diff --git a/debug.c b/debug.c
--- a/debug.c
+++ b/debug.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "string.h"
 
 int _debug_ai_level;
+int _debug_driver_level;
 int _debug_grf_level;
 int _debug_map_level;
 int _debug_misc_level;
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ typedef struct DebugLevel {
 #define DEBUG_LEVEL(x) { #x, &_debug_##x##_level }
 	static const DebugLevel debug_level[] = {
 	DEBUG_LEVEL(ai),
+	DEBUG_LEVEL(driver),
 	DEBUG_LEVEL(grf),
 	DEBUG_LEVEL(map),
 	DEBUG_LEVEL(misc),
diff --git a/debug.h b/debug.h
--- a/debug.h
+++ b/debug.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 	#define DEBUG(name, level) if (level == 0 || _debug_ ## name ## _level >= level) debug
 
 	extern int _debug_ai_level;
+	extern int _debug_driver_level;
 	extern int _debug_grf_level;
 	extern int _debug_map_level;
 	extern int _debug_misc_level;
diff --git a/driver.c b/driver.c
--- a/driver.c
+++ b/driver.c
@@ -2,11 +2,28 @@
 
 #include "stdafx.h"
 #include "openttd.h"
+#include "debug.h"
 #include "driver.h"
 #include "functions.h"
 #include "hal.h"
 #include "string.h"
 
+#include "music/bemidi.h"
+#include "music/dmusic.h"
+#include "music/extmidi.h"
+#include "music/null_m.h"
+#include "music/os2_m.h"
+#include "music/win32_m.h"
+
+#include "sound/null_s.h"
+#include "sound/sdl_s.h"
+#include "sound/win32_s.h"
+
+#include "video/dedicated_v.h"
+#include "video/null_v.h"
+#include "video/sdl_v.h"
+#include "video/win32_v.h"
+
 typedef struct {
 	const DriverDesc *descs;
 	const char *name;
@@ -31,21 +48,6 @@ static const DriverDesc* GetDriverByName
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-static const DriverDesc* ChooseDefaultDriver(const DriverDesc* dd)
-{
-	byte os_version = GetOSVersion();
-	const DriverDesc *best = NULL;
-	int best_pri = -1;
-
-	for (; dd->name != NULL; dd++) {
-		if ((int)(dd->flags & DF_PRIORITY_MASK) > best_pri && os_version >= (byte)dd->flags) {
-			best_pri = dd->flags & DF_PRIORITY_MASK;
-			best = dd;
-		}
-	}
-	return best;
-}
-
 void LoadDriver(int driver, const char *name)
 {
 	const DriverClass *dc = &_driver_classes[driver];
@@ -59,8 +61,23 @@ void LoadDriver(int driver, const char *
 
 	parms[0] = NULL;
 
-	if (!*name) {
-		dd = ChooseDefaultDriver(dc->descs);
+	if (*name == '\0') {
+		for (dd = dc->descs; dd->name != NULL; dd++) {
+			err = ((const HalCommonDriver*)dd->drv)->start(parms);
+			if (err == NULL) break;
+			DEBUG(driver, 1) ("Probing %s driver \"%s\" failed with error: %s",
+				dc->name, dd->name, err
+			);
+		}
+		if (dd->name == NULL) {
+			error("Couldn't find any suitable %s driver", dc->name);
+		}
+
+		DEBUG(driver, 1)
+			("Successfully probed %s driver \"%s\"", dc->name, dd->name);
+
+		var = dc->var;
+		*var = dd->drv;
 	} else {
 		// Extract the driver name and put parameter list in parm
 		ttd_strlcpy(buffer, name, sizeof(buffer));
@@ -80,16 +97,20 @@ void LoadDriver(int driver, const char *
 		dd = GetDriverByName(dc->descs, buffer);
 		if (dd == NULL)
 			error("No such %s driver: %s\n", dc->name, buffer);
+
+		var = dc->var;
+		if (*var != NULL) ((const HalCommonDriver*)*var)->stop();
+		*var = NULL;
+		drv = dd->drv;
+
+		err = ((const HalCommonDriver*)drv)->start(parms);
+		if (err != NULL) {
+			error("Unable to load driver %s(%s). The error was: %s\n",
+				dd->name, dd->longname, err
+			);
+		}
+		*var = drv;
 	}
-	var = dc->var;
-	if (*var != NULL) ((const HalCommonDriver*)*var)->stop();
-	*var = NULL;
-	drv = dd->drv;
-
-	err = ((const HalCommonDriver*)drv)->start(parms);
-	if (err != NULL)
-		error("Unable to load driver %s(%s). The error was: %s\n", dd->name, dd->longname, err);
-	*var = drv;
 }
 
