Lenovo E431 Making sure device drivers are current, Getting the latest drivers from the Web site

not start up, download the files to create a bootable self-test media from the following Web site: http://www.lenovo.com/hddtest. Run the test and record any messages or error codes. If the test returns any failing error codes or messages, call the Customer Support Center with the codes or messages and the computer in front of you. A technician will assist you further.

15.If required, you can find your country's Customer Support Center at: http://www.lenovo.com/support/phone. When calling the Customer Support Center, make sure that you have your machine model type, serial number, and the computer in front of you. Also, if the computer is producing error codes, it is helpful to have the error screen on or the message written down.

Making sure device drivers are current

Device drivers are programs that contain instructions for the operating system about how to operate or “drive” a certain piece of hardware. Each hardware component on your computer has its own specific driver. If you add a new component, the operating system needs to be instructed on how to operate that piece

of hardware. After you install the driver, the operating system can recognize the hardware component and understand how to use it.

Note: Because drivers are programs, like any other file on your computer, they are susceptible to corruption and might not perform correctly if corruption occurs.

It is not always necessary to download the latest drivers. However, you should download the latest driver for a component if you notice poor performance from that component or if you added a new component. This might eliminate the driver as the potential cause of the problem.

Getting the latest drivers from the Web site

You can download and install updated device drivers from the Lenovo Web site by doing the following:

1.Go to http://www.lenovo.com/Drivers.

2.Enter the product number of the computer or click Detect my system on the screen.

3.Click Downloads and drivers.

4.Follow the directions on the screen and install the necessary software.

Getting the latest drivers using System Update

The System Update program helps you keep the software on your system up-to-date. Update packages are stored on Lenovo servers and can be downloaded from the Lenovo Support Web site. Update packages can contain programs, device drivers, UEFI BIOS flashes, or software updates. When the System Update program connects to the Lenovo Support Web site, the System Update program automatically recognizes the machine type and model of your computer, the installed operating system, and the language of the operating system to determine what updates are available for your computer. The System Update program then displays a list of update packages and categorizes each update as critical, recommended, or optional to help you understand the importance. You have complete control of which updates to download and install. After you select the update packages you want, the System Update program automatically downloads and installs the updates without any further intervention from you.

The System Update program is preinstalled on your computer and is ready to run. The only prerequisite is an active Internet connection. You can start the program manually, or you can use the schedule feature to enable the program to search for updates automatically at specified intervals. You also can predefine scheduled updates to search by severity (critical updates, critical and recommended updates, or all updates) so the list you choose from contains only those update types that are of interest to you.

For more information about how to use System Update, refer to “An introduction to Lenovo programs” on page 18.

120User Guide