Saturday 25 December 2021

Driver Support - Windows 7 Driver Support

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Windows 7 Drivers


After installing Windows 7, you may need to download the latest Windows 7 drivers for some of the hardware in your PC.

Windows 7 is one of Microsoft's most popular ​operating systems, so most manufacturers regularly release Windows 7 driver updates for their products. Updating to the latest Windows 7 drivers may help keep your PC running at its best.​

Below is an alphabetical list of Windows 7 driver download links for 21 major hardware manufacturers, from Acer to VIA. See the very bottom of this page for a quick list of the most recently updated Windows 7 drivers.

Windows 7 drivers available for Acer desktops or notebooks can be downloaded via Acer's Service and Support site, linked above.

Acer provides many custom Windows 7 drivers for their PCs and laptops but much of the hardware will be installed using the default drivers in Windows 7.

The Update Drivers or Update Driver Software wizard will begin, which we'll completely step through to finish the driver update for this piece of hardware.

1. AMD/ATI Radeon Driver (Video)


The latest (and most likely final) AMD/ATI Radeon Windows 7 driver is the AMD Adrenalin 21.5.2 Suite (released 2021-05-17).

This Windows 7 driver from AMD/ATI contains the entire Catalyst suite including the ATI Radeon display driver and the Catalyst Control Center. This Windows 7 driver is compatible with most AMD/ATI Radeon HD series GPUs, including the R9 series and newer HD series chips.

2. ASUS Drivers (Motherboards)


ASUS Windows 7 drivers can be downloaded via ASUS's support site, linked above.

ASUS has made available Windows 7 drivers for most of their motherboard lines including those based on AMD, Intel Socket 775, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, and more.

I did a quick spot check on several of ASUS's motherboards and all of them showed both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 drivers.

ASUS also manufactures servers, workstations, notebooks, and other computer peripherals, but they are most known for their motherboards. You can look for Windows 7 drivers for your non-motherboard ASUS product on their website.

3. BIOSTAR Drivers (Motherboards)


BIOSTAR Windows 7 drivers are listed on BIOSTAR's download page, linked above.

BIOSTAR lists many of their motherboard lines as passing WHQL testing with Microsoft, including those based on Intel 1155, 1366, 1156, 775, 478, and AMD AM3+, FM1, AM3, and AM2+ designs.

4. C-Media Drivers (Audio)


Windows 7 drivers for products based on C-Media's audio chipset are available via their driver download page, linked above.

A lot of the drivers available for C-Media products appear to have been tested on the latest RC build of Windows 7, not the final version, but they should still work fine.

Windows 7 drivers are available for CMI8788, CMI8738, CMI8768, CMI8768+, CMI8770, and CMI8787, but Windows 7's built-in drivers might work best.

5. Compaq Drivers (Desktops and Laptops)


If any Windows 7 drivers are available for Compaq computers, they can be downloaded via HP's standard support site, linked above. Compaq is now part of HP.

Compaq's newer computers typically come with Windows 7 installed and, of course, have Windows 7 drivers available. HP's site may have Windows 7 drivers listed for older Compaq computers as well.

6. Creative Sound Blaster Drivers (Audio)


The most current Creative Sound Blaster Windows 7 drivers are listed on Creative's Driver Availability Chart, linked above.

Creative has made available Windows 7 drivers for many of their popular Sound Blaster products including their X-Fi, Sound Blaster Live, Audigy, and more.

Some Windows 7 drivers by Creative may be in beta. Please be aware that beta drivers may not always work properly and you should update as soon as final versions become available.

7. Dell Drivers (Desktops and Laptops)


Windows 7 drivers for Dell desktop and laptop computers can be downloaded via Dell's standard support site, linked above.

Dell also keeps a list of their older computer systems that they have successfully tested with Windows 7: Microsoft Windows 7 Compatible Dell Systems.

8. eMachines Drivers (Desktops and Notebooks)


Any available Windows 7 drivers for eMachines desktop or notebook computers can be downloaded via eMachines' support site, linked above.

To see if your eMachines laptop or desktop PC is compatible with Windows 7, visit the link provided above and select the product Group, then Series, and finally the model number from the Products list. If "Windows 7" is an option under the Operating System choices then your PC should support Windows 7.

9. Gateway Drivers (Desktops and Notebooks)


Windows 7 drivers for many Gateway desktops and notebooks are available via Gateway's support site.

According to Gateway, their only advice for compatibility with Windows 7 for older computers is to check the minimum system requirements for Windows 7 and compare to your PC.

The built-in drivers that Windows 7 provides will likely work for the majority of Gateway hardware manufactured before 2009. Otherwise, Gateway will likely provide their own Windows 7 drivers via their support site.

10. HP Drivers (Desktops and Laptops)


Any available Windows 7 drivers for HP desktop, laptop, and tablet computers can be downloaded via HP's standard support site, linked above.

Many of HP's desktop and laptop PCs have Windows 7 drivers available.

HP has also published valuable information about the availability of HP printer and scanner drivers in Windows 7 (see the HP entry below).

11. HP Drivers (Printers and Scanners)


The best way to get Windows 7 drivers for individual HP printers and scanners is to visit HP Support, linked above.