 
@@ -133,3 +154,51 @@ void GetDriverList(char* p)
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+
+const DriverDesc _music_driver_descs[] = {
+#ifdef __BEOS__
+	{ "bemidi",  "BeOS MIDI Driver",        &_bemidi_music_driver },
+#endif
+#ifdef __OS2__
+	{ "os2",     "OS/2 Music Driver",       &_os2_music_driver},
+#endif
+#ifdef WIN32_ENABLE_DIRECTMUSIC_SUPPORT
+	{ "dmusic",  "DirectMusic MIDI Driver", &_dmusic_midi_driver },
+#endif
+#ifdef WIN32
+	{ "win32",   "Win32 MIDI Driver",       &_win32_music_driver },
+#endif
+#ifdef UNIX
+#if !defined(__BEOS__) && !defined(__MORPHOS__) && !defined(__AMIGA__)
+	{ "extmidi", "External MIDI Driver",    &_extmidi_music_driver },
+#endif
+#endif
+	{ "null",    "Null Music Driver",       &_null_music_driver },
+	{ NULL, NULL, NULL}
+};
+
+const DriverDesc _sound_driver_descs[] = {
+#ifdef WIN32
+	{ "win32", "Win32 WaveOut Driver", &_win32_sound_driver },
+#endif
+#ifdef WITH_SDL
+	{	"sdl",   "SDL Sound Driver",     &_sdl_sound_driver },
+#endif
+	{	"null",  "Null Sound Driver",    &_null_sound_driver },
+	{	NULL, NULL, NULL}
+};
+
+const DriverDesc _video_driver_descs[] = {
+#ifdef WIN32
+	{ "win32",      "Win32 GDI Video Driver", &_win32_video_driver },
+#endif
+#ifdef WITH_SDL
+	{ "sdl",        "SDL Video Driver",       &_sdl_video_driver },
+#endif
+	{ "null",       "Null Video Driver",      &_null_video_driver},
+#ifdef ENABLE_NETWORK
+	{ "dedicated",	"Dedicated Video Driver",	&_dedicated_video_driver},
+#endif
+	{ NULL, NULL, NULL}
+};
diff --git a/functions.h b/functions.h
--- a/functions.h
+++ b/functions.h
@@ -273,7 +273,6 @@ void LoadFromConfig(void);
 void SaveToConfig(void);
 void CheckConfig(void);
 int ttd_main(int argc, char* argv[]);
-byte GetOSVersion(void);
 
 void DeterminePaths(void);
 char * CDECL str_fmt(const char *str, ...);
diff --git a/hal.h b/hal.h
--- a/hal.h
+++ b/hal.h
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ typedef struct {
 	const char *name;
 	const char *longname;
 	const void *drv;
-	uint32 flags;
 } DriverDesc;
 
 enum {
diff --git a/os2.c b/os2.c
--- a/os2.c
+++ b/os2.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "stdafx.h"
 #include "openttd.h"
+#include "hal.h"
 #include "variables.h"
 #include "string.h"
 #include "table/strings.h"
@@ -28,16 +29,6 @@
 
 #include <i86.h>
 
-#include "sound/null_s.h"
-#include "sound/sdl_s.h"
-
-#include "video/dedicated_v.h"
-#include "video/null_v.h"
-#include "video/sdl_v.h"
-
-#include "music/null_m.h"
-#include "music/os2_m.h"
-
 static inline int strcasecmp(const char* s1, const char* s2)
 {
 	return stricmp(s1, s2);
@@ -432,38 +423,6 @@ void FiosDelete(const char *name)
 	unlink(path);
 }
 
-const DriverDesc _video_driver_descs[] = {
-	{	"null",			"Null Video Driver",		&_null_video_driver,		0},
-#if defined(WITH_SDL)
-	{	"sdl",			"SDL Video Driver",			&_sdl_video_driver,			1},
-#endif
-#ifdef ENABLE_NETWORK
-	{	"dedicated",	"Dedicated Video Driver",	&_dedicated_video_driver,	0},
-#endif
-	{	NULL,			NULL,						NULL,						0}
-};
-
-const DriverDesc _sound_driver_descs[] = {
-	{	"null",	"Null Sound Driver",	&_null_sound_driver,		0},
-#if defined(WITH_SDL)
-	{	"sdl",	"SDL Sound Driver",		&_sdl_sound_driver,			1},
-#endif
-	{	NULL,	NULL,					NULL,						0}
-};
-
-const DriverDesc _music_driver_descs[] = {
-	{	"os2",		"OS/2 Music Driver",		&_os2_music_driver,			0},
-	{   "null",     "Null Music Driver",	    &_null_music_driver,	    1},
-	{	NULL,		NULL,						NULL,						0}
-};
-
-/* GetOSVersion returns the minimal required version of OS to be able to use that driver.
-	 Not needed for OS/2. */
-byte GetOSVersion(void)
-{
-	return 2;  // any arbitrary number bigger then 0
-}
-
 bool FileExists(const char *filename)
 {
 	return access(filename, 0) == 0;
diff --git a/unix.c b/unix.c
--- a/unix.c
+++ b/unix.c
@@ -9,17 +9,6 @@
 #include "hal.h"
 #include "variables.h"
 
