Windows

• Your Windows installation includes some printer drivers, ready to install. Depending on how old your Windows installation is, the drivers may not be up to date, but may be sufficient to use the printer. Run Windows Update to see if there are updated drivers available for your printer through the Windows site. For the major brand printers, there is usually a driver in Windows that will work for basic printing but may not allow the use of all printer features.
  
  

Manufacturer's Website

• The best option, even if you have the printer's CD, is to go the printer manufacturer's website and get the latest drivers for your operating system. The drivers on the CD are only as current as of the date the CD was written. That may have been a while ago.
  
  Click on "Start" on your taskbar, then click "Control Panel." Click on "System," then note your operating system's name and version number. Go to the printer manufacturer's website, locate the driver download page--often listed under "Support" or "Downloads"--and download the driver for your printer and operating system. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for installing the driver or note the location of the download on your computer so you can retrieve it with the "Add Printer" wizard.
  
  

Add Printer

• From the Control Panel, select "Hardware and Sound, " then "Add a Printer." The "Add Printer" wizard steps you through adding a local printer. When you get to the step where the wizard wants to install the drivers, you can let Windows try to find a suitable driver, or you can browse to the driver you downloaded from the manufacturer's website.