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Locating HP Software, Driver and BIOS Updates

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Keeping Your PC Software Up-To-Date
HP constantly improves its products and provides software updates to its users. To keep your HP computer running properly, you should check for and install updated files for windows, HP, and other software products on a regular basis.
The software on your Notebook PC is composed of Operating System, Drivers, Firmware, and Application files. You can easily keep your software up to date by using the following methods.
Method 1: Use HP Help & Support
The Help & Support function, installed on every HP computer, provides an easy way to keep your software up to date.
  1. On your Notebook, click Start , then click Help and Support .
  2. On the Help and Support page, click Update Software and Drivers .
  3. On the Software & Drivers page, follow the step-by-step instructions to find and install updates for Windows, Microsoft, and HP programs
Method 2: Use HP Software & Driver Downloads
Use the following steps to locate the updated HP software and hardware drivers and files.
  1. Open a browser and go to the HP Software & Drivers page.
  2. On the Software & Driver downloads page, in the search box in the middle of the page labeled "Enter a product number," type the product number of the computer. This is the 12345#aba -format number you found previously. Then press Enter .
    Figure 1: Software & Driver downloads web page.
    1 - Overall website navigation. Do NOT use this field for this search.
    2 - Product number search. Use this field to search for product pages (12345#aba).
    Depending on your model of computer, you may need to search by the 12345 portion of the product number by itself, or may need to search by the full 12345#aba product number. If one way does not produce search results (or produces too many!), try the other.
  3. When prompted, select the specific product from the models listed. For example, HP Pavilion dv2001xx Notebook PC .
    Figure 2: Select product from list.
    1 - Click a link to go to a specific product page.
  4. When prompted, select the edition of the operating system currently installed on the computer, such as, Microsoft Windows XP .
  5. A list of software and drivers available for this model of computer with this operating system will appear, organized by categories, that may include, but are not limited to:
    • Audio . Drivers that allow the sound card and speakers to function.
    • Graphics . Drivers that allow the graphics card and display to function.
    • Keyboard, Mouse, and Input Devices . Drivers that allow the keyboard, mouse, touchpad, and webcam to function.
    • Modem . Drivers that allow the dial-up modem to function.
    • Network . Drivers and software that allows the ethernet card to function, and supports wireless capabilities.
    • Storage . Drivers that allow card-readers and express card slots to read media inserted into them.
    • BIOS . Updates for the Basic Input Output System (BIOS) of the computer.
    Once you have determined which file is needed, click on the link for that file.
  6. A new web page opens. Scroll down to the Obtain software heading and click the Download Only button.
    Figure 3: Download a driver.
    1 - Select the download only option.
    A File Download window opens.
    Figure 4: File download window.
    1 - Run the file from the HP website. Not recommended.
    2 - Save the file to your hard drive. Recommended.
    Click the Save button, and select a download location for the file that you can easily find later, such as the desktop. You can also rename the file at this point to something easier to remember, such as "SoundDriver.exe."
    Even if you save the file someplace where you can't find it, you can always go to Start > My Computer and type the name of the file (sp12345.exe, for example) in the search field there, and find where it has been saved.
  7. After the file is downloaded, navigate to the folder where the file was saved and double-click the file to begin the installation. If prompted for permission, allow the process to continue.
  8. An InstallShield wizard opens. Accept the terms of the license agreement, and follow the directions provided in the wizard. If prompted, restart the computer after the installation is complete.
    Figure 5: InstallShield wizard.


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