Driver Magician 3.26Comments on:

By: jEOFF

jEOFF — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:09:08 +0000

Again, this was only a trial version with limited function. Yes it scans, yes it lists, but no downloading capability. Dump it.

By: TK

TK — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 07:30:09 +0000

#1 and others that noted this shortcoming, it was noted in the previous version of this tools giveaway, the author addressed some of the other issues noted by reviewers comments back then but they have failed to address this one vital problem. Even if one has purchassed a copy of the software, one must have the unintuative serial number in printed or writtn form to use the backed up driver package fuly.

I believe the author should temper their drive to force a trial user to buy the product and balance it with the ease of use of it’s legitiamate customers (which include GAOTD participants) when the saved data is needed again. If it wont even give up the wifi or network interfaces drivers without the registration details how can one then go online on the re-installed computer to pester the vendor for a fresh copy of the previously purchassed or otherwise legitiamtly obtained registration information? One can’t without an extra functional cmputer.

Failure to remove the cripple from this crippleware could lead to an underground of users exchanging the actual regitration data just to get the program to perform its published main function.

By: Fubar

Fubar — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 05:24:15 +0000

I think this is mostly useful as a reminder to update your drivers (and I do recommend keeping your drivers updated, however, you must be very careful to read and follow the update instructions for each driver). In some respects, this is a solution in search of a problem. It does conveniently identify all of your drivers, including those for unattached or turned off external devices, which the Windows Device Manager only shows if you select View, Show hidden devices. As a means to backup and restore your drivers, update them, or obtain detailed information about them, I find this lacking. To bring up the Windows Device Manager, bring up System Properties by using the Windows key + the Break key, select the Hardware tab, and click on the Device Manager button. For each device, find the manufacturer’s website and driver downloads page, and put those in your browser Favorites/Bookmarks. Download driver updates to a folder. That way, you’ll know what drivers you have, and can easily back them up yourself. Windows/Microsoft Update doesn’t supply updates for hardly any of my devices, nor does it generally provide them in a timely fashion. The problem with Driver Magician is that it failed to find all of the updates to my drivers (failed to find an update for an unattached USB device), and said that I needed to update two drivers for which I already had the latest drivers. It also said that my battery backup drivers should be backed up, but Windows reports that my battery backup does not have and does not need drivers. Part of the problem is that drivers and UI support are two separate but related things. The USB device had the latest drivers, but there was a newer UI application. Also, the USB model identification does not match the identifiers in the driver description (the driver uses chipset IDs, not device model numbers). The battery backup uses its own application, not the Windows drivers. I assume that Driver Magician only backs up drivers, and not support and UI applications, and I would never trust a third-party application such as this to backup all of the registry entries associated with particular driver versions (assuming it even attempts to). Also, driver Magician wanted to install some drivers from its own website, rather than the manufacturers’. Further, many devices have additional support and/or utility routines, such as additional codecs and applications for my video and audio cards. As a Windows reinstall helper, I also find this questionable. The whole point of an elected reinstall is to have a clean, undamaged version of Windows. You don’t want to use potentially damaged files and registry entries; you want to use a clean installation. As for general backup, if you use other software to backup your entire computer, the drivers will already be included in that backup. Further, there is more to keeping devices functioning than drivers and support routines. Many hardware devices have upgradeable firmware. Sometimes, new firmware is bundled with new drivers, but sometimes it’s a separate download. For all of these reasons, I strongly recommend the do-it-yourself approach.

By: faikung

faikung — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 04:20:41 +0000

I downloaded from Mirror site. Thanks!

By: Kenny

Kenny — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 04:04:03 +0000

FWIW, #1 is correct, at least as I experienced it.

# 5 said:

“#1 You failed to read the last line of the Key Features which says: “Clone all drivers to an auto-setup package (.EXE), so you can restore drivers without installing Driver Magician.”

Well I did just that and tried to restore the drivers without installing Driver Magician and no go, all it would do is install the video and 1 other driver. It acted as a trial version. Once I installed the full program, it worked. So, I’m afraid those that have backed up their drivers and think they are going to be able to use this to easily reinstall them with this program are going to be in for a surprise. That is unless you do so in the next 3 hrs.

I do like the idea of this program, and am not complaining because due to the nature of the give aways here and the nature of this program, I suppose that’s just the way it has to be.

Thanks to the recommendations for alternative programs. Drivers are a PITA and any program that can make their installation easier is worth a try IMO.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 02:38:35 +0000

So, this “key feature” is of no use for GAOTD users since if #64 is right, we need the name AND registration number (not shown on “Help/About screen”) to let the auto-setup proceed?

“Clone all drivers to an auto-setup package (.EXE), so you can restore drivers without installing Driver Magician”.

I think the developer should comment on this, and if correct, should provide a registration number for GAOTD users who register!

By: SteveW

SteveW — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 02:15:55 +0000

As I mentioned before (post #64 and #82), here are two winks (flash movies) that demonstrate what the auto installation exe from driver magician 3.26 backup looks like when it is registered and restoring drivers (to a laptop in this case).

I had a problem installing the video driver first time around, but in wink 2, you can see the solution I discovered. Hopefully these winks are straight forward and to the point, yet still detailed enough to be understandable.

I was impressed with Driver Magician as it was restoring drivers, and all of my devices suddenly began working again. But if it regularly produces errors for others like I experienced with the video driver path, it may confuse some folks. Furthermore, regular GOTD users will not be able to use the functionality of the automatic exe installer (because it requires registration code at the time of restoration), but will have to manually install drivers from one of the other three backup methods.

Your mileage may vary (YMMV).

By: Marcus

Marcus — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 01:03:36 +0000

This is a good program, very useful. However, it wasn’t able to find all of the drivers on my computer for some reason…. Other than that, it works great.

By: Dude

Dude — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 21:55:36 +0000

Excellent! I was looking for something sort-of like this. I was hoping for it to be freeware, but this compiles it into ONE self extracting .exe! (You remember multiple reboots when installing drivers? That’s done with, the created .exe installs all selected drivers!)

The driver compression (On the best compression option) is absolutely amazing in it’s self. It compressed ALL of my installed drivers to just 33 megabytes! The X-Fi driver alone uncompressed was larger than that – and this .exe includes modem drivers, display drivers (for two video cards, mind you!), and drivers for other things. Space-saver! When you use a small flash drive, you need high-compression technology to save space. (I have a 1GB flash drive, so space on it isn’t much of a problem.)

All in all, this is great software! I end up formatting ALOT, due to Windows fragmenting and the fact that it takes longer to defragment than to reinstall it.

This is a keeper!

By: NEVERWARS

NEVERWARS — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 21:37:47 +0000

Sounds like a nice program, although I have no intension of re-formatting any time soon… Still, after “Easy Macro Recorder” passed by the one day I didn’t check my E-Mail, I’m installing all the stuff GOTD has. … I really wish I checked my E-Mail that day …