How do the components talk to each other When the computer is set up or when a new piece of hardware is added such as a printer. Software is always loaded and I am sure most of you will have at least heard the term "Driver" even if you have no idea of what it actually means. A driver is a small programme which acts like a translator. It turns signals from one piece of equipment into signals which another piece of equipment can understand. These small programmes are vital to the correct operation of the computer and many times these are the first cause of problems. Software drivers can easily go wrong and for many reasons. Simple everyday things can damage drivers. For example if you are working away on the computer and a power cut occurs your machine will shut down incorrectly and this alone can cause faults to occur. This is why it is very important to shut down the computer using the correct procedure and not just shutting off the power. Other things can also cause software problems such as surges in the electricity or something like a lightning strike. If a piece of equipment fails to work properly due to the software driver it is relatively easy to rectify. We have a choice, we can simply -install the original driver from the disk supplied or if you have an internet connection you can look for an updated driver, which in turn might improve the performance of the equipment.

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