Trying to learn how to backup drivers for a clean install of Win7 Home Edition onto a new HD for my SIL (see other related threads). I read that all drivers are in 3 file folders which can be found in System32: DriverStore, DRVSTORE and drivers. I found these folders on my PC and copied them onto my external HD for practice. When I tried to paste them back to my C drive, I could not do it because I already had a file folder by the same NAME. PC asked if I wanted to replace existing folder, make a another folder with a different name or abort. I was able to make another folder but could not replace the existing folder. I can work around by renaming the copied folder and pasting it to my C drive. Then I can delete the original folder and rename the copied folder back to the original name. My question is does the folder name mean anything at all in terms of the new install being able to find the driver files?

On a related note, somehow I managed to convert most of the files in my driver file folder to pdf files. I can not open them with Adobe or IE. Maybe I can't open them anyway because they are system files. My question here is does it make any difference that the file folders are now pdf? If it does, how in heck do I change them back to regular file folders.

Thanks so much for your help.

Edit: Actually, I think I did not convert the driver file folders to pdf. I think I just changed the default program to open them. I changed the default to IE and the icon changed from pdf to IE but I still can not open them probably because they should not be opened. Anyhow, my other questions REMAIN regarding how to copy, save and reinstall these system driver file folders for the clean install of Win 7.Here is a link from Ton's Hardware.
But I have not tried it. In FACT, I doubt it works.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/28789-45-back-drivers-formatting-hard-drive
In that thread somebody later explains the premise is wrong.  Drivers are installed, not transferred as if they were auto-installing objects.
No need to ever back up drivers....
On a new build you should just DLoad and install all of them from the manuf. site... Quote from: patio on August 13, 2014, 06:09:11 PM

No need to ever back up drivers....
On a new build you should just DLoad and install all of them from the manuf. site...

To backup drivers is simply saving the downloaded files onto a different storage in case you need to reinstall the driver, operating system or becomes unavailable or not supported.

When reinstalling windows or clean install, all software including drivers need to be reinstalled.