How to install drivers in a zip file

Often you get a link to download drivers, it's a zip file and after you have clicked it and saved the file to your hard drive, you do not know what to do with it next. First, check it with your virus scanner and also remember that some virus checkers cannot check zip files properly till they are unpacked so ensure that you have auto protect running whilst extracting files from any zip archive. , then you need a program that can unpack the file/s as they have been compressed to save space and allow speedier downloading. The easiest program to install to achieve this is winrar or 7z , you can find them by google.
Once you have installed the zip utility (winrar or 7z) you will be able to unpack the driver and the best way to do this is to make a new folder on your hard drive first and call it whatever your driver is for. If it is a soundcard driver, then you could call it sounddriver or anything else you prefer. Now run winzip and select the zip file and unpack/extract it to the newly made folder. Once completed you should see if there are any release notes or other readme files that may give you the procedure to install the driver. If there are no instructions see if there is a setup.exe file that can be executed to install the driver. If there is launch it to complete your driver installation.
If not there may be an inf file in the files which will provide the information your computer needs to complete the installation.
To do this go to Start/Settings/Control Panel and double-click System, then select Device Manager and browse the list of hardware using the + symbol to view the hardware. Select the appropiate device that requires the driver and click Properties and then select driver and then driver update.
Now click Next then select "Search for a better driver than the one your device is using now" and click Next. Ensure all boxes are unticked except the one entitled "Specify a location" then click the Browse button and navigate to the folder on your hard drive where you saved the driver files to after unpacking them.Select the folder and then click ok.
Now follow the prompts and if you have the right driver for this hardware your installation will proceed and install the device. If the driver is not the correct one you could have lots of problems and may not be able to reboot the computer. If this happens boot in safe mode and you can then trouble-shoot the problem driver by first removing it and repeat process above but this time when you are presented with "click the Browse button navigate to the folder called c:\windows\system and then follow prompts and you should be able to re-install the older driver that did work from the list that appears.
One final note :
If the driver is to update a graphic card then always follow the Manufacturers instructions or read here to install or update a graphic card driver.