-#include "music/bemidi.h"
-#include "music/extmidi.h"
-#include "music/null_m.h"
-
-#include "sound/null_s.h"
-#include "sound/sdl_s.h"
-
-#include "video/dedicated_v.h"
-#include "video/null_v.h"
-#include "video/sdl_v.h"
-
 #include <dirent.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
@@ -369,53 +358,6 @@ void FiosDelete(const char *name)
 	unlink(path);
 }
 
-const DriverDesc _video_driver_descs[] = {
-	{"null",	"Null Video Driver",	&_null_video_driver,	0},
-#if defined(WITH_SDL)
-	{ "sdl",	"SDL Video Driver",		&_sdl_video_driver,		1},
-#endif
-#ifdef ENABLE_NETWORK
-	{ "dedicated", "Dedicated Video Driver", &_dedicated_video_driver, 0},
-#endif
-	{ NULL,		NULL,									NULL,									0}
-};
-
-const DriverDesc _sound_driver_descs[] = {
-	{"null",	"Null Sound Driver",	&_null_sound_driver,		0},
-#if defined(WITH_SDL)
-	{ "sdl",	"SDL Sound Driver",		&_sdl_sound_driver,			1},
-#endif
-	{ NULL,		NULL,									NULL,										0}
-};
-
-#if defined(__APPLE__)
-#define EXTMIDI_PRI 2
-#else
-#define EXTMIDI_PRI 0
-#endif
-
-const DriverDesc _music_driver_descs[] = {
-#ifndef __BEOS__
-#if !defined(__MORPHOS__) && !defined(__AMIGA__)
-// MorphOS and AmigaOS have no music support
-	{"extmidi",	"External MIDI Driver",	&_extmidi_music_driver,	EXTMIDI_PRI},
-#endif
-#endif
-#ifdef __BEOS__
-	{ "bemidi",	"BeOS MIDI Driver",			&_bemidi_music_driver,	1},
-#endif
-	{   "null",	"Null Music Driver",		&_null_music_driver,		1},
-	{     NULL,	NULL,										NULL,										0}
-};
-
-/* GetOSVersion returns the minimal required version of OS to be able to use that driver.
-	 Not needed for *nix. */
-byte GetOSVersion(void)
-{
-	return 2;  // any arbitrary number bigger than 0
-				// numbers lower than 2 breaks default music selection on mac
-}
-
 bool FileExists(const char *filename)
 {
 	return access(filename, 0) == 0;
diff --git a/video/dedicated_v.c b/video/dedicated_v.c
--- a/video/dedicated_v.c
+++ b/video/dedicated_v.c
@@ -86,14 +86,14 @@ static void CreateWindowsConsoleThread(v
 	if (hThread == NULL)
 		error("Cannot create console thread!");
 
-	DEBUG(misc, 0) ("Windows console thread started...");
+	DEBUG(driver, 1) ("Windows console thread started...");
 }
 
 static void CloseWindowsConsoleThread(void)
 {
 	CloseHandle(hThread);
 	CloseHandle(hEvent);
-	DEBUG(misc, 0) ("Windows console thread shut down...");
+	DEBUG(driver, 1) ("Windows console thread shut down...");
 }
 
 #endif
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ static const char *DedicatedVideoStart(c
 	OS2_SwitchToConsoleMode();
 #endif
 
-	DEBUG(misc,0)("Loading dedicated server...");
+	DEBUG(driver, 1)("Loading dedicated server...");
 	return NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/video/sdl_v.c b/video/sdl_v.c
--- a/video/sdl_v.c
+++ b/video/sdl_v.c
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ static bool CreateMainSurface(int w, int
 
 	GetAvailableVideoMode(&w, &h);
 
-	DEBUG(misc, 1) ("sdl: using mode %dx%d", w, h);
+	DEBUG(driver, 1) ("sdl: using mode %dx%d", w, h);
 
 	// DO NOT CHANGE TO HWSURFACE, IT DOES NOT WORK
 	newscreen = SDL_CALL SDL_SetVideoMode(w, h, 8, SDL_SWSURFACE | SDL_HWPALETTE | (_fullscreen ? SDL_FULLSCREEN : SDL_RESIZABLE));
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ static const char *SdlVideoStart(const c
 	if (s != NULL) return s;
 
