Sound card Driver question

When i want to install new drivers, do i have to uninstall the previous drivers? Or what are the proper steps? i am just curious of how i can do this properly with out screwing up my system. Thanks

 

A lot of programs will recommend you uninstall them first, although 99% of the time it's a completely useless step.

Either way, it won't screw up your system. Worst case, the audio drivers don't work, and you have to uninstall them and reinstall.

 

Ok mext question is how do i properly uninstall the old sound drivers? So i can install newer drivers.

 

It should be listed in the Add/Remove programs list (if it wasn't installed by Windows when the OS was first installed - i.e you installed drivers for it). If it isn't there don't worry about it and just install the newer drivers. Having to uninstall the old ones is a thing of the past anyway.

 

i usually remove them first via the "my computer/hardware" option by RIGHT clicking on it then using uninstall or remove from the menu.

then, i turn off the computer, install the new card, reboot...blah blah blah...

 

Just do like MGA said or simply open device manager and do it from there (right click my computer, select properties and then go to the hardware tab to open device manager).

Drivers won't be listed under Add/Remove programs, since they arn't programs. Although sometimes drivers install extra crap along with the drivers, and you'd delete that stuff from going to Add/Remove programs.

 

true, Coco. too often the original drivers on the cd install useless programs that only make matters worse because they were intended to be used with that particular hardware. Now if you change the hardware to another type, these programs are still hanging around...more junk to confuse your computer.

so, as a general rule, look for anything that was installed with the hardware's original cd and remove it.