Tech Tips - Use Double Driver to Quickly Backup and Restore Your PC Drivers

Getting drivers for your computer when your PC crashed used to mean looking everywhere for a CD containing all of the drivers for your PC. Now there are many easier methods to get your PC drivers, one way is to back them up to an external hard drive so you are prepared for if your PC ever crashes. There are many programs that can assist you in backing up your drivers, but Double Driver is a fast easy program that helps you not only backup your drivers but also restore them after the crash. In this article I will explain how to use Double Driver to backup and restore your PC drivers, so you are ready for anything that might happen to your computer.

Double Driver offers three options for you to backup and restore your drivers for your PC. Two of the options are for backup and restore options within the Double Driver program and the other simply creates an executable file that you can run to restore your drivers. We will walk through all of the steps in this article to backup and restore from each option that Double Driver gives you.

First you will need the Double Driver program, which you can get HERE.

The program will come in the form of a zip file, you will need to unzip it, to do this you can either use a program you already have, or if you don't have one download 7zip and use it. Once you extract the files open the folder (where ever you created it, I unzipped mine to my Downloads folder) and you will see an executable called dd.exe, double click this and it will open Double Driver.

Double Driver is very simplistic but powerful, I like that they kept is simple, you don't need to know much to run a backup or a restore. So first we scan our system so we can backup our drivers in three different ways.

Click the Backup Button (this will take you to the scan computer options)

Click Scan Current System (if on a network with the rights you can scan remote PCS)

Check boxes next to all drivers you want to backup (Currently used drivers are checked, you can choose any and all drivers on the PC)

Click Backup Now (this opens a new window where we are offered our 3 methods of backups)

Click Structured Folder (change the destination if you want)

Click OK (takes about 3 minutes)

Should get a prompt saying it completed successfully - Click OK

Now you have a folder with all of your driver files in it, we will restore from this folder later.

For the next backup we will start from where we left off with the last steps:

Click Backup Now

Click Compressed (zipped) Folder (takes about 2 mintues)

Should get a prompt saying it completed successfully - Click OK

Now you have a zip file with all of your drivers in it that we will restore from later.

For the final backup we will again start where we left off:

Click Backup Now

Click Single File Self Extract (executable) (takes about 2 mintues)

Should get a prompt saying it completed successfully - Click OK

Now you should have an executable file saved that you can restore your drivers from later. Lets get to the restores now, its pretty easy to do using Double Driver or the Executable we created. We will start with the Structured File restore:

Click Restore Tab

Click Locate Backup Button

Click the drop down for Default location (this is for the structured restore option)

Choose the driver folder you created

Click OK (it will populate the preview window with all of your drivers that you backed up

Click Restore Now

Click OK when prompted (are you sure you want to do this)

Click Next (Drivers will install)

Click Finish (when complete)

Now all of your drivers should be installed and configured the way they were before your crash. All you have to do is test tehm out and make sure they are working.

For the next restore (from the zip file) we will start in the Restore Tab again:

Click Locate Backup Button

Click Compressed (zipped) Backup Folder Radio button

Click Button next to the option (will let you find the zip file)

Search to the file, click the file, and click Open (will populate text window with file location)

Click OK (will uncompress the drivers)

Click Restore Now

Click OK when prompted (are you sure you want to do this)

Click Next (Drivers will install)

Click Finish (when complete)

All drivers should be installed and ready to use. The final method is a bit easier, you don't even have to have the Double Driver program installed, all you have to do is double click the Double Driver EXE file that is named a combination of the type of computer you have, the date and time you created the backup file. So mine is named HP Compaq 8510p 5-18-2010 9-03-57 PM.EXE.

Double click EXE file

Choose Automatic

Click OK

Click Next (Drivers will install)

Click Finish (when complete)

Once again all drivers have been restored to the way they were before your system crash. This method is probably the best; you can simply backup the EXE file to an external hard drive, so when your system crashes you don't even have to take the time to get the Double Driver program. You can simply just install the drivers from the EXE and be done.

I hope this helps you to backup and restore your drivers. The very least it should help you be prepared for a system failure which can happen at any time.