Question about install order?

mojothehut

Senior member
Feb 26, 2012
354
6
81
Hey hey

So I'm replacing a hard drive in my 4 month old computer, going to re-install windows as well.
I'm wondering what the "best" order to install software is, so things end up being the most stable and so on.
Win7 Pro SP1 64bit is my OS.

Should I update Windows right away, then install ATi video drivers, followed by motherboard, sound, etc?
Or Video drivers first, then motherboard and save windows updates for last?
I also plan to install ESET-NOD32 4.0 AV software.
I'm mostly curious about what order I should install ATi's 12.4 drivers, as my video card is fairly new (7950) guessing Win7 wont have any idea what it is right off the bat.

Thanks :)
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
60,127
10,591
126
I don't think it matters much. What I usually did was fully update Windows, fully update core system drivers, fully update peripheral drivers, then install software.
 

JackMDS

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 25, 1999
29,552
429
126
I would leave the Windows update as the last step.

This way the Computer gets updated according to its final working status, as oppse to the intermediary status.


:cool:
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,587
10,225
126
Install Windows
install network drivers
install video drivers
install other drivers like chipset and USB and audio drivers
install WinRAR, flash player, etc.
then do windows updates
then install security suite software
 

us3rnotfound

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2003
5,334
3
81
I would install the chipset drivers before network/video/sound.

Get all the drivers you need beforehand so that you don't have to go online to grab drivers without being protected with security updates and a secure browser.
 

Chiefcrowe

Diamond Member
Sep 15, 2008
5,056
199
116
This is what I usually after install -

Install BIOS update if applicable
Then, chipset drivers
network drivers
video drivers
sound drivers
anything else that needs drivers
windows updates
antivirus
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,587
10,225
126
The only reason that I install the NIC drivers first, is often, I then use that machine to go online and grab the other drivers.
 

postmark

Senior member
May 17, 2011
307
0
0
This is what I usually after install -

Install BIOS update if applicable
Then, chipset drivers
network drivers
video drivers
sound drivers
anything else that needs drivers
windows updates
antivirus

Similar here, but I would do bios update before windows install. Also I usually just do chipset inf installer and network. Then just get the rest from windows update as the Intel boards usually have the rest on there.

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