Simple Steps to Updating FireWire Drivers

FireWire is a wired connection that lets your devices--especially scanners, video cameras, digital cameras, and other imaging devices--transmit information quickly, without sapping any "juice" from your computer's processor. If it won't work with your computer, you probably need to install FireWire drivers.

Although it was created by designers at Apple, FireWire can be used with just about any halfway popular computer operating system: Microsoft Windows XP and later, Mac OS 9 & X, NetBSD, FreeBSD, Haiku, and Linux. It also is sometimes found in digital cable boxes. It transmits information faster than USB or even Ethernet cords!

Many cameras and video recorders use FireWire. If your computer won't recognize your camera or video camera when you plug it in, this may be a sign you need a new FireWire driver.

Check Your FireWire Drivers Using Device Manager or System Profiler

Like any other hardware that connects to your computer, you can check the status of your FireWire drivers by using Windows Device Manager or Mac's System Profiler.

For Windows XP and earlier: Go to the Control Panel and double-click on "System". Then select the Hardware tab. You should now see the "Device Manager" button. Click it.

Click Hardware

If you're using Windows 7 or Vista, you can simply find the Device Manager by opening up Control Panel.

Click Device Manager

If you're running an Apple Macintosh computer, you should open up the Apple Menu. Then select "About This Mac". Then select "More Info."

Now you can find the information about any hardware device that is connected to (or is a part of) your computer. You might not see FireWire by name--it could be named IEEE 1394. Right-click on it, and then click on "Properties" in the mini menu box. This should give you the exact specs (manufacturer, make, and model) that you'll need to search for FireWire drivers online.

Select IEEE