Solved Automatic video driver update driving me up the wall.

Subscriber43 · Mar 27, 2022

I clean installed Win 11 Dev from the most recent ISO, and all went well. Windows started to download display driver from Microsoft. No way I could stop it, so I let it finish.
That's when the trouble started. I installed my Radeon drivers from AMD and rebooted. Then, I noticed Windows was downloading another display driver. No way I could stop this, too, so I let it finish.
At this point, I have three display drivers installed. No problem, I thought. I temporarily disabled updates, and used the AMD Cleanup Utility to remove all these drivers.
Then, I reinstalled my preferred driver. So far so good. I reinstalled all my software (Microsoft 365 etc.).

Used the computer for about an hour. Smooth sailing. Windows was performing quite nicely.
Then, I re-enabled Windows update. In horror, I watched helplessly as Windows downloaded the first driver again, then asked me to reboot, after which it downloaded the second (newer) driver again. So, I am back at square one.

These Windows drivers are dogs (no reflection on actual dogs). They perform poorly.
I have spent the last fer hours searching the web, but any solutions I tried do not help. These drivers are zombie-like in their ability to rise from the bit-bucket.

Any help would be seriously appreciated.

Archigos · Mar 27, 2022

Uninstall all the drivers (again) and disable Windows Update for now. Go to the link at the bottom of this post and download the file. It's by Microsoft so it's good... run the file, click "Next", click "Hide Updates" and it should hopefully show the drivers listed. Select them if possible and continue following the app. If this works, you can re-enable Windows Update and reinstall the AMD Drivers without worry.

Download Microsoft Show or Hide Updates Troubleshooter - MajorGeeks

Microsoft Show or Hide Updates Troubleshooter can assist you in uninstalling a problematic Windows Update and preventing that update from installing until the next Windows Update. Click on wushowhide.diagcab and then click on Next in the lower right corner. After scanning, you can Hide Updates...

www.majorgeeks.com

Subscriber43 · Mar 27, 2022

Archigos said:
Uninstall all the drivers (again) and disable Windows Update for now. Go to the link at the bottom of this post and download the file. It's by Microsoft so it's good... run the file, click "Next", click "Hide Updates" and it should hopefully show the drivers listed. Select them if possible and continue following the app. If this works, you can re-enable Windows Update and reinstall the AMD Drivers without worry.

Download Microsoft Show or Hide Updates Troubleshooter - MajorGeeks

Microsoft Show or Hide Updates Troubleshooter can assist you in uninstalling a problematic Windows Update and preventing that update from installing until the next Windows Update. Click on wushowhide.diagcab and then click on Next in the lower right corner. After scanning, you can Hide Updates...

www.majorgeeks.com

View attachment 25571 View attachment 25572

Okay, thanks. Trying this now.

Subscriber43 · Mar 27, 2022

Okay, I uninstalled all the drivers, then disabled Windows Update.
Then I ran the wushowhide file, but it did not show any updates (possibly because update is off). I am going to re-enable and check for updates, then go from there.

Archigos · Mar 27, 2022

I didn't disable Windows Update when I ran it, so you're right, it may have blocked them... Turn it on and run that ASAP (before it gets the chance to download the bad driver).

Subscriber43 · Mar 27, 2022

Archigos said:
I didn't disable Windows Update when I ran it, so you're right, it may have blocked them... Turn it on and run that ASAP (before it gets the chance to download the bad driver).

Okay, I caught the first driver update. Not seeing the second. Maybe it's dependent on the first being installed?
Will keep at it. Nothing to lose (except time). Nifty little tool there, though. Thanks for pointing me to it.

Archigos · Mar 27, 2022

Based on the way you explained it, I assumed the second was dependent on the first so taking care of that one solves the second automatically.

If you've solved your problem, please scroll to just above the first post and mark it as solved to let others know.

Subscriber43 · Mar 27, 2022

Archigos said:
Based on the way you explained it, I assumed the second was dependent on the first so taking care of that one solves the second automatically.

If you've solved your problem, please scroll to just above the first post and mark it as solved to let others know.

Will do. Thanks again.

Try3 · Mar 28, 2022

You'll also find guidance on the tool & a better download link in
Hide or Show Windows Updates - TenForumsTutorials
This tutorial hasn't yet been copied across into ElevenForum but, when it is, it will be exactly the same.
The TenForumsTutorials direct download link for the tool wushowhide.diagcab still works and it currently provides a 2021 version of the tool. The MajorGeeks download is the original 2015 version.

MS have withdrawn their explanatory KBs on the subject [at some stage since late 2017].

Denis

CornishRattler · Mar 28, 2022

What version of Windows are you running. home or pro? If pro then you can disable driver updates with WU altogether in GPedit

Ghot · Mar 28, 2022

You can disable driver updates with Winaero Tweaker also.

CornishRattler · Mