What are device drivers and how do I fix problems with one of them?

Question: What are device drivers and how do I fix problems with one of them?

Answer: A device driver is software that is specifically written to allow an operating system (such as Windows or Mac OSX) to communicate with and make use of a piece of hardware. Device drivers are required for video, audio, network cards, modems, printers, disk drives and more. Drivers are specific to both the hardware and the operating system. Operating systems do come bundled with some generic and standard drivers. However, a generic driver usually won’t make the best use of your hardware. It can cause serious problems if one of the drivers on your computer is damaged or deleted. To fix such an error, you will have to find the appropriate driver and reinstall it. This can be a challenge considering the large number of drivers available for various hardware types. For this reason, it is important to keep all of the disks that come with your computer, additional hardware or peripherals you have. The MLI Network Services Division is very good at locating and installing the best driver to match your hardware, if such a need arises.

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