Preparing for a Clean Install of Windows 11: Get a List of Current Drivers

Preparing a Clean Install of Windows 11: Getting a List of Current Drivers

When preparing for a clean install of Windows 11, it's important to ensure that all necessary drivers are accounted for to ensure a smooth transition. One way to do this is by getting a list of the current drivers installed on the system before performing the clean install. This allows you to compare the two lists and make sure that all necessary drivers are reinstalled after the clean install is complete.

Using Device Manager to Get a List of Current Drivers

One way to get a list of the current drivers installed on a Windows 11 system is by using the Device Manager. To access the Device Manager, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + X and select Device Manager from the menu that appears.
2. In the Device Manager, expand the categories to view the devices connected to the system.
3. Right-click on a device and select Properties.
4. In the Properties window, go to the Driver tab to view the driver details, including the driver provider, driver date, and driver version.

Repeat these steps for each device to get a complete list of the current drivers installed on the system. It's a good idea to save this list in a text file or spreadsheet for easy reference during the clean install process.

Using PowerShell to Export a List of Current Drivers

Another way to get a list of the current drivers installed on a Windows 11 system is by using PowerShell. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + X and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the menu that appears.
2. In the PowerShell window, type the following command and press Enter:

This command will export a list of the current drivers installed on the system to a text file called drivers.txt in the current directory. The list will include the device name, device ID, manufacturer, and driver version for each driver.

Comparing the Two Lists

After performing the clean install of Windows 11, you can use the lists you created to make sure that all necessary drivers are reinstalled. To do this, simply compare the two lists and install any drivers that are missing from the list of current drivers on the clean install system.

References

• Device Manager Overview
• Get-WmiObject

This article was written using information from the following sources: Device Manager Overview and Get-WmiObject.