Post actualizado el día octubre 24, 2026 by DeiviSanzPlay
Installing drivers on Windows 10 seems simple until something fails: a flickering screen, a USB that stops responding, or audio that disappears after an update. This checklist brings together the steps worth reviewing before, during, and after installing a driver, with the points where most people get stuck.
Before touching anything: preliminary checks
1. Identify the exact hardware
Open Device Manager (Win + X) and check the Hardware Id of the device with problems: right-click → Properties → Details → Hardware Ids. That code (for example, PCIVEN_8086&DEV_A170) identifies the specific chip, not just the brand. It’s the difference between downloading the correct driver and a similar one that will install but won’t work.
2. Note the current driver version
On the Driver tab you’ll see the version and date. Take a screenshot or write it down. If the new installation makes things worse, you’ll know which version to roll back to.
3. Check whether there’s a recent restore point
A faulty graphics card driver can prevent the system from starting normally. Creating a manual restore point before installing video, chipset, or network drivers saves hours. In my experience, the most common case of a black screen after installing a GPU driver is resolved by booting into safe mode and rolling back, something much faster if a restore point exists.
4. Always download from the component manufacturer, not the system builder
On laptops, the device manufacturer’s website often has outdated drivers. If the laptop has an Intel or AMD graphics card, it’s worth checking the version on the chip manufacturer’s website and comparing it with the laptop manufacturer’s version. The newest isn’t always the best: on some models, Intel’s generic versions break brightness control.
During installation: the checklist
5. Disconnect unnecessary peripherals
External drives, USB hubs, and Bluetooth adapters can interfere during the installation of chipset or USB drivers. Leave only the keyboard and mouse connected.
6. Close programs that use the device
Installing a printer driver with the print queue active or an audio driver with a media player open can leave files locked. Close the related software, including anything in the system tray.
7. Run the installer as administrator
Right-click → Run as administrator prevents silent permission failures that later result in a half-installed driver.
8. Restart even if the installer doesn’t ask you to
Many modern installers (especially Realtek audio and network ones) register services that only load on restart. Installing and continuing to work can give the false impression that the driver isn’t working.
Afterward: verification and troubleshooting
9. Confirm that Windows is using the new driver
Go back to Device Manager and check the version. If the old one still appears, check whether the installer left the driver in the Windows Update queue instead of applying it.
10. Check Event Viewer
System events → filter by Error over the last few minutes. A driver that fails to load usually leaves a log entry with the name of the problematic .sys file.
11. If the device doesn’t appear, try safe mode
Windows 10 blocks the loading of signed drivers it doesn’t recognize. If the hardware works in safe mode but not in a normal boot, the problem is a signature issue or a conflict with another driver.
Cases where this checklist isn’t enough
There are situations in which no sequence of steps guarantees success: hardware without official support for Windows 10 (old printers, scanners more than a decade old), drivers that only exist for Windows 7 and require compatibility mode, or machines with Secure Boot that reject unsigned drivers. In those cases the realistic option is to look for a generic driver, use a virtual machine with an older system, or consider changing the hardware. According to Microsoft’s official documentation, driver signing is mandatory on Windows 10 with Secure Boot enabled, and there’s no safe shortcut around it.
Finally, be wary of programs that «automatically update all drivers»: they tend to install generic versions that Windows already had, and in the case of chipsets and graphics cards they can introduce more problems than they solve. Manual checking, using the Hardware Id as a reference, remains the most reliable method.
