OS Drivers, How drivers are needed in windows OS?

bySHAKTI PRAKASH -
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How drivers are needed in windows OS?

Drivers are absolutely essential in Windows OS (or any operating system) because they act as a bridge between the hardware and the software. Without drivers, Windows cannot communicate properly with the hardware devices. Let me break it down in detail:

Image of windows driver

1. What is a driver?

A driver is a specialized software program that allows the operating system to interact with hardware devices, such as:

  • Printers
  • Graphics cards
  • Network cards
  • Keyboards and mice
  • Storage devices
  • Audio devices

Think of a driver as a translator: it converts OS commands into a language the hardware can understand, and vice versa.

2. Why Windows needs drivers

Without drivers, Windows cannot control or use hardware efficiently. For example:

  • Without a graphics driver, your screen may run only at basic resolution.
  • Without a printer driver, you cannot print documents.
  • Without a network driver, you cannot access the internet.
  • Without a sound driver, speakers and headphones may not work.

3. Types of drivers in Windows

Windows typically uses several types of drivers:

  1. Device Drivers – Control specific hardware (e.g., printer, webcam).
  2. System Drivers – Handle internal OS tasks (e.g., file system, power management).
  3. Virtual Drivers – Used by software to emulate hardware (e.g., virtual printers or virtual network adapters).

4. How Windows gets drivers

  • Pre-installed drivers: Windows comes with a library of basic drivers.
  • Windows Update: Automatically downloads drivers for new hardware.
  • Manufacturer drivers: Best performance is often from drivers provided by the device manufacturer (e.g., NVIDIA for graphics cards).

5. Summary

  • Drivers are mandatory for hardware to function.
  • They ensure compatibility and efficient operation.
  • Without proper drivers, hardware may not work, or may perform poorly.

Some Windows OS drivers and their functions 

Listing all possible drivers in Windows is tricky because the number depends on the hardware installed, but I can give a comprehensive categorization of common Windows drivers. I’ll organize them by type and function:

1. System/Kernel-Level Drivers

These control core OS functions:

  • ACPI Driver – Power management, sleep/hibernate control.
  • HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) Driver – Abstracts hardware differences for Windows.
  • File System Drivers – NTFS, FAT32, exFAT drivers.
  • Memory Manager Drivers – Handles RAM allocation and paging.
  • Boot/Startup Drivers – Essential for OS startup (like bootmgr support).

2. Display / Graphics Drivers

  • GPU drivers – NVIDIA, AMD, Intel integrated graphics.
  • Display adapter driver – Controls monitor resolution and refresh rate.
  • DirectX drivers – For multimedia, games, and hardware acceleration.

3. Audio / Sound Drivers

  • Realtek High Definition Audio Driver
  • Creative Sound Blaster drivers
  • HDMI Audio Driver – For sound over HDMI output.
  • USB Audio Driver – For USB headphones/microphones.

4. Network / Communication Drivers

  • Ethernet Driver – Wired LAN connectivity.
  • Wi-Fi Adapter Driver – Wireless connectivity.
  • Bluetooth Driver – For Bluetooth devices.
  • WAN / VPN Drivers – Virtual network interfaces.

5. Storage / Disk Drivers

  • SATA / NVMe / IDE Drivers – For internal hard drives and SSDs.
  • RAID Driver – For RAID arrays.
  • USB Mass Storage Driver – External drives and flash drives.
  • SD Card / Memory Card Driver

6. Input Device Drivers

  • Keyboard Driver
  • Mouse / Touchpad Driver
  • Stylus / Pen Driver – For touch-enabled devices.
  • Game Controller / Joystick Driver

7. Printer / Scanner / Camera Drivers

  • Printer Driver – Laser, inkjet, network printers.
  • Scanner Driver – Flatbed or multifunction devices.
  • Camera / Webcam Driver

8. Peripheral / USB Device Drivers

  • USB Hub Driver
  • USB-C / Thunderbolt Driver
  • External GPU Driver (if applicable)
  • Card Reader Driver

9. Virtual / Software Drivers

  • Virtual Machine Drivers – For VMware, VirtualBox, Hyper-V.
  • Printer Emulator Drivers – PDF printers.
  • VPN / Security Drivers – Network filtering or firewall drivers.

