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Windows XP: Back up those windows drivers
Back up those windows drivers
by TONI H - 11/30/05 9:11 AMNo matter what version windows you have....
I have had this program downloaded but never installed for quite a long time already....I asked a friend of mine the other day to use the program to back up her computer drivers using it so we could determine how exactly it works, and if the results were what I hoped for, she could then burn the folder to a cd. The reason I had her do this was because she had put in a new harddrive that I had already installed windows to for her on my system, which meant that it was configured for my own hardware and not hers by the time she got the drive in the mail from me, and once installed, no amount of playing with the drivers including new downloads would work. So I had her hook up her still available old drive, run this program and burn the files to a cd so once the new drive was hooked back up again, those drivers could be used since they worked fine on the old drive.
I was massively impressed with the outcome and saw the real potential for having all working drivers available for any new installations for anybody in that kind of situation of having to format the drive and starting over.
The program lets you either use the default location for the folder, or you can choose your own folder on another partition as I did. You click the 'look for ALL drivers' which will include any non-MS types, a list pops up in the window, you click Select All Drivers, and then click Back Up Drivers. It takes all of about five seconds flat. Now open the folder where you saved the drivers and amazingly every single set of drivers (.vxd, .dll, .exe everything) is now in individual SUBFOLDERS for each driver it located and saved...and the subfolders have the realtime name of the device including model numbers if appropriate. And it includes your dial up configuration.
I can't say enough about this simple program....other than WOW.......Her system is a W98SE so I just tested it on my XP-SP2 system and it slammed right in without a hitch.
Now.....the version I have is an older, free type that has now been taken off the internet shelves so to speak because it's now being maintained by another author and you can only get a trial version of it...but the cost for that particular pay-for version has a few key items for only $20 that will make it worth the purchase, in that it has internet ability to check for and download NEWER driver versions that the free older version can't do.
The pay-for version is here (which I'll be getting myself...and I don't impress easily):
http://www.driverguidetoolkit.com/
The old free one is available at my site here:
http://www.pcwarfare.com/pctools.toc.htm
It's listed as WinDrivers Backup PE
I know that I'll be using this program from a keychain harddrive on every computer I have to repair, upgrade, or build.....what a life-saver not to mention the time involved with having to search for and download and then install with fingers crossed that you got the right set of drivers each time.
TONI
Verry Helpful!
by sabyasachi_lawyer - 11/30/05 9:39 AM In reply to: Back up those windows drivers by TONI HThanks a lot for sharing, Toni.
does this one backup "Raid" controller as well?
by panther23 - 11/30/05 9:47 AM In reply to: Back up those windows drivers by TONI HJust the quick question as I list above.
Thanx in advance.
P
Yes...I also have RAID and SATA controllers
by TONI H - 11/30/05 10:02 AM In reply to: does this one backup "Raid" controller as well? by panther23installed as I have four harddrives and two cdrom devices (both burners)....and it brought it everything for those as well.
Like I said, I don't impress easily, but this was a walk in the park in less than 5 seconds flat and now the whole folder can be burned to a cd in case I have to replace a driver or decide to format the drive and not have to locate and download the drivers that are actually working right for me. AND if I DO decide to upgrade/update drivers that turn out not to work like what happened recently with the newer Nvidia drivers, I have the ability to roll back immediately.
TONI
TONI
(NT) Thanx, will try it out
by panther23 - 11/30/05 2:00 PM In reply to: Yes...I also have RAID and SATA controllers by TONI HAt last
by MarkFlax
- 11/30/05 3:06 PM
In reply to: Back up those windows drivers by TONI H
I downloaded the trial (free) program from your site Toni.
What I like about it is that, "at last", I can now identify all the drivers on my system. I hate updating drivers, and don't do it. I find the process confusing and frustrating because its so difficult to know which ones to update and whether the new ones are going to work or not.
With this program I now have an itemised list in separate folders for each bit of hardware/software that needs drivers.
Not the whole soultion I know, but at least I now have a recognisable list backed up into one place.
Many thanks, a very useful utility.
