How to Check Motherboard Drivers? – 3 Methods

Motherboard drivers mean the software component that allows the operating system and the different hardware components on the motherboard to communicate with each other.

These drivers are necessary to manage the computer’s essential functions. Therefore, a question arises here as to how to check motherboard drivers?

This can be done by checking the drivers of the different components on the motherboard in Windows Device Manager for example chipset and video card. You can also check for the drivers on the manufacturer’s website using your PC or motherboard model. Alternatively, you can use the Windows Update service to view the driver updates.

How to Check Motherboard Drivers?

The motherboard’s function is to connect the hardware components altogether. You can check for the drivers of these essential components if you are facing problems with your computer.

By checking for these drivers, you can also find information about a specific model of the hardware that’s part of the system.

Here we describe different ways to check motherboard drivers in Windows.

Method 1: Check Motherboard Drivers in Device Manager

Step 1: Open Device Manager

Search Device Manager in Windows 10 search bar and click on the appearing result.

Step 2: Display Drivers

In the Device Manager window, expand the section named Display adapters. This will show the driver for the integrated video card if your motherboard has one. You can ignore this if your computer has a dedicated video card.

Step 3: SATA Drivers

Next open IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers. It will show the information about each ATA or ATAPI controllers that are detected on the motherboard.

As SATA has replaced the old IDE interface for connecting your storage devices, you can find information related to the SATA AHCI controller

Step 4: FireWire Controllers

Then expand IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers. Here you can check the drivers for any FireWire controllers on the motherboard.

Step 5: Network Controller

Open Network adapters. This section will show if your system has a built-in network adapter. This could include wired Ethernet cards, wireless cards, and more.

Step 6: Sound Drivers

Then double-click on Sound, video, and game controllers. Here you can check the controller drivers for the sound drivers

Step 7: Display Adapters / Graphics Cards

Here you will find information about the drivers for your GPU both integrated and dedicated graphics cards.

Step 8: USB Controller

Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers. Here all your USB controller drivers can be found.

Step 9: Misc

Open System devices. You can look here at the rest of the motherboard drivers including the chipset, system speaker and clock, PCI bus driver, and more.

There can be many more devices and thus their corresponding drivers attached to your PC such as batteries, Bluetooth and Camera. The Device manager is one place where you can find all the relevant information.

Also Read

• How to Check If My Drivers are Upto Date
• How to Update Ethernet Controller Drivers
• How to Update Motherboard Drivers

Method 2: Check Motherboard Drivers on Manufacturer’s Website

Although you will find plenty of information related to the current motherboard drivers in Device Manager, you can also check for them by going straight to the hardware manufacturer’s website.

If you have a laptop or prebuilt desktop, then you can visit the manufacturer’s website. If you have built your PC, go to the motherboard manufacturer’s website. For this, you need to know the specific brand and model of your motherboard.

Opening the System Information tool in Windows 10 would lead you to find the system model and manufacturer. You can also find the motherboard model that may also be mentioned as a baseboard.

Once you have this information, you can look for the model on the website. As a result, you will find updated and latest motherboard drives.

Method 3: Check Motherboard Drivers in Windows Update

You can check if any of the component or the motherboard needs an update via the Windows Update service.

While this would not tell you what drivers are already installed, you can get some insight into what updates you have available and what drivers were installed recently.

Step 1

Open the Settings app and head to Update & Security

Step 2

Click on Windows Update

Step 3

Click on View Optional updates.

Step 3

By expanding the Driver updates section, you can check for the driver updates that are available for your system.

You can review these driver updates and download and install them later.

Alternatively

If you want to learn about the latest updates that were performed on your system to check if any new motherboard drivers were installed, you can check that in the Window Update settings as well.

For this, repeat step 1 and 2 above and then select “View Update History”.

If you are having trouble on your PC and you suspect a new driver is causing the issue, this is the place to check if a new driver was recently installed.