Old driver from 1968 … really?

[E9Luke]

I’m deep into updating drivers for this laptop, and I’m using PC HelpSoft Driver Updater. The app tells me that it’s about to install an update for an old driver that dates to June 1968! Seriously, did we even have laptops or PCs in 1968?

[Irfan_06]

Hi @E9Luke,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to assist you.

I understand you're experiencing an issue with updating the drivers for your Laptop.

I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused, I'm here to help you today.

Please follow the below steps to fix the issue.

-Perform a power drain on your PC.

1) Unplug the power cord from the PC & wall.

2) Disconnect the power cable from the AC adapter if it is a detachable part and keep it aside.

3) Press and hold the power button down for 15 seconds and release the power button, wait for about 30 seconds.

4) Plug the power cord back into the AC adapter, then connect it to the wall and to the charging port on your PC.

5) Power on the PC and check if it boots into Windows now.

-Update the BIOS for your PC by clicking on the link.

Make sure you keep only the charger plugged in while updating the BIOS for your PC.

Click on the + sign next to BIOS and then download the file.

Open the file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update.

-Install all the pending updates for the Windows operating system following the below steps and let me know if that resolves the issue.

Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates. If the upgrade is available for your device and you want to proceed, download and install it.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a great day ahead!

Irwin6

HP Suppor

[E9Luke]

Thanks, Irwin6—you've helped me a few times in the recent past. I appreciate your input. Yes, I was dealing with about 18 outdated drivers on my adult granddaughter's HP laptop. At the HP Support page, I found a tool that helped me update all those outdated drivers. That job is done, and I think it did a lot to restore her machine to something like its original vigor.

Among those 18 drivers I remember finding one that the scan said dated to 1968. No kidding—that's what the scan reported as the original date for that particular driver. Sorry, I don't remember the title of that driver, and I don't have access to the computer at this moment. I was simply astonished to see that any modern computer would still have a driver that old. Indeed, was there even such a thing as a PC in 1968, let alone anything called a driver? I just wondered if anyone here has thoughts on that question. Thank you!

[Irfan_06 · Accepted solution]

Hi @E9Luke,

It's quite amusing and puzzling to see a driver dated 1968! This is likely a quirky artifact rather than an actual representation of a driver's age. Here's some context:

Placeholder Dates: Many operating systems, including Windows, use placeholder dates like "1/1/1970" or "1/1/1980" as default starting points for their timestamps. If you see a date earlier than 1970 (like 1968), it's almost certainly a mistake or artifact of how the metadata was processed.

Epoch Time Origin: The Unix epoch (used widely in computing) starts on January 1, 1970. Anything before this is often considered invalid or might represent a bug in timestamp handling.

Driver History: Drivers as we understand them today—software components that allow hardware to communicate with the operating system—didn't exist in 1968 because personal computing was in its infancy. The first recognizable personal computer systems emerged in the 1970s.

Legacy Systems: The "1968" timestamp could stem from legacy code or metadata that's incorrectly labeled. Developers may have set a very old date as a placeholder or default.

Scanning Software Oddities: If the scan software you used wasn't properly parsing the driver's metadata, it could misinterpret or misreport the timestamp.

What to Do:

If you're curious about this driver, you can revisit the system when you have access and:

• Check the driver's actual name and version.
• Look for updated versions via the manufacturer's website or Windows Update.
• Replace the driver if it's associated with system instability or security concerns.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

 

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a great day ahead!

Irwin6

HP Support

[E9Luke]

Thank you for your very thorough and helpful response. 

[Irfan_06]

Hi @E9Luke,

Your welcome. I appreciate your efforts in contacting HP community support and If you need any assistance in the future, feel free to reach out to us.

Take care and have a great day ahead!

Irwin6

HP Support