Enter your product information on their support page to find Windows 7 drivers for your HP Deskjet, Officejet, Photosmart, LaserJet, Designjet, or Scanjet imaging device.

From this page, you can see if your specific HP printer or scanner will work from a built-in Windows 7 driver, via an update from Windows Update, or from a Windows 7 driver downloaded directly from HP.

12. Intel Drivers (Motherboards)


Windows 7 drivers for Intel motherboards can be downloaded via Intel's support page, linked above.

A quick check showed 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 drivers. The few motherboard driver download pages I looked at showed Windows 7 drivers for Intel's integrated video, audio, Ethernet controller, and more.

Intel also keeps a short list of motherboards, released around the time Windows 7 was released, that fully supported the operating system.

13. Intel Chipset "Drivers" (Intel Motherboards)


The latest Intel Chipset Windows 7 "driver" is version 10.1.18383 (Released 2020-05-07).

Technically, these are not Windows 7 drivers. This update is actually an INF file update, which helps instruct Windows 7 how to identify and work properly with Intel chipset hardware like USB, Core PCI, and other integrated hardware.

This update applies to both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7.

14. Lenovo (Desktops and Laptops)


Windows 7 drivers for Lenovo desktop and laptop computers can be downloaded via Lenovo's support site, linked above.

Windows 7 specific questions can be asked on Lenovo's Windows 7 discussion board. This is a great resource if you're having trouble finding Windows 7 drivers for your Lenovo product or having issues installing a driver.

15. Lexmark Drivers (Printers)


Current information on Windows 7 drivers for individual Lexmark printers is available from the list on Lexmark's site, linked above.

From this page, you can see if your specific Lexmark printer will work best with the built-in Windows 7 driver, with the latest Windows 7 driver downloaded directly from Lexmark, or with the latest Windows Vista driver, also available from Lexmark.

Several Lexmark small business and home office all-in-one and inkjet printers are listed separately from those linked above.

16. Microsoft Drivers (Keyboards, Mice, Etc.)


In addition to creating operating systems like Windows 7, Microsoft also produces hardware like keyboards, mice, game controllers, webcams, and more.

Microsoft hardware products with Windows 7 drivers are listed on their Software Downloads page, linked above.

Some of the most up to date Windows 7 drivers for Microsoft hardware may still be in beta. Please be aware that beta drivers may not always work properly and you should update as soon as final versions become available.

17. Microtek Drivers (Scanners)


Windows 7 drivers for Microtek scanners are available for many recent models and are downloadable from the link above.

At this time, it looks like Windows 7 drivers are available for several newer ScanMaker and ArtixScan models. Windows 7 64-bit drivers are only available for a few ArtixScanDI scanners from Microtek.

Microtek has no plans to release certified drivers for many of their older but extremely popular scanners. However, according to Microtek, many of their Windows XP 32-bit drivers work perfectly well in Windows 7, including those for popular models like the ScanMaker 4800, 4850, 3800, and more.

18. NVIDIA GeForce Driver (Video)


The latest NVIDIA GeForce Windows 7 driver is version 472.12 (Released 2021-09-20).

This Windows 7 NVIDIA driver is compatible with the NVIDIA TITAN series and GeForce 10, 900, 700, and 600 series desktop GPUs, as well as GeForce MX100, 10, 900M, 800M, 700M, and 600M series notebook GPUs.

19. Realtek AC97 Driver (Audio)


The latest Realtek AC97 Windows 7 driver is version 6305 (Released 2009-09-07).

This download contains both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of this Windows 7 driver.

20. Realtek High Definition Driver (Audio)


The latest Realtek High Definition Windows 7 driver is version R2.82 (Released 2017-07-26).

Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of this Windows 7 driver are available.

21. Sony Drivers (Desktops and Notebooks)


Any Windows 7 drivers for Sony desktop or notebook computers can be downloaded via Sony's eSupport site, linked above.

Sony has an Upgrade page with information about Sony PCs and Windows 7, including a handy tool to see what Windows 7 drivers and other information is available for your specific Sony computer.

22. Toshiba Drivers (Laptops)


Windows 7 drivers for Toshiba (now called Dynabook) laptop computers can be downloaded via Toshiba's standard support site, linked above.

You can view a list of Toshiba Windows 7 drivers by searching the model number of serial number on their Dynabook and Toshiba Drivers & Software page and then refining the search to Windows 7.

Toshiba also has a roundup of various Windows 7 information on their Forums page.

Toshiba also has a list of laptops released between 2007 and 2009 that support Windows 7: Toshiba laptop models supported for use with Windows 7.

23. VIA Drivers (Chipsets)


Windows 7 drivers for products based on VIA's Ethernet, audio, graphics, USB, and other chipsets are available via their standard driver download page, linked above.

To get started, choose Microsoft Windows for Step 1 and then Windows 7 for Step 2.

Recent Windows 7 Driver Updates


2021-09-20: NVIDIA GeForce v472.12 Released

2021-05-17: AMD/ATI Radeon Adrenalin v21.5.2 Released

2020-05-07: Intel Chipset v10.1.18383 Released

2017-07-26: Realtek HD Audio R2.82 Released

Can't Find a Windows 7 Driver?


