating the path to save the backup copy. As noted earlier, it will be better if you select a different disk partition than the one on which the operating system is located. After this, save the changes you made (Save button).
Step two. Then you can start creating a copy. To do it, go to Backup, mark the required drivers and click on the button of the same name (that is, Backup, as shown in the image below).
Step three. A few minutes after the operation starts, copies of the drivers will be successfully created. The corresponding report on this is demonstrated in the screenshot below.
Alternative option: use the Driver Magician Lite utility
Another good program for creating a backup copy of drivers, which was not included in our small rating (because it is not very popular), but definitely deserves your attention. First, find and download this program, then unzip it (if you downloaded it as an archive) and run it as an administrator.
When Driver Magician Lite starts, check the boxes of the drivers that you want to make copies of. You can mark everything at once if you are afraid that you will miss something. It is possible to sort by date (the fact is that some of the drivers are installed with the operating system itself) or, alternatively, mark those marked in red. When the necessary drivers are checked (or all are checked), click on Start Backup and specify the path where the backup copy will be saved.
Wait while the copy is made (this may take five to fifteen minutes). When a message appears stating that the copy was successfully saved, you can safely close the program.
Restoring drivers using the Slim Drivers utility
If necessary, you can easily restore the drivers from the copy you made earlier. The algorithm of actions should be as follows.
Step one. Go to the program options and select Restore, then select the location on the disk where copies of the drivers are stored (see one of the previous paragraphs of the article - you need to select the folder that you have already selected earlier). Then select "Save".
Step two. After that, mark those drivers that need to be restored and click on Restore.
Step three. A warning will pop up stating that the recovery procedure will require restarting the computer. For this reason, save all documents in advance, otherwise they may be lost.
Standard recovery on Windows 7, 8, 10
There is another way to restore from a backup. In this case, you need to press Winkey+R, then enter devmgmt.msc and click OK.
Those drivers that need installation will be located in “Other devices”.
In the image below, green indicates drivers that were installed automatically, and red indicates those that were not installed.
To restore, right-click on the required device, select “Update drivers” and search on your computer. In “Review”, indicate exactly where you previously saved the backup copy, and then confirm the action. After some time, the driver you selected will be installed by the system in automatic mode. Perform this operation for each unknown device.
This operation must be performed for each device in the “Other devices” list!
As a conclusion
Actually, this is where we can end the review. By the way, many users respond positively to another program – Driver Genius. Testing has shown that this utility allows you to create copies of almost everything located on personal computer drivers, moreover, it is able to compress them and place them in an automatic installer! However, during recovery, errors often occur: the installation may be interrupted halfway or, for example, the program will report that it is not registered, so it can only restore a few drivers, etc.
For a more detailed understanding of the issue, we recommend watching the thematic video below.
Video - Backing up drivers in Windows
In one of the articles I described a method using the utility. This time I will describe two more methods that will allow you to create a backup copy of drivers on any of the modern Windows operating systems. Let's look at the utility built into the system and third party programs DriverMax and Auslogics Driver Updater.
Let me remind you that this action is very important among users, as it simplifies the search and installation of drivers in the future. After reinstalling the system, why look for the necessary drivers on the Internet or on disk if everything is already in the backup file.
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DISM utility in Windows 7, 8.1 and 10
First, let's look at the DISM utility built into the system. First, create a folder on some disk where a copy of the drivers will be placed. You can create it on an external drive, flash drive or other partition, but not a system one. The folder name shouldn't be a problem.
Now let's launch the command line with elevated privileges. Click right click mouse on the Start menu or combination Win+X and select the item as shown in the screenshot.
In the line window, enter the command:
dism /online /export-driver /destination:F:\Drivers_folder
F:\Folder_with_drivers – the name of the folder with drivers, located on drive F, you may have a different name for the folder.
The copying process will begin and if the operation is completed successfully, command line will notify you about this.
Restoring drivers on a reinstalled system
Let's say you've already reinstalled Windows and noticed that some drivers are missing, then open the device manager (you can get there by pressing Win+X and selecting the desired item) and right-click on the device without a driver. Opens context menu, where we select the item "Update drivers".
A window appears in which we click option "Search for drivers on this computer".
Specify the path to the folder with the driver backup, to do this, click the button "Review". After specifying the path, click "Next".
Well-known programs that allow you to automatically download and install drivers also have the ability to create backups. An example can be given.
DriverMax program
Download free version DriverMax program and go to the copies section - "Backup". There are two functions here - creating restore points and creating copies of the drivers themselves in the form of an archive.
Choose there "Create driver backup archive", and then press "Next".
Here we select the devices whose drivers we want to save. To select all, check the box. "Select all" bottom right, then click "Backup".
To view saved drivers, click on the button "Open backup folder". Then place this folder on an external drive or flash drive, or on a non-system partition.
Restoring drivers on a reinstalled system with DriverMax
To restore the drivers, click in the program "Restore" and in this section select the item "Restore from a previously created backup" and press the button "Next".