 	SDL_CALL SDL_VideoDriverName(buf, 30);
-	DEBUG(misc, 1) ("sdl: using driver '%s'", buf);
+	DEBUG(driver, 1) ("sdl: using driver '%s'", buf);
 
 	GetVideoModes();
 	CreateMainSurface(_cur_resolution[0], _cur_resolution[1]);
diff --git a/win32.c b/win32.c
--- a/win32.c
+++ b/win32.c
@@ -17,20 +17,6 @@
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include "variables.h"
 #include "win32.h"
-
-#include "driver.h"
-
-#include "music/dmusic.h"
-#include "music/null_m.h"
-#include "music/win32_m.h"
-
-#include "sound/null_s.h"
-#include "sound/sdl_s.h"
-#include "sound/win32_s.h"
-
-#include "video/dedicated_v.h"
-#include "video/null_v.h"
-#include "video/sdl_v.h"
 #include "video/win32_v.h"
 
 static bool _has_console;
@@ -933,73 +919,6 @@ void FiosDelete(const char *name)
 	DeleteFile(path);
 }
 
-#define Windows_2000		5
-#define Windows_NT3_51	4
-
-/* flags show the minimum required OS to use a given feature. Currently
-	 only dwMajorVersion and dwMinorVersion (WindowsME) are used
-														MajorVersion	MinorVersion
-		Windows Server 2003					5							 2				dmusic
-		Windows XP									5							 1				dmusic
-		Windows 2000								5							 0				dmusic
-		Windows NT 4.0							4							 0				win32
-		Windows Me									4							90				dmusic
-		Windows 98									4							10				win32
-		Windows 95									4							 0				win32
-		Windows NT 3.51							3							51				?????
-*/
-
-const DriverDesc _video_driver_descs[] = {
-	{"null", "Null Video Driver",				&_null_video_driver,		0},
-#if defined(WITH_SDL)
-	{"sdl", "SDL Video Driver",					&_sdl_video_driver,			1},
-#endif
-	{"win32", "Win32 GDI Video Driver",	&_win32_video_driver,		Windows_NT3_51},
-#ifdef ENABLE_NETWORK
-	{ "dedicated", "Dedicated Video Driver", &_dedicated_video_driver, 0},
-#endif
-	{ NULL, NULL, NULL, 0 }
-};
-
-const DriverDesc _sound_driver_descs[] = {
-	{"null", "Null Sound Driver",			&_null_sound_driver,	0},
-#if defined(WITH_SDL)
-	{"sdl", "SDL Sound Driver",				&_sdl_sound_driver,		1},
-#endif
-	{"win32", "Win32 WaveOut Driver",	&_win32_sound_driver,	Windows_NT3_51},
-	{ NULL, NULL, NULL, 0 }
-};
-
-const DriverDesc _music_driver_descs[] = {
-	{"null", "Null Music Driver",		&_null_music_driver,				0},
-#ifdef WIN32_ENABLE_DIRECTMUSIC_SUPPORT
-	{"dmusic", "DirectMusic MIDI Driver",	&_dmusic_midi_driver,	Windows_2000},
-#endif
-	// Win32 MIDI driver has higher priority than DMusic, so this one is chosen
-	{"win32", "Win32 MIDI Driver",	&_win32_music_driver,				Windows_NT3_51},
-	{ NULL, NULL, NULL, 0 }
-};
-
-byte GetOSVersion(void)
-{
-	OSVERSIONINFO osvi;
-
-	ZeroMemory(&osvi, sizeof(OSVERSIONINFO));
-	osvi.dwOSVersionInfoSize = sizeof(OSVERSIONINFO);
-
-	if (GetVersionEx(&osvi)) {
-		DEBUG(misc, 2) ("Windows Version is %d.%d", osvi.dwMajorVersion, osvi.dwMinorVersion);
-		// WinME needs directmusic too (dmusic, Windows_2000 mode), all others default to OK
-		if (osvi.dwMajorVersion == 4 && osvi.dwMinorVersion == 90) { return Windows_2000;} // WinME
-
-		return osvi.dwMajorVersion;
-	}
-
-	// GetVersionEx failed, but we can safely assume at least Win95/WinNT3.51 is used
-	DEBUG(misc, 0) ("Windows version retrieval failed, defaulting to level 4");
-	return Windows_NT3_51;
-}
-
 bool FileExists(const char *filename)
 {
 	HANDLE hand = CreateFile(filename, 0, 0, NULL, OPEN_EXISTING, 0, NULL);