The role of the printer driver and installation

To the hardware device drivers installed on the users is not a stranger to things, in the install or reinstall Windows when you need to install drivers for the purchase of some new equipment, even after the need to install drivers. If the driver is not installed correctly, the system some hardware may not work properly. Although the operating system supports Plug and Play, can relieve a lot of work for the user, but PC-devices have a lot of brands and models, plus a variety of new products constantly come out, Windows can not automatically identify all the equipment Therefore, many devices are installed, we need human intervention. Many friends of the printer driver is not familiar with this paper to describe the role of the printer driver, as well as some knowledge and skills.
The role of the printer driver

The so-called printer driver that is added to the operating system in a small piece of code, which contains information about hardware device information. With this information, the computer can communicate with the device. Drivers are companies prepared according to the operating system configuration files, we can say there is no driver, the computer's hardware will not work. Different operating system, hardware drivers are also different, each printer manufacturers to ensure hardware compatibility and enhanced features will continue to upgrade drivers. Any installation of an originally did not belong to you computer's hardware devices, the system will ask you to install the driver, the new hardware and computer systems connected. Communicate with the driver playing the role of the function tells the printer the computer system, and also the system of instructions communicated to the hardware, let it start working.

Printer Driver Installation

When you install a new printer will always be asked to put the hardware drivers, a lot of people then began a headache. Not find the driver disc, I could not find the location of the file, or simply do not know what is the driver. Such as installation of hardware peripherals such printers are not connected to cable even if completed, if you start using this time, the system will tell you can not find the driver. How to do? Reference manual may not be able to successfully install. In fact, installation, or have some practice with these principles could be found, and these can help you to achieve barrier-free installation.

Windows How do I know what kind of equipment is installed, as well as what documents to copy it? The answer lies. Inf file. . inf from the Windows 95 era to introduce a description of the equipment installation information, files, it uses specific words to describe the syntax to install the device type, manufacturer, model, to copy the file, copy to the target path, as well as To add to the registry information. By reading and interpretation of these words, Windows will know how to install the driver. At present almost all the hardware vendors for drivers under the Windows 9x comes with installation information file. In fact,. Inf file is not only can be used to install the driver, but also be used to install has nothing to do with the hardware and software.

When you install the driver, Windows in general should. Inf file to copy to a "Win-dows \ Inf" or "Windows \ Inf \ Other" directory, to prepare for future use. Inf directory apart. Inf file, there are two special files Drvdata.bin and Drvidx.bin, as well as some. Pnf files, they are all Windows in order to speed up the processing speed automatically generated binary files. Drvdata.bin and Drvidx.bin recorded. Inf file describes all the hardware devices, and perhaps my friends will be impressed: When we install certain devices, we often see a "Create a driver information database" window, this when they are generating both Windows binary files.

Windows specializes in the "Add New Hardware Wizard" (hereinafter referred to as Hardware Wizard) to help users to install the hardware drivers, the user's job is to tell the hardware wizard, when necessary, where can I find the hardware type matches. Inf files The vast majority of the remaining work will be to install the hardware installation wizard yourself.

First, the preparatory work before installation

In order to improve the efficiency of installation work and success rate, need to do some preparation before installation work, these steps also apply to other Plug and Play devices.

1, to get the printer, the first should check the box to understand the product model, box parts, product information such as the minimum requirements for the system.

2, open the box, remove products, manual and driver disk (which may be a floppy disk or CD-ROM), read the manual or the Readme file on the disk drive, as generally written instructions to install the hardware and drivers, methods and steps, as well as Installation Notes. In addition to reading the instructions, the hardware products should also be documented on the printed board products use a variety of information, as well as the main chip models. In the packaging box, manual and driver disk are lost cases, this information is to determine the product type and an important basis for manufacturers, and only know the product model only after the Internet, to find the appropriate driver.

Second, install the driver

After the completion of the preparatory work ahead, you can start Windows to install the driver program. Under normal circumstances, Windows will automatically detect the printer peripherals, and prompts the user to insert the installation disk.

1, Windows during the boot process will automatically detect Plug and Play devices, once the discovery of new equipment, if the Inf directory has the device. Inf file, Windows will automatically install the drivers; if this is a new device, Inf no corresponding directory. inf file, then the Windows Hardware Wizard starts. We click "Next" to let the installation wizard for self-search device drivers, and then "Next."

2, in Figure 4, only select the "specified location", insert the driver CD, and press the "Browse", according to specification description, select the Simplified Chinese version of the directory where the driver to determine, after click "Next."

3, the hardware installation wizard will search the specified directory and equipment in line. Inf file, continue to click "Next."

4, the installation wizard displays the Ready to Install Windows driver information, click "Next", the hardware installation wizard will, based on the contents of the specified file copied to the appropriate directory, and write in the registry parameters for the necessary information .