Maintaining an up-to-date and stable system is crucial for ensuring that your computer runs smoothly. One of the most important aspects of system maintenance is keeping your drivers updated. Drivers are pieces of software that enable your operating system to communicate with the hardware components of your computer, such as graphics cards, network adapters, printers, and other peripherals. Over time, outdated drivers can lead to system instability, reduced performance, and even security vulnerabilities.
To tackle this issue, software tools like IObit Driver Booster are a lifesaver. IObit Driver Booster is a driver update utility that automatically scans, detects, and updates outdated, missing, or corrupt drivers on your system. For Windows 7 users, this tool can be extremely helpful in keeping your drivers updated without the need for manual searches or installations.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of downloading, installing, and using IObit Driver Booster for Windows 7. By the end of this article, you’ll have a solid understanding of how to get IObit Driver Booster up and running on your PC.
Before diving into the installation and download process, let’s first discuss what IObit Driver Booster is and how it can benefit your computer.
IObit Driver Booster is a free driver management tool that scans your system for outdated drivers and provides an easy way to update them. It helps you avoid the hassle of manually searching for drivers on different websites and ensures that you always have the latest and most compatible drivers installed.
Key Features of IObit Driver Booster include:
Automatic Driver Scanning: It scans your system for outdated, missing, or faulty drivers.
Driver Updates: It allows you to download and install the latest drivers with a single click.
Game Components: It helps update important game components like DirectX, Visual C++ Redistributables, and .NET Framework.
Backup and Restore: The Pro version of Driver Booster lets you back up your drivers, ensuring you can restore them if necessary.
Faster Driver Updates: Pro users can download and install driver updates faster than with the free version.
Driver Booster supports a wide range of devices, including:
Graphics cards (GPU)
Sound cards
Network adapters
Printers and scanners
Motherboard drivers
USB and peripheral drivers
IObit Driver Booster is particularly useful for users who are not comfortable manually updating their drivers or those who want to ensure that their drivers are always up-to-date without needing to think about it.
The first step in downloading IObit Driver Booster for Windows 7 is to ensure that you're getting the software from a trusted, secure source. It’s always best to download software directly from the official website to avoid downloading potentially harmful software from third-party sites.
Open Your Web Browser: Launch your preferred web browser (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, etc.).
Search for IObit Driver Booster: In the search bar, type “IObit Driver Booster” and press Enter.
Click on the Official IObit Website: Look for the official website of IObit in the search results. The URL should start with www.iobit.com. Make sure you click on the official link to avoid any malicious sites.
Once you're on the IObit Driver Booster page, you will have the option to download either the Free Version or the Pro Version.
Free Version: This version offers the basic functionality needed for most users. You can scan your system for outdated drivers, manually update them, and perform general maintenance on your drivers.
Pro Version: The Pro version includes additional features like:
Automatic driver updates: Automatically scans for and installs new driver updates.
Faster download speeds: Downloads and installs drivers at a faster rate.
Driver backup and restore: Create backups of your drivers before updating them and restore them if anything goes wrong.
Priority customer support: Pro users get access to dedicated customer support.
For the purposes of this guide, we will focus on the Free Version, as it includes all the essential features required to scan, detect, and update drivers on your PC. However, if you need more advanced features, you can opt for the Pro Version by clicking the respective download button.
To download, click on the Download Now button for the Free version of IObit Driver Booster.
Once you click the download button, the installer file for IObit Driver Booster will begin to download automatically. This file is typically named driver_booster_setup.exe.
Wait for the Download: Depending on your internet speed, the download may take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.
Check Your Downloads Folder: Once the download is complete, open your Downloads folder or the folder where your browser saves downloaded files. You should see the installer file, driver_booster_setup.exe.
Now that you’ve successfully downloaded the IObit Driver Booster installer, you can proceed with the installation. The installation process is simple and should only take a few minutes.
Locate the Installer: Navigate to the Downloads folder (or the folder where the file was saved).
Run the Installer: Double-click on the driver_booster_setup.exe file to begin the installation. You might see a User Account Control (UAC) prompt asking whether you want to allow the program to make changes to your computer. Click Yes to continue.
Choose Language: The installation wizard will prompt you to select a language for the installation. Choose English (or your preferred language) and click OK.
Agree to the License Agreement: You will be presented with the End User License Agreement (EULA). Read through the agreement carefully, and if you agree to the terms, click I Agree to proceed with the installation.
Select Installation Location: The default installation location is typically fine for most users, but if you wish to change the directory where the software will be installed, click on Browse and select a different location. Otherwise, click Next to proceed.
Choose Additional Options: The installer may present options to create a desktop shortcut or enable other features. You can select or deselect these options as per your preferences. Once you’ve made your selections, click Next.
Begin Installation: After confirming your selections, click Install to begin the installation process.
Complete Installation: Once the installation is complete, you’ll see a screen confirming that the software has been successfully installed. You will also have the option to launch Driver Booster right away. Click Finish to exit the installation wizard.
Now that IObit Driver Booster is installed on your Windows 7 computer, it’s time to start using it to scan for outdated drivers and update them.
Open IObit Driver Booster: You can open the program either from your Start Menu or by double-clicking the desktop shortcut (if you selected to create one during installation).
Scan for Outdated Drivers: When the program opens, you will see a button labeled Scan on the main screen. Click on this button to start scanning your system for outdated or missing drivers.
Wait for the Scan to Complete: The scanning process may take several minutes depending on the number of drivers on your system. The tool will check all the installed drivers and compare them to the latest available versions from IObit’s driver database.
Review the Scan Results: Once the scan is complete, IObit Driver Booster will show you a list of outdated or missing drivers. It categorizes the drivers into different sections, such as Graphics, Audio, Network, etc.
Update Drivers: You have the option to update individual drivers by clicking the Update button next to each driver. If you prefer to update all drivers at once, click the Update All button. The program will then automatically download and install the latest versions of all outdated drivers.
Restart Your Computer: After the updates are completed, you may be prompted to restart your computer. This is to ensure that all the updated drivers are applied properly.
While the primary function of IObit Driver Booster is to update drivers, the software also offers several additional features that can enhance your user experience.
Driver Backup: Before updating your drivers, it's a good idea to back them up in case something goes wrong. You can create backups of your current drivers by going to the Backup section and clicking on Backup All. If you encounter any issues after an update, you can restore your drivers from the backup.
Automatic Updates (Pro Version): If you upgrade to the Pro version, you can enable automatic updates for drivers. This will ensure that your drivers are always up-to-date without you needing to manually scan and update them.
Game Components: In addition to updating drivers, IObit Driver Booster can also help you update essential game components like DirectX, Visual C++ Redistributables, and .NET Framework, which are crucial for running games smoothly.
If you ever need to uninstall IObit Driver Booster from your system, follow these steps:
Open Control Panel: Type “Control Panel” in the Windows search bar and open it.
Navigate to Programs: Click on Programs > Programs and Features.
Find IObit Driver Booster: Scroll through the list of installed programs, find IObit Driver Booster, and right-click on it.
Uninstall: Click on Uninstall and follow the on-screen instructions to remove the software from your computer.
IObit Driver Booster is an excellent tool for ensuring your Windows 7 PC remains in top shape by keeping drivers updated. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily download, install, and use IObit Driver Booster to keep your system running smoothly. Whether you choose the Free Version or the Pro Version, Driver Booster helps you maintain your system’s stability, performance, and security by ensuring that your drivers are always up to date.