Now that your computer is relatively secure, you will need to install software to
control your various hardware components. This type of software is known as
a driver.
Although, most of your hardware will come with a cd containing the necessary
driver, consider downloading the driver straight from the company’s Internet
site. This will insure you have the latest edition of the software. Knowing
where to download the driver is also good in case you lose the cd that came
with the device.
If you do not have a fast internet connection (broadband), the company
usually provides an option to receive the driver cd in the mail, in which case
you’ll want to use the CD you have now and update the driver later. Even if
something seems to be working fine, downloading new drivers may help increase
computer efficiency, though there is always a risk that a brand new version may
break something. Downloading drivers for your motherboard’s chipset can often
help if you are having a problem. Finally, many monitors will not go above a
certain refresh rate without the proper driver, which may be of great concerns
to gamers.
If you are using Microsoft Windows, you can generally find drivers for your
selected hardware on the manufacturer’s website. Most GNU/Linux systems
already have all of the drivers installed, with the exception of proprietary modem
and graphics drivers. If you can’t find the driver you need, a simple Google
search will often yield the best results.