Device drivers are required for PC peripherals, since the operating system
cannot communicate with them otherwise. But since the hardware manufacturers themselves program these "last mile" links between the OS and peripherals, the installation process isn't always consistent or easy to follow. Moreover, driver CDs are a pain to store and manage, and you often require an Internet connection to download the latest version.

But an to all of this could be in sight thanks a recently filed Microsoft patents. It describes "self-installing computer peripherals", or simply put, devices that come with a small amount of onboard memory that can be filled with the required driver files before the devices even leave the factory. When such a device is connected to a PC, its driver is immediately detected and then installed. But the idea is not totally new. As a matter of fact, it was actually implemented at least a year ago. The Pinnacle PCTV DVD-T combined a digital TV tuner and a USB memory stick, so that all the software for the tuner could be stored on the device itself. So far, it has been the only device of its kind.

Microsoft's unreleased standard could allow such devices to become the norm. The technique would however work only with USB-based devices, but for it to be a success, Bluetooth and Wireless USB products should also be capable of self-installing. The concept can even be expanded so that multiple users can store custom settings on their peripherals. The self-installing devices should ideally be able to host the most recent versions of the drivers they require. They should be able to download current drivers and software from the internet so that they can be stored locally in case they are required for a reinstallation or recovering from a crash. Such a self-updating function would be especially important for new products whose drivers reach maturity only months after they first release.

In 2007, defective Nvidia graphics card drivers accounted for almost 30 percent of crashes on Windows Vista, according to data released by Microsoft.