How to Download a New Printer Driver

This article is aimed at beginning or intermediate users.

• Do you have trouble installing your printer?
• Was your printer installed manually when you connected it to your computer?
• Can't you find the driver CD that was included with your printer anymore?
• Do you get printing error messages?

In such cases the problem that you have to fix is downloading and installing the latest printer driver from the printer producer's website. This article provides information on how to locate and download the latest printer driver from your printer manufacturer's website, and then how to install the driver on your computer.
In order to do this you have to be logged on to the computer with an administrator account. If you are not sure about it, just check if you know the name and the password of an administrator account on the computer. If the answer is no this article cannot help you.
First, you must also know the following information:

• The Windows XP platform type on your computer. The platform type might be listed as 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64).
• The make and model of the printer to be connected.

Now you are ready to go search for the needed printer driver. You will get links to some common printer manufacturer's websites. However, you must consider that each producer's website will have a different layout. Thus, we can give you just general steps to locate and download the latest printer driver for your computer.
Generally, when you get to your printer manufacturer's website, you will find:

• the downloads or drivers section;
• your printer make and model section;
• your Windows XP platform type section;
• the latest driver selection

Next, read the download instructions and download the printer driver.
After locating the recent printer driver for your printer and Window XP platform, click on Download and then run the file that you located.
Another way to find updated drivers is to use a driver update software. As these programs are paid, they are very useful. They scan drivers automatically and inform the user immediately if there is any updated versions of currently used drivers.
Moreover, these programs download and update drivers automatically through connecting directly to the manufacturer's website.

A driver update tool scan your computer and install automatically missing or outdated drivers. Driver Detective with the biggest driver database is definitely the best solution for drivers updating.