Now just click on the button "Load" and indicate the path to the archive from the driver.
We indicate the checkboxes of those devices in which driver installation is required. You can select everything using the “Select all” checkbox. Press the button "Restore".
Driver program – Auslogics Driver Updater
This program, like the previous one, has two versions - free and paid. A free one is enough to create a backup. Open the program and go to the tab on the left « Backup» . Now check the boxes for those devices that have drivers and press the button "Copy".
To save the archive you need to go to the tab "Restore". There should be a line with the date the backup was created. On the contrary, click on the link "Export archive". Select the path where the copy will be saved.
When you reinstall the system, download this program again and go to the tab "Restore", and then click on the button there "Import archives". Now we indicate the path to the archive with drivers.
The files will be loaded into the program window, where you just have to check the boxes of the devices whose drivers need to be restored. And then press the corresponding button.
This is where I will finish talking about creating backups in this article.
Good afternoon to everyone and everything.
Today we will talk about a small but very practical utility from the series “Small spool - but expensive” (c). A program called Double Driver does what it does to reanimate previously installed drivers and in case of reinstalling the operating system, it allows the user to put everything in its place in a couple of clicks.
So, meet the hero of the occasion, Double Driver - your defense tool against, excuse the slang, all sorts of unexpected people. As you remember, we taught you how to install any drivers quickly and conveniently - " " - now it's time to learn how to save these drivers and quickly restore them.
Let's get started.
Double Driver - saving drivers and quickly restoring them from backup
Nowadays, almost any computer user is faced with the need to reinstall the operating system. The reason for this may be the consequences of a viral attack or a “blue” screen, aka. It’s good if the matter is limited to banal treatment of malware or resuscitation with the help safe mode, but what if you need to format the disk and install the operating system from scratch? After all, the process of “driving” the system will inevitably follow, and for this, the fact is, you will need a “native” disk, of which there has been no trace for a long time :). What to do then?
One reasonable solution is to make a backup in advance using the Double Driver program and then easily and easily restore the drivers on the new system.
So, the developers tell us the following capabilities of their utility:
- View a list of already installed drivers;
- Creating and restoring our, as they say, “firewood” from a backup copy;
- Save and Print the entire list of drivers.
Note:
A distinctive feature of the software is the ability to create backup copies of drivers even for a disabled (second additional OS) system.
Of course, this does not come with all sorts of bells and whistles, but still, she knows her job quite well. Among other joys, we can note the micro-size, freeness and support for a non-Russian interface (yes, everything is in English). Of course, the first thing you need to do is download this miracle of programmer thought. This can be done directly, i.e. by downloading from the site where you are now.
After downloading the program archive, unpack it, and then double-click on it with the left button and run the file called “dd.exe”. You will see the ascetic interface of the program. Press the button “Backup” (1) and then “Scan Current System” (see image).
The program instantly gives us a list of all the drivers installed in the system, and all we have to do is select the required ones (or all of them), click “BackupNow" and select the location (folder) for storing our.. “firewood” (see image).
Note:
In the parameters (output) you can choose how to present the created driver database: structured in a folder, compressed or self-extracting archive.
Next, the process of saving a backup copy of the drivers begins, which proceeds quite quickly, however.. It all depends on the number of the list of drivers being created. Further on specified address You can go through Explorer and make sure that the program has created and structured everything correctly (see image).
The next step is to take and move the created folder with drivers (you can save it as an archive) to removable media (flash drive), and copy the program distribution package there.
Now, when the “dark day” comes, i.e. it will be necessary to reinstall the system and reinstall the drivers (or simply solve some problems with them), we simply launch the program from removable media, click the “ Restore" button and specify the archive with the drivers on the flash drive (see image).
This way, all our drivers will remain safe and sound during the next failure, which will save us a lot of nerves. The program has the ability to save a list of drivers to a text file ("Save" tab) so that you can view their versions, update dates and hardware IDs.
Among the “highlights” of the program is the ability to create backups of drivers, so to speak, of a broken operating system. Just imagine a situation where the main operating system does not allow you to boot from it, but the user plans to rearrange it, however, here’s the problem - the device drivers are lost and remain in the faulty system, and there is nowhere to reinstall them, or there is no desire, or there is no Internet, or something... then something else... That's when the same Double Driver comes to the rescue, where you just need to boot from any boot loader and, specifying the location of the disabled OS, save the drivers installed in it.
Actually, that’s the end of the review, and whoever listened – well done :). In general, of course, the program largely duplicates manual copying, but there are still a number of convenient advantages in speed and other nuances, described to some extent above.
Afterword
Another useful software has been disassembled. I hope that it will be useful to you one day in your household and will save you a lot of quiet and free minutes, and also, importantly, your nerves.
As always, we will be glad to have any questions, additions, and everything else. Write comments!
P.S. Thanks to team member 25 KADR for the existence of this article
