Upgrading from Windows 7 to 8 - driver question

Hi,

I'm planning on upgrading my Windows 7 system to Windows 8 and need some advice on drivers.

My Windows 7 system is made by HP and comes with their drivers. There doesn't appear to be Windows 8 versions for some of the devices, so I'm guessing any clean install of Windows 8 will result in the installation of Microsoft drivers.

I use external USB drives a lot for backing up photos. I also use a hardware calibration device for editing photos on my monitor. Would the Microsoft drivers be reliable and perform well for USB devices like my external hard drives?

Thanks for any advice offered.