10. Optional / Manufacturer-Specific Drivers

  • Touchscreen Driver – For laptops/tablets.
  • Fingerprint / Biometric Driver
  • Camera / IR Sensor Driver
  • Docking Station Driver – For laptop docking stations.

💡 Key point:
There isn’t a fixed “list of all drivers” because each system has different hardware, so the actual installed drivers vary. Windows can have hundreds of drivers installed, including system, third-party, and optional drivers.

Programming language used to write drivers

Device drivers are low-level software that interact directly with hardware, so they need to be efficient, fast, and close to the system. That’s why not every programming language is suitable. Here’s the breakdown:

1. C

  • Most common language for Windows drivers.
  • Used in Windows Driver Model (WDM) and Kernel-Mode Driver Framework (KMDF).
  • Allows direct memory access, hardware I/O, and low-level operations.
  • Examples: GPU drivers, network card drivers, disk drivers.

2. C++

  • Sometimes used for higher-level drivers or parts of drivers in Windows.
  • Can be used with KMDF, but kernel-mode C++ must avoid exceptions, RTTI, and heavy libraries.
  • Mostly for object-oriented organization of driver code.

3. Assembly Language

  • Rare today, but used for extremely performance-critical sections.
  • Example: bootloaders, interrupt handlers, or very low-level I/O routines.

4. Others

  • Rust: Gaining popularity for system programming and kernel drivers because of memory safety.
  • Python / C# / Java: Not used for kernel drivers, but can interact with user-mode drivers or device APIs.

💡 Key point:
For Windows kernel drivers, C is the standard and most widely used, sometimes with a small part in assembly for speed-critical operations.

Does Android OS has drivers?

Yes, Android devices also have drivers, but the setup is a bit different because Android is based on Linux. Drivers are just as essential on Android as they are on Windows. Let me explain in detail:

1. What drivers do on Android

Drivers allow the Android operating system to communicate with hardware such as:

  • Touchscreen
  • Camera
  • Audio (speakers/microphone)
  • Wi-Fi / Bluetooth / Cellular modem
  • Sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, etc.)
  • GPU for graphics
  • USB / SD cards

Without the appropriate driver, the hardware won’t work properly or at all.

2. How Android drivers work

  • Android runs on Linux kernel, so it uses Linux-style device drivers.
  • Drivers are usually written in C (like Linux drivers) because they need low-level access.
  • Most drivers are compiled as kernel modules or included in the kernel image.

3. Types of Android drivers

  1. Kernel Drivers

    • Directly interact with hardware.
    • Examples: touchscreen driver, Wi-Fi driver, camera driver.

  2. HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) Drivers

    • Provides a standard interface between Android framework (Java/Kotlin) and kernel drivers.
    • Example: Camera HAL allows apps to use the camera without knowing hardware details.

  3. User-space Drivers

    • Rare, but some peripherals (like USB accessories) can have user-mode drivers running in Android apps.

4. Programming languages for Android drivers

  • C – Most kernel and HAL drivers.
  • C++ – Sometimes used in HAL or user-space components.
  • Assembly – Rarely, for performance-critical routines.

💡 Key point:
Android drivers are essential for device functionality, just like Windows, but they are structured around the Linux kernel and HAL rather than Windows’ WDM or KMDF.

Example explaining drivers

Let’s understand drivers with a real-life analogy so it becomes crystal clear.

Analogy: Drivers as Translators

Imagine a foreign tourist visiting India:

  • The tourist = Hardware device (like a printer or GPU).
  • You = Operating system (Windows, Android, etc.).
  • Translator = Driver

If the tourist speaks only Japanese and you speak only English, you cannot communicate directly. The translator (driver) converts your English instructions into Japanese for the tourist, and translates the tourist’s Japanese responses back into English.

Without the translator:

  • The tourist can’t understand your instructions.
  • The tasks won’t get done.

With the translator:

  • The tourist can follow your instructions perfectly.
  • Everything works smoothly.

