DriverPack Solution for Windows

DriverPack Solution 17.10.14-25091 is a free Windows program by Artur Kuzyakov that finds missing or outdated device drivers and installs them automatically. It is popular for freshly installed systems where the network card, graphics or sound do not work yet. You can download DriverPack Solution for Windows from the official site, drp.su.

Quick facts

• Version: 17.10.14-25091
• Developer: Artur Kuzyakov
• Platform: Windows
• Licence: free, proprietary
• Size: about 888 MB according to catalogue data
• Website: drp.su

What it is good at

After a clean Windows installation, many PCs lack at least one driver, and without a network driver you cannot even go online to fetch the rest. DriverPack addresses exactly that situation. The program scans the hardware, compares it with its driver database and offers to install everything that is missing or out of date in one go. The large package in the catalogue suggests a build that carries drivers with it, which is handy on a machine without internet access; a smaller online installer downloads only what it needs. Technicians who set up many different computers like this approach because it saves hunting through manufacturer websites. For a single home PC, the manufacturer's own drivers remain the more predictable choice, particularly for graphics cards and laptops with special hardware.

Guide: using it safely

1. Create a Windows restore point before installing any drivers.
2. Download DriverPack only from the official website.
3. Choose the expert or manual mode if the program offers one, so you can see every item before it is installed.
4. Untick any additional programs, browser changes or offers you did not ask for.
5. Install drivers, restart the PC and check Device Manager for remaining warnings.
6. For the graphics card, consider the driver from the chip maker instead of a generic one.

Things to watch out for

Automatic driver tools can install a driver that is newer but less suitable than the one your laptop maker tested, and free tools of this kind often try to install extra software along the way. Read each installer screen instead of clicking Next repeatedly. If something breaks after an update, roll back the driver in Device Manager or return to your restore point.

Who it suits

DriverPack is most useful for people who reinstall Windows often or look after several different computers: repair shops, school IT staff, the family member everyone calls for help. If you only need one or two drivers for a known laptop model, the support page of the laptop maker is quicker and carries drivers tested for that exact device.

Pros and cons

• Pro: installs many missing drivers at once.
• Pro: helpful on PCs without a working network driver.
• Pro: free to use.
• Con: very large package.
• Con: extra offers during setup need careful unticking.

Alternatives

Similar tools in our listings are Driver Easy, DriverMax and Advanced Driver Updater; Bluetooth Driver Installer handles only Bluetooth adapters. For NVIDIA graphics, the NVIDIA Control Panel works alongside the official driver package.