If you have ever visited Dell’s technical support page you may feel a bit confused. It seems you have to know what the problem is before you can find a solution. After all, the support page is divided into Drivers & Downloads, Assisted Search, Windows 7, and Order Status & Support. How in the world would an average computer user know how to find the correct section to choose?

We wanted to make it a tad easier for you by explaining each section. It is not as complicated as it first appears once you break it down. In fact, they did try to make it simple for their users.

Drivers & Downloads Section

This section of the site is for people who know they want a specific driver for their Dell computer or product. Drivers are needed to make your computer run smoothly and many programs and devices will not work properly if the drivers are not up to date. You may be getting an error code like “device driver not found” indicating a driver error.

To use the Dell’s drivers and download section, you will need the service tag, which is a unique 5 to 7 digit code on a white label affixed to your Dell product. It is okay if you cannot find it because Dell can automatically detect it for you.

Assisted Search Section

If you are not exactly sure where you need to go, you can try typing in a search phrase in this area. Try typing in something like “I need to restore my computer.” Or “I need to troubleshoot a Dell printer.” The assisted search will help you find solutions to your problem.

Windows 7 Section

The Windows 7 section is full of error codes and problems associated with Dell and Windows 7. Here, you can find how to reinstall Windows 7, look up error codes, and find common causes of crashes. It is even the place you can find even more drivers for Windows 7.

The dreaded Blue Screen of Death, no sound, computer does not turn on, malware problems; all of these errors are discussed on this page.  Each error message has a clickable solution for users. Dell users will need to find their problem on this page and then read through the solution on the following the page.

An Easier All-In-One Solution to Dell Driver Errors

Most people know they need a driver but are not sure which driver they need. They just know they need an updated driver. If you really do not care about spending time finding out which driver you need and just want to install the latest driver so your computer will work again, there is an easier way.

You can use driver update software. It takes all the guesswork out of updating software. It allows you to use your computer without having to worry about how to find Dell drivers or navigating computer sites. With just a few simple clicks, it scans your computer, updates and installs the new drivers so your computer can run like new.

It seems just about every game comes with a joystick now. While they say they are plug-and-play, the joy stick still needs drivers to work properly. All plug-and-play really means is the joystick drivers are supposed to be already installed on your computer. While this could be partially true, you will need to know a little bit about drivers to understand why this is not exactly always the case.

The Nature of Drivers

Drivers are computers’ little helpers and they are always changing. Joysticks come out of the factory exactly the same and they never change. They have to stay the same but they have to work with lots of different computers and lots of different software systems and different games. This is where drivers come in.

Drivers tell the joystick how to work with different games and different computers. When a computer changes, the joystick company quickly sends out changes so their joystick will work with the new computer settings. When games change, the joystick company sends out new drivers so their joystick will work with the new games. If the joystick company didn’t make new drivers, then their joystick would no longer work with the new computer or new game. It would no longer be compatible with the system.

Drivers are why some joysticks are not compatible with some games and some operating systems. If the company doesn’t make the driver, then the joystick won’t work.

The Joystick Worked Yesterday. Why Won’t It Work Today?

In most cases, if the joystick worked yesterday but won’t work today, then the game had a patch or an update. When games update, things change and it will require everything else to update as well, including your joystick. This means you will need to get the latest drivers for your joystick.

This goes back to the last section about the nature of drivers. When games change, they change the way they communicate and work with different devices. In order for the joystick to work again, the joystick company will have to send out an updated driver for the joystick. If it is a popular and compatible joystick, then the joystick company will have already released a driver update or will release an update within a day or two.

How Do I Update the Joystick Driver?

This will really depend on what kind of joystick you happen to own. For example, if you own a Logitech joystick,

1. Go to the Logitech website
2. Select Gaming
3. Select the Joystick you own
4. Click the Downloads tab
5. Choose your operating system from the drop down menu
6. Select 32 or 64 Bit
7. Select Download Software
8. Click Save File

The exact method for downloading software will vary slightly depending on your joystick. In any case, you would go to the manufacturer of your joystick and download the new driver from that website.

Is There an Easier Way to Update Drivers?

You can save yourself a lot of time and headaches by skipping all the searching and just using driver update software. The best part is it will update all the drivers on your computer at the same time. Since your printer, programs and many more devices need drivers as well, you can save yourself time by updating them all at once with driver update software.

With three simple clicks, driver update software will update all your drivers for you. In just a few minutes, not only will your joystick drivers be updated but so will all the other drivers on your computer as well.