Unknown Device Identifier 9.01

Overview

Unknown Device Identifier is a unique and useful application that helps you identify which devices are currently marked as unknown in your system. If you are noticing yellow question marks within your device manager and are unable to determine which devices are responsible, this utility can provide a quick and easy solution.

Installation

With a file size of a little more than one megabyte, Unknown Device Identifier downloads and installs in about the same amount of time it takes for the software to identify devices, which is usually less than 1 minute. It's compatible with almost all versions of Windows, including 98, Millennium Edition (ME), 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, Server 2008, NT, and 7.

Interface

The Unknown Device Identifier interface is extremely similar to the Windows default device manager in its appearance. At the top of the main window there are five menus – File, Detect, Drivers, Interface, and Help. You can right-click any device within the window and select from a list of context menu options which include – Find Driver, Contact Vendor, Save to File, Send to Printer, and Backup Driver. Even though the interface is relatively self-explanatory, the Help menu provides easy access to extensive instructional documentation.

Pros

• With an extensive built-in database Unknown Device Identifier is able to scan the attributes of all of your attached hardware devices and quickly report the manufacturer/OEM name, device model, device type, and the exact ID of any unknown device in your device manager

• By helping your system identify unknown devices this software facilitates the process of finding and downloading the necessary drivers to update your hardware and get back in proper working order

• Particularly helpful after performing a reinstall of Windows, when the device manager is commonly full of yellow question marks due to unidentified devices. It is also useful for updating older computers to recent operating systems.

• Integrated “Find Driver” function lets you automatically search for the latest drivers on the Internet after you have accurately identified each device

• Capable of identifying a plethora of device types, including ISA plug-and-play devices, USB 1.1, 2.0, and 3.0 devices, AGP Bus devices, IEEE 1394 devices, eSATA devices, and PCI/PCI-E devices.

• Lets you perform an automatic backup of device drivers

Cons

• The "Find Drivers" function does not always work, so you may have to do a Google search for the drivers after the program has identified the device.

Alternatives

The most commonly used alternatives to Unknown Device Identifier include SlimDrivers, DriverMax, Device Doctor, and DriverEasy. Of these competitors SlimDrivers is by far the most popular, and in terms of functionality it provides more advanced features. However, some users have noted that Unknown Device Identifier is more effective at performing its sole designated task, which is quickly identifying unknown devices.

Conclusion

With the ability to consistently identify unknown devices and help you find the necessary drivers to get them working again, unknown device identifier is an absolutely essential component to any computer enthusiast's toolbox.