Mark
The one from my site isn't a trial
by TONI H - 11/30/05 7:08 PM In reply to: At last by MarkFlax
version...it's the older version that doesn't look for the updates on the net, but the other link to the new site that is keeping the program maintained (and renamed it) has networking abilities so not only does it update the drivers for you from the net, but you can also use it to back up drivers from other computers you have connected on your own network. For only $20, it's well worth the cost, I think.
Now...if there was only another program like the one cnet used to have that also looked for updates for programs we have.........Go!Zilla does it, but it includes that crappy Radiant/Areal spyware, even the retail version that I've got.
TONI
Automatically Update Drivers
by Jakesty - 12/7/05 12:11 AM In reply to: The one from my site isn't a trial by TONI HDo you mean the old site "Oil Change"? That was an awesome site. It scanned your HD and reviewed every application you had including games, then gave you a list of which ones had more recent patches or fixes and then could usually install them automatically or tell you how to do them yourself.
Every X-mas, they provided free access to getting your drivers updated too. I miss that system.
Jake
That program
by TONI H - 12/7/05 4:38 AM In reply to: Automatically Update Drivers by JakestyI found kind of confusing (I was a real newbie when I found it and then it was gone shortly after that anyhow). CNET used to have its own called CATCHUP and that's the one I used for years until it abruptly closed down as well (I think so many members of ZDNET and CNET were accessing it that it ate up server resources).
Then I discovered that the download accelerator Go!Zilla actually used "Zilla" and would track your downloads that were left in its database at all times unless you deleted them. Not only were you able to open up the database to get a file downloaded again from the same place it came from before in case you deleted yours or it got corrupt, but Zilla would also check for any updates to whatever you used its program for regarding downloads. If you downloaded xyz.zip and you opened Go-Zilla it hunted down any updates for it since the last time you downloaded it and would pop up a screen and ask if you wanted to get the update, keep monitoring, or stop monitoring it. Ones you didn't use anymore, you could just remove from the database so it didn't look for those anymore. It was and still is a really great program for that kind of thing, if ONLY it didn't come with the 'tracking' program called Areal or something like that....but if it DIDN'T come with it, it wouldn't be able to track down the updates (but it also tracked your surfing habits). The retail version that I bought didn't include the ads that you got with the free version, but it still included the Areal program and Ad-Aware and the rest of the spyware programs would nail it every time and want to remove it, which disabled Go!Zilla.
The other download accelerators I've tried over time just wouldn't let you re-download the same file if it was already listed in your database. You had to remove it from the list and then hunt on the net to get it again, which to me was ridiculous since most times you aren't going to remember where you got it from in the first place. Go!Zilla would just whisk you right to the first site if you clicked the file name from the database list of ones it downloaded before for you and grab the file again. A real time saver.
I've rambled into another direction......sorry. LOL
TONI
(NT) Many thanks Toni, for your assistance and good advice!!
by seafox13 - 11/30/05 4:00 PM In reply to: Back up those windows drivers by TONI H(NT) My Thanks Toni, much needed utility, Bill
by billzhills - 12/1/05 4:45 AM In reply to: Back up those windows drivers by TONI HDrivers backup software
by yul711 - 12/2/05 6:54 AM In reply to: Back up those windows drivers by TONI HI had a good experience with software named Driver Genius Pro. I can backup all/selected drivers to used selected destination and gives an option to verify the backup, create zip file or self extractable archive, specify degree of backup compression.
It wont install for me
by rc3 - 12/2/05 11:34 PM In reply to: Back up those windows drivers by TONI HWhen I click on wdrvbck1.exe I get "error extracting
support files-access is denied".
The account you've logged in with
by TONI H - 12/3/05 5:27 AM In reply to: It wont install for me by rc3on your computer appears to not have Administrative rights (permission) to install programs....
So tell us more about your computer and the setup. Did you create a special account for family members in order to prevent them from installing stuff without your permission and forgot to log off that account? Are you on a networked computer either at home or at work and need permission from the Administrator account or a company tech?
TONI
It does install
by rc3 - 12/3/05 7:10 AM In reply to: The account you've logged in with by TONI HJust rebooted the computer and it installed OK.
Thanks for the program.
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