How to Copy Windows XP Drivers
System drivers are small programs that instruct your operating system how to communicate with hardware connected to your machine. While the Windows XP CD contains a number of drivers pre-installed, most pieces of hardware require specific drivers from the manufacturer. Since finding all of these drivers after a system reinstallation can be difficult, it is important to save your drivers beforehand.
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Instructions
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Download the freeware program DriverMax from the link found below. This is the most expedient way to extract drivers from your machine. Otherwise you will be stuck looking through pages of system files to locate a single driver. Save the installation file for DriverMax on your desktop for easy access after it is finished downloading.
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Install DriverMax to your computer, then defrag your hard drive. Defraging your hard drive should be done after installing any new program, as it essentially reorganizes the material on the drive so that it can be located faster. Go to the "Start" menu, then "Program Files." The defrag option can be found by going to the accessories option then going to "System Tools." Performing a defrag can take from five to 20 minutes, so be prepared to spend some time if you have not cleaned your hard drive in awhile.
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Run DriverMax. Select the "Export Drivers" option at the title page. Export the drivers to a new folder on your hard drive (created by right clicking in empty space, selecting new, then selecting folder) labeled "System Drivers."
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Create a data disk using a blank CD-R or insert a USB drive into your computer. Drag and drop the "System Drivers" folder on the storage medium to save the files for later use. Copying your drivers in this fashion will make reinstallation a breeze if one of your drivers becomes corrupted in the future.
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