Drivers after reinstalling Windows

A clean Windows install typically leaves several devices without drivers: chipset components, the network adapter, sound, card readers. The right order matters - chipset first, then network, then everything else.

Why this happens

Windows ships generic drivers that don't cover all hardware, especially recent or niche devices.
Without a network driver, Windows Update can't download the rest - the classic chicken-and-egg.

Quick checks first

1Inventory the gaps

Device Manager → look at “Other devices”: every Unknown device there is missing a driver. Count them before starting - you'll check them off as you go.

2Let Windows Update try first

If you have internet, run Windows Update including optional driver updates (Settings → Windows Update → Advanced options → Optional updates). It covers the common hardware; what remains is your manual list.

For every device still left without a driver, the next step is identification - each one carries a Hardware ID that maps to the exact driver.

Fixing it manually

Install in the right order

1. Chipset drivers - the foundation; other devices may not identify correctly without them.
2. Network (Ethernet/Wi-Fi) - so everything else can be downloaded on this PC.
3. Graphics - full resolution and acceleration.
4. Audio, card readers, Bluetooth, and remaining unknown devices by Hardware ID.

Resolve each remaining unknown device

For each entry under Other devices: Properties → Details → Hardware Ids → copy the first value.
Search it in our database, install the matching driver, and watch the unknown-device list shrink.

Know the exact device model?

Search the driver database by device name, laptop model or Hardware ID - one device at a time, matching your Windows version and architecture.

Every unnamed device after a reinstall carries its Hardware ID - that's how you rebuild the system without the original driver discs. Laptop users: the vendor + laptop model in our search also surfaces model-specific packages (Dell, Lenovo).

Try for example: Intel Chipset Device Software · read the Hardware ID guide · or browse the driver category

Browse chipset & system devices drivers by brand

Frequently asked questions

▸Do I need driver discs that came with the PC?

No - discs age badly anyway. Current drivers from official distribution (which is what our database indexes) are newer than anything printed years ago.

▸Do I have to look up every unknown device by hand?

Start with the chipset and platform drivers for your PC model - installing those usually resolves several unknown devices at once. Re-scan for hardware changes, then work through the remainder: each Hardware ID takes a few seconds to copy and search, and a typical reinstall leaves only a handful of genuinely unknown entries after the chipset is in.