Examples in Technology

  1. Printer Driver

    • OS: “Print this document.”
    • Driver: Converts the document into a language the printer understands.
    • Result: Printer prints exactly what you want.

  2. Graphics Driver

    • OS: “Display this 3D game scene.”
    • Driver: Tells the GPU how to render textures, lighting, and colors.
    • Result: Game shows smooth graphics.

  3. Wi-Fi Driver

    • OS: “Connect to this network.”
    • Driver: Tells the Wi-Fi card how to scan networks and authenticate.
    • Result: You get internet connectivity.

A driver is needed wherever hardware and software need to “talk” to each other.

  • Hardware = Printer, GPU, keyboard, camera, Wi-Fi card, etc.
  • Software / OS = Windows, Android, or any application trying to use that hardware.

The driver acts as a translator or bridge, converting software commands into hardware instructions and vice versa.

Without a driver:

  • The OS cannot control the hardware properly.
  • The hardware may not work or may work incorrectly.

In short: Whenever software wants to use a hardware device, a driver is required.

💡 Key takeaway:
A driver is a bridge or translator between the operating system (software) and hardware. Without it, the OS and hardware cannot “talk” to each other, so devices don’t work.

1. Relationship Between Drivers and OS Kernel

  • The kernel is the core part of the operating system. It manages:

    • Memory
    • Processes
    • Hardware access
    • Security and system calls

  • Drivers are special software modules that allow the kernel (and the OS) to communicate with hardware.

So:

  • Some drivers run in kernel mode → They are part of the kernel space.
  • Some drivers run in user mode → They are not part of the kernel but interact with it.

2. Windows Example

  • Kernel-mode drivers:
    • Graphics drivers (GPU)
    • Disk drivers
    • Network drivers
  • User-mode drivers:
    • Printer drivers
    • Scanner drivers

Kernel-mode drivers have full access to hardware and system memory, while user-mode drivers are restricted for safety.

You can think of it like this:

  • Kernel = The central manager of the operating system. It handles everything at the OS level: memory, processes, system calls, security, and overall hardware control.
  • Driver = A specialized subset that deals with a specific piece of hardware. It tells the kernel how to communicate with that hardware and vice versa.

So in simple terms:

Kernel = OS brain
Driver = OS translator for a specific hardware

Without drivers, the kernel cannot fully manage or use the hardware, even though the kernel controls everything else.

3. Key point

  • Drivers are not the kernel itself, but many run inside the kernel space to interact directly with hardware.
  • Without drivers, the kernel cannot control hardware efficiently.

Example

Correct Flow for Printing in Windows

  1. Application / Software

    • Example: You click “Print” in Word.
    • The software sends the print request to the OS through system calls.

  2. Kernel / OS

    • The kernel receives the request and interacts with the driver.
    • The kernel ensures safe and proper communication with hardware.

  3. Driver

    • The driver converts the OS commands into hardware-specific instructions for the printer.
    • It knows exactly how the printer understands the data (like paper size, ink patterns, resolution).

  4. Hardware (Printer)

    • The printer receives instructions from the driver and prints the document.

✅ Key Point

  • The CPU does not directly tell the driver what to print.
  • The software talks to the kernel, the kernel uses the driver, and the driver controls the hardware.

Think of it as a chain of command:
Software → Kernel → Driver → Hardware

How does display driver work

1. Purpose of a Display Driver

The display driver is a specialized driver that controls the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) and video hardware to render images, text, and video on your screen.

Without it:

  • You might only get a basic low-resolution screen.
  • No hardware acceleration for games or video playback.

2. Flow of Information

Here’s how it works in a Windows system:

  1. Application / Software

    • Example: You open a game or a video player.
    • The software wants to draw graphics (shapes, textures, 3D models) on the screen.

  2. Graphics API

    • The app doesn’t talk directly to hardware.
    • Uses APIs like DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan.
    • Example: “Draw a textured triangle here.”

  3. Display Driver

    • Converts API calls into instructions the GPU can understand.
    • Handles GPU memory, shader programs, rendering pipelines, and display outputs.
    • Optimizes performance and ensures correct colors, resolution, and refresh rate.

