[SOLVED] Device Doctor!

Here's a freeware program very usefull.

http://device-doctor.smartcode.com/info.html

Very useful in causing bsods and a system that can't boot, even with extensive repairs.

Advice: Always update drivers from the manufacturers' websites and no place else. Not even Windows update nor the device manager.

I've never had any problem with Device Doctor... no BSOD, etc.
But if you say so...
I use it and have no problem. I think it depends on the machines, on hardware... maybe!

I tried Device Doctor 6 mos ago and it installed 2 drivers which helped but the third driver made it impossible to boot properly. It took me 45 minutes in safe mode to restore my system to where I could get back to normal. Sometimes these aren't up-to-date on the drivers they have in their database and sometimes they just can't tell which version of hardware you have and can install the wrong one doing a lot of sudden damage.

If you should ever try software like this, and I am not recommending it, then make a restore point prior to each driver update and only install one update at a time, rebooting after each. Or better yet, if it scans your system and says you need sound or video etc, then the safest most effective way to update drivers is to go to the manufacturers website and download them.

These programs would be ideal if they kept upto date with the driver data base as Mr TrainableMan mentioned just there, had a few problems myself with other programs like Device Doctor. the sure and safest way would be Manufacturer's website for me.

so would have to agree with TorrentG & Mr TrainableMan

Yes it is!
But there's people who don't have time or just don't want to surf into all the manufacturers websites... and prefere to leave it to a program ...
And yes... always make a restore point!

So these same people enjoy taking all day or many days and eventually needing a clean install, instead, to fix the problems from using this?

Not making any sense here.

30 seconds to visit manufacturer's site to download a driver vs. many hours or days repairing issues, is not really any comparison at all.

I and others are offering professional advice while this program and those like it, I would not recommend to even a first day computer user.

maybe someone could compile a list of Manufacturer's sites into a thread and have it stickied, All Manufacturer websites in one place.

Done many, many years ago by fellow bsod analyst Usasma:

http://carrona.org/drvrdown.html <<< Mfg. sites

http://carrona.org/dvrref.html <<< Old drivers and how to update

And it is fairly easy to go to Google and type the manufacturers' names.

Now thats what im talking about, even if it doesn't have my machine on there