Manage Device Drivers in the DriverStore folder with Driver Store Explorer

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If you're a cadre Windows user for long, you might equally well be aware that any device commuter that yous install on your underlying Windows OS is stored in a system folder named "DriverStore". It is a collection of trusted device drivers packages from 3rd-party sources. This drove is used to validate which drivers tin be installed on your computer. In this post, nosotros are going to review a freebie – Commuter Store Explorer, which helps you manage, list, add or remove the device drivers installed on your PC.

Driver Store Explorer for Windows PC

Driver Store Explorer is a free software that lets you manage, list add together, or remove device driver packages in DriverStore folder of Windows.

Driver Package and INF File

If any device commuter needs to be installed on a PC, information technology has to have its commuter package files copied in DriverStore. When nosotros add whatsoever driver bundle in DriverStore, all of its files are copied along with one INF File which actually references all the other files present in the package. As every unmarried 1 of these files is crucial for commuter installation, INF file must reference all the files that are present in the package, then that during installation these can be establish easily in DriverStore. In the other way circular, if INF file references a file that's not available in the parcel, it is not copied to the DriverStore.

Copying the files related to a driver package to DriverStore is called Staging. In gild to install a driver for whatsoever device on a PC, it must be staged in DriverStore i.e. all the corresponding package files, forth with INF File must be copied to DriverStore. However, y'all tin can't but pick whatever driver packet and re-create it to DriverStore. Information technology needs to become through a couple of integrity and syntax checks before the files are copied. Below are the brief stages during staging:

Verification: Earlier the driver package is copied to DriverStore, it is verified against several security checks which ostend whether or not the packet files are corrupted or tampered with. The driver bundle should exist digitally signed in lodge to pass through this check.
Validation: This is the next part where the user permissions are validated and INF file is checked for all the referenced files in the package. In case whatsoever discrepancy is found, the parcel shall not exist copied.

Using Driver Store Explorer

Once you have downloaded Driver Store Explorer, extract the files and run the executable (Rapr.exe) with ambassador privileges.

The Driver Store Explorer window will open correct away on your screen. Click Enumerate to list all the copied (and installed) driver packages in DriverStore location. In one case all the Commuter Package details are listed, yous can choose to (force) delete any zombie driver that might potentially be creating a problem.

As well, if y'all have a package available, you can re-create its files to DriverStore using Explorer window. Just click Add Package and select the package files to import. Apart from this, you lot can besides consign package files from Commuter Store Explorer. Right-click whatever driver entry and select Export to save it to your local deejay.

That'due south pretty much almost it. It is indeed a decent tool to add or remove whatsoever driver packages from your system. Old drivers go along sitting in the system consuming memory and resources so this can come quite in handy to get rid of them. It may not exist able to delete system-critical drivers – and that is good!

You tin can download the Driver Store Explorer from github.com.

Driven by my immense passion for Windows & other Microsoft technologies, I dearest to keep myself abreast of the latest strides and swings in the world of engineering science. I am addicted of traveling to mountains & love to help others with their technical or non-technical setbacks.