NOTE: http://bit.ly/uVvKsZ = [shorted URL] and...
[FULL URL]: http :// www.techsupportalert. Com/best-free-windows-driver-backup. Htm? Utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gizmosbest+%28Gizmo%27s+Best-ever+Freeware%29
Sorry to bog the review down with lengthy URLs, but I don't believe SJ handles path info well at all, and I don't want you to get lost!
Drivers are the files that communicate between your SOFTWARE and HARDWARE. Backing-up drivers, is a smart and incredibly useful idea. If your software CD is lost, or the web site you would go to for drivers & upgrades stops supporting your hardware/software, or simply disappears, a Driver back-up & restore suite can save your butt.
These are FREEWARE (no cost at all!) Top driver BACK-UP & RESTORE suites. Be CAREFUL in reading about the different offerings, the pluses and minuses, even do extra research online in making your selections.
Consider passing along to people who "get" this concept, and you'd like to help out. Can be a life-saver.
ALWAYS ASK SOMEONE if you are not absolutely certain what you're doing, understanding, at least check online!
Ron
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This is explanation from Gizmo's site. It'; s not always written well (no clue why, they are HIGHLY regarded), but this explanation may help as well:
"Drivers are an important part of the system. They act as intermediaries between the system, and the hardware devices. They interpret the signals, and facilitate communication between the system and the devices. Without drivers, the devices won't work at all, or won't work properly.
Generally, the drivers come on a CD/DVD, with the hardware devices. As an alternative, they can also be downloaded from the manufacturer's site, and that's the best place to download the drivers, or their newer versions.
But, sometimes, the CDs can get misplaced, or lost, or the drivers might not be available from even the manufacturer's site, because they might have stopped providing support for the hardware. In such cases, the driver backup software are like a boon. These software back up the installed drivers for different devices, and even the drivers that come with Windows.
If you have an old system, and do not have a CD, or cannot get drivers from anywhere, it would be a good idea to backup all the installed drivers on the system, including the Windows drivers. Or, even if you have the CD, or the drivers, I will still recommend backing up the drivers, and storing them at a safe place, just in case. Its always better to be on the safe side.
I will also suggest backing up drivers using more than one software, so that if one program is not successful in restoring them, or misses some drivers, the other ones may still be able to do the job.
In this review, I have tried to cover programs which have the ability to backup drivers, and restore them. Some of them do not have the ability to restore, but still do a good job with the backup, and therefore, have been included. Restoring drivers manually, can be a bit tricky, so I have given preference to the programs which apart from backing up, can also restore the drivers from that backup.
Some of these software also have the ability to update the drivers, but I have not covered that in the review. This review is purely based on the abilities of the programs to backup and restore the drivers, and not updating them. As said earlier, the best place to download new versions of the drivers is from the manufacturer's site."