  4. Kernel / OS

    • Kernel ensures the driver can safely access hardware.
    • Manages memory allocation and interrupts.

  5. GPU / Display Hardware

    • Executes the instructions received from the driver.
    • Sends signals to the monitor to display the final image.

3. Key Roles of a Display Driver

  • Translation: API calls → GPU instructions
  • Optimization: Uses GPU features efficiently
  • Hardware Control: Manages memory, clocks, and pipelines
  • Communication: Handles interrupts and status reports from GPU to OS

4. Real-Life Analogy

  • App = Architect who designs the building
  • Graphics API = Project blueprint with standard symbols
  • Display Driver = Skilled contractor who knows the tools and materials (GPU)
  • GPU = Construction workers
  • Monitor = Completed building you can see

Without the driver, the GPU “workers” don’t know what to do, and your “building” may not be constructed correctly.

What is hardware acceleration?

Hardware acceleration is when your computer or device uses specialized hardware to perform certain tasks faster than the general-purpose CPU could.

Let’s break it down:

1. Concept

  • Normally, tasks are done by the CPU (Central Processing Unit).
  • Some tasks, like graphics rendering, video decoding, or encryption, are very intensive.
  • Hardware acceleration offloads these tasks to specialized hardware designed for that purpose:
    • GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) → for graphics and rendering
    • Sound card / Audio DSP → for audio processing
    • Network card → for network packet processing

This makes the system faster and more efficient.

2. Examples

  1. Graphics / Display

    • Games use the GPU instead of the CPU for rendering 3D graphics.
    • Web browsers can use the GPU to render videos or animations.

  2. Video Playback

    • HD or 4K video decoding can be done by GPU hardware instead of CPU.

  3. Audio Processing

    • Effects like surround sound or echo cancellation can be handled by audio hardware.

  4. Web Browsers

    • Chrome or Edge can use GPU acceleration to render web pages smoothly.

3. Why It Matters

  • Faster performance → Tasks are done more quickly.
  • Reduced CPU load → CPU can handle other tasks.
  • Better energy efficiency → Especially important in laptops and smartphones.

4. Real-Life Analogy

  • CPU = A general worker who can do any task
  • GPU / specialized hardware = A skilled craftsman for a specific task
  • Task = Painting a wall
  • Result: The craftsman (hardware) finishes faster and better than the general worker (CPU)

💡 Key point:
Hardware acceleration is all about letting the “right tool for the job” handle the work, instead of making the CPU do everything.

1. Role of the Display Driver in hardware acceleration 

The display driver acts as a bridge between software (apps, Windows) and the GPU.

  • Applications make requests through APIs like DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan.
  • The display driver translates those requests into GPU instructions.
  • The GPU is specialized hardware that can process graphics much faster than the CPU.

This offloading is exactly what hardware acceleration is.

2. Example Flow: Hardware-Accelerated Graphics

  1. Application (e.g., a 3D game) wants to draw a scene.
  2. API (DirectX/OpenGL) sends commands: “Draw these objects with these textures.”
  3. Display driver converts API commands into GPU-friendly instructions.
  4. GPU executes the instructions, renders the scene, and sends it to the monitor.

✅ The CPU doesn’t have to calculate every pixel—the GPU (specialized hardware) does it faster.

3. Examples of Hardware Acceleration

  • 3D gaming: Smooth graphics using GPU
  • Video playback: HD/4K video decoding by GPU
  • Web browsers: GPU accelerates animations, video, and CSS effects
  • Photo/video editing software: GPU accelerates filters and rendering

4. Real-Life Analogy

  • CPU = General worker
  • GPU = Specialist painter
  • Driver = Foreman who translates the architect’s blueprint for the painter
  • Result = The painting (graphics) gets done faster and more efficiently

💡 Key point:
The driver enables hardware acceleration by telling the GPU exactly what to do, so the CPU doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting. Without the driver, the CPU would try to handle everything, and performance would drop drastically.


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SHAKTI PRAKASH

Shakti Prakash is an elementary school teacher from Uttar Pradesh, India and additionally contributing his effort in educational blogs through the website VS Educations

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