Try using a Windows Vista driver. Windows Vista drivers will often work in Windows 7 because of the similarity between the two operating systems.

How to Update Drivers in Windows ?


You might need to update drivers in Windows when a new piece of hardware doesn't work or after upgrading to a new version of Windows. Updating drivers may be a troubleshooting step when a device is having a problem or generating an error, like a Device Manager error code. An updated driver may also enable new hardware features, as with popular video cards and sound cards.

These steps can be used to update drivers in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP. It usually takes around 15 minutes to update a driver in Windows. If you'd like to follow the process below, but with more details and screenshots for each step, use our Step by Step Guide to Updating Drivers in Windows instead.

1. Locate, download, and extract the latest drivers for the hardware. You should always check with the hardware manufacturer first when looking for an updated driver. When downloaded direct from the hardware maker, you'll know the driver is both valid and the most recent for the hardware.​ 

2. Open Device Manager. There are several ways to get to Device Manager in Windows but doing so from the Control Panel (the method outlined in the link) is pretty simple.

3. With Device Manager open, select the > or [+] icon (depending on your version of Windows) to open the category that you think contains the device you want to update the drivers for.

4. Once you've found the device you're updating drivers for, the next step depends on your version of Windows:

•  Windows 11, 10 & 8: Right-click or press-and-hold on the hardware's name or icon and choose Update Driver (W11/10) or Update Driver Software (W8).

•  Windows 7 & Vista: Right-click on the hardware's name or icon, choose Properties, then the Driver tab, followed by the Update Drive button.

• Windows XP Only: Right-click on the hardware item, choose Properties, the Driver tab, and then the Update Drive button. From the Hardware Update Wizard, choose No, not this time to the Windows Update question, followed by Next >. From the search and installation options screen, choose Don't search I will choose the driver to install option, again followed by Next >. Skip to Step 7 below.

5. To the How do you want to search for drivers? question, or in some versions of Windows, How do you want to search for driver software?, choose Browse my computer for drivers (Windows 11 & 10) or Browse my computer for driver software.

6. On the next window, select Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer (Windows 11 & 10) or Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer, located near the bottom of the window.

7. Select Have Disk, located on the bottom-right, under the text box.

8. On the Install From Disk window that appears, choose Browse on the bottom-right corner of the window. 

9. On the Locate File window you see now, work your way to the folder that you created as part of the driver download and extraction in Step 1.​ 

10. Select any INF file in the file list and then choose Open. INF files are the only files that Device Manager accepts for driver setup information and so are the only types of files you'll be shown.

•  Find several INF files in one folder? Don't worry about this. The driver update wizard loads information from all the INF files in the folder you're in automatically, so it doesn't matter which one you choose.

•  Find many folders with INF files? Try an INF file from each folder until you find the correct one.

•  Didn't find an INF file in the folder you chose? Look through other folders, if there are any, until you find one with an INF file.

•  Didn't find any INF files? If you haven't found an INF file in any folder included in the extracted driver download, it's possible that the download was corrupted. Try downloading and extracting the driver package again. 

11. Choose OK back on the Install From Disk window.

12. Select the newly added hardware in the text box and then hit Next.​

13. There are a number of common warnings and other messages that you might get at this point in the driver update process, several of which are paraphrased and listed here along with advice on what to do:

•  Windows cannot verify that the driver is compatible: If you're sure this driver is the right one, select Yes to continue installing it. Choose No if you think you might have the driver for the wrong model or something like that, in which case you should look for other INF files or maybe an entirely different driver download. Checking the Show compatible hardware box, if available, located on the window from Step 12, can help prevent this.

•  Windows can't verify the publisher of this driver software: Choose Yes to continue installing this driver only if you received it directly from the manufacturer or from their installation disc. Choose No if you downloaded the driver elsewhere and didn't exhaust your search for a manufacturer-provided one.

• This driver hasn't been signed: Similarly to the publisher verification problem above, choose Yes only when you're confident about the driver's source.

•  Windows requires a digitally signed driver: In 64-bit versions of Windows, you won't even see the above two messages because Windows won't let you install a driver that has a digital signature issue. If you see this message, end the driver update process and locate the correct driver from the hardware maker's website.

14. While on the Installing driver software screen, which should only last a few to several seconds, Windows will use the instructions included in the INF file from Step 10 to install the updated drivers for your hardware.

15. Once the driver update process is complete, you should see a Windows has successfully updated your driver software window.

Select Close. You can now also close Device Manager.

16. Restart your computer, even if you're not prompted to do so. Windows doesn't always force you to restart after updating a driver but it's a good idea.

Driver updates involve changes to the Windows Registry and other important parts of Windows, so restarting is a good way to make sure that this update hasn't negatively impacted some other part of Windows.

If you do find that the driver update caused some kind of problem, just roll back the driver to the previous version and then try updating it again.

Driver Support - Windows 7 Driver Support

24/7 Support : Get Started USA Toll Free +1(877)368-0677 Windows 7 Drivers After installing Windows 7 , you may need to download the latest...