Drivers tell Windows how it should communicate with hardware.
The Windows 7 Device Manager utility grants you access to driver information and lets you update drivers. A driver is file or set of files that allows a specific hardware device, such as a CD/DVD player, to interact with the other components of a computer. Without a driver, a CD/DVD player will not function, and any software that opens or plays CDs or DVDs will not work. If you have recently reformatted your PC or accidentally deleted a driver for a CD/DVD player, reinstalling this driver is straightforward.
Instructions
1. Click the "Start" button in left-hand corner of the Windows 7 desktop. The "Start" menu opens. Type "Device Manager" into the search and press "Enter." The Device Manager window will open. This window shows a list of all the hardware devices installed on your PC sorted according to function.
2. Click the "DVD/CD-ROM Drives" heading to reveal a list of the CD and DVD devices installed on the computer. Double-click the name of the CD/DVD device for which you wish to reinstall the driver. A "Device Properties" window will open.
3. Click the "Driver" tab, then click the "Update Driver" button to start the Windows Driver Update Wizard.
4. Click on "Search Automatically for Updated Driver Software." Windows will search both the Internet and the PC itself for the most up-to-date driver software available for the CD/DVD drive. Once it has located the newest driver software, Windows will install it automatically. Close the Driver Update Wizard, the Device Properties window, and the Device Manager.
Tags: Device Manager, Device Properties, Device Properties window, devices installed, driver player, Driver Software