You should always have a backup of your drivers before performing an update or reinstalling your operating system.
Here is what we recommend:
Select “Backup Drivers”, and the program initiates a search for all drivers used by your system. A list appears in the right window pane. To view additional details, click on a device within the list. To view details of a device driver, click the device in the menu.
Currently Used Drivers
All the drivers present on your machine and requiring backup.
Original Windows Drivers
All the drivers are included in the original Windows CD and installed during the initial setup of your Windows system. You are not required to back those up.
Disconnected Devices Drivers
All the drivers of devices, not currently connected to your computer.
If you would like to keep those, then you should permanently install them on your computer. Hence, it’s your choice to either back those drivers up or let them be.
However, they can prove vital when installing a clean, new operating system.
1. Select the drivers that you want to backup and press “Next”.
The software preserves all of them by default. Please note that it requires time and additional disk space, so you may want to back only the “currently used drivers” up.
2. Choose a Backup type. The software offers you the option of producing a .zip file, a self-extractor, or an Auto-Installer. In the drop-down menu, click “Select the Backup type” and select one of the four options available to you. If you want to install the same drivers across multiple computers with a similar configuration, we strongly recommend you use an auto-installer.
The Auto-Installer installs drivers on a new system quickly, without Driver Genius.
NOTE: Тhe trial version Driver Genius cannot produce an Auto-Installer.
3. Select a location for your backup files and click “Next” to start the backup process.
Warning! Do not save backup files in the same partition you will install Windows.
The installation process of a new system will overwrite the data, and your backup will be lost.
Backup in command line mode:
Driver Genius allows you to back up your drivers in command line mode.
Use: DriverGenius.exe [/B|?] [/T|A] [/D|Z|E|I] Backup location
The first parameter - Specify tan action
/? - Show help for use
/b - Backup drivers
The second parameter - Specify which drivers you want to backup
/t - Third-Party drivers (Recommended)
/a - All drivers
The third parameter - Specify the backup type
/d - Default type - backs up selected drivers in a specified folder.
/z - Backs up selected drivers and produces a ZIP file.
/e - Backs up selected drivers and produces a self-extracting file.
/i - Backs up selected drivers and produces an Auto-Installer.
The fourth parameter - Specify the backup location
Example:
C:\Driver-Soft\DriverGenius\DriverGenius.exe /B/T/I D:\DriversBackup.exe