Using your digital camera for the first time can be a fun and exciting experience, that is until you encounter a bit of turbulence along the way. Most people expect the process to be as simple as plugging the device into the USB port. However, many times device driver errors will occur, causing a variety of messages to appear.

These problems can be very frustrating to deal with, especially if you don;t have the knowledge needed to address the situation. The following methods will teach you how to troubleshoot for device driver errors with your digital camera. You have two options. The first one is a manual option, however the second method is a much less difficult automatic solution.

1. Manually Assess the Situation with Windows Device Manager

First you'll need to access a built-in Windows utility called the Device Manager to assess the situation. To do this:

1. Right-click My computer and then select Properties.

2. Click on the Hardware tab and then select Device Manager.

Once the Device Manager window appears locate the name of the device you're having problems with. Many times the problematic device will have an exclamation mark or question mark next to it. After clicking on the device name, you should see a few tabs. Click on the Driver tab, and then select Update Driver.

Click on Install from a list or a specific location, then click on install. If you know where the driver is located on your computer, or you have a disc with the drivers on it, then select the option not to search for the driver. If you have the disk then select the Have Disk option in the next screen. You may locate the driver disk on your hard drive and double click on it. Open the driver folder that contains your drivers, and then double click on the drivers. An installation window should appear. Finally click OK and wait for the upgrade to complete. Once completed, click Finish.

2. Solve the Problem Automatically with Driver Helper

If the above information seems a bit too complicated for you, then you could always update the drivers using an automatic driver update tool. This utility will regularly update your drivers and scan for any existing problems that may occur within the driver files. You can set the frequency of the updates, and all of the problems you;re having with your digital camera driver will be solved permanently. Many people find that this option is superior to the first because it requires very little work, and absolutely no knowledge.

Since most problems with digital cameras are a result of , using a driver update tool should clear up any existing errors. Downloading a comprehensive driver update utility will ensure that any other devices such as phones, printers, and storage devices, will work properly with your PC in the future. You'll no longer have to worry about device driver errors, as they can be fixed with the click of a button.

One particular program I use for all my driver needs is Driver Helper.