a dynamically loadable file , such as a dynamically loadable device driver or library , is delayed from being unloaded from memory for improved memory management and processing operations including reduced unload / load cycles . prior to terminating execution of select functions , a dynamically loadable driver spawns a delay process that loads the driver and keeps it loaded for a period of time beyond that which it would normally be loaded . thus , even after a calling process unloads the driver , it remains loaded for a period of time longer because of the spawned delay process and allows the operating system or an application / process to use the driver again within the delay time without requiring the driver to be re - copied into memory or re - initialized . the delay process safely increments the operating system reference count for the driver to keep the driver loaded and then monitors a delay time to subsequently unload the driver .