Windows 10: How to backup and restore Drivers on Dell Computers

The following article is a guide to backing up and restoring drivers on your Dell PC. Using the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) Utility in the Windows 10 Operating System.

Learn how to backup and restore drivers using DISM

Windows operating systems are the most common operating system that is used on Dell PCs. Your PC needs drivers to use Hardware or Software applications. However, downloading and installing each driver is a tedious, time-consuming job. So to resolve this problem, we are going to show you how to use the DISM.exe utility to backup and restore drivers on Windows 10.

Note: DISM.exe - Deployment Image Servicing and Management is a cmd-line tool. It can be used to service and prepare Windows images and Windows Setup. DISM can be used to service a Windows image (.wim) or a virtual hard disk (.vhd or .vhdx).

Note: This guide assumes you have a Dell PC with Windows 10 and all the Dell Drivers that are installed and working. Dell supplies all its drivers on the Dell Support Site. You can find a guide to installing the drivers on the following link:

• How to use the Dell Support Site to identify and install the drivers for your Dell PC

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Step-by-step how-to instructions

Back up the Drivers

1. The first step is to open a command-line prompt with administrator privileges

   • Right-click on the Windows start button and select CMD Prompt (With Admin) or Windows PowerShell (with Admin) from the menu that appears

2. Create a directory to back up the driver into. Type the following command, followed by hitting the Enter key:

   md C:\X (Where X is the folder name you chose.)

3. Type the following command, followed by hitting the Enter key:

   dism /online /export-driver /destination:C:\X (Where X is the folder name you created.)

4. Using the Windows Explorer tool, navigate to the folder you created, to see all the drivers you exported to the folder

Restore the Drivers

1. Open the Device Manager utility

   • Click the Windows start button and type Device Manager and select the utility when it appears on the menu

2. Right-click on the selected unknown driver and choose Update Driver Software from the menu that appears

3. Select Browse my computer for driver software and then select the directory that you created in the previous guide

4. Select Next and the PC will find and install the appropriate driver from those in the directory you created

5. Repeat steps 2 - 4 for any additional unknown drivers or devices

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