An Example Of Why You Really Do Need To Update Your Drivers

from GalCiv2 Forums
We have all seen in almost everything relating to bugs in GC2 some reference to updating your drivers. And, often, we don't think much of it. I know I didn't. Then I built my new computer. I put in the graphics card (An nVidia 9800 GT), installed the drivers that came with it, and thought I was set. Then, in the midst of a game (which I was winning), my computer froze, and crashed. The result was that my wireless network was completely blown, and a CD I was using to move some files around was actually rendered useless, and I lost many turns worth of progress.

So, for a good while I pondered what might have happened. Then, when I got the network back up, and started shifting through the information I had on the crash, I saw the word "driver", and my head hit the desk. So I did the unthinkable and took five minutes of my time to install the latest drivers, restart my computer, and the problem has not recurred since.

The moral of this little anecdote: Really do update those drivers, because you never know when something like that might come back and bite you in ways you never thought possible. I actually did not know it was possible for a crash spread as far as a wireless network, or actually more or less destroy a CD.

Just a little reminder, PSA, whatever you want to call it.  :D
5,827 views 3 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Uh... how would drivers for your video card fry your wireless network card and CD drive? I think you might have had a different problem entirely if that kind of hardware damage occured!
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
My only thought (and this is stretching it) was if something was insanely wrong with the driver set you were using and the video card was pulling FAR too much energy than it should have and your computer had a brown-out.

See, I warned you it was stretching it.
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
actually, i read it as him saying that "i didn't have an up to date network driver, and that messed things up. so the moral is, always make sure all your drivers are up to date."

for a casual user, that's probably good advice. however, there are times when the newest driver for something will actually cause more problems. i'm using 6-month old video card drivers. of course, i'm using a 2.5-year-old video card and not playing any games newer than a 6 months or so.

the real moral should be, always back your s**t up (though i realize the OP was in the midst of that, i would think it'd be something you do before building a new rig... but c'est la vie). also, it doesn't hurt to spend some time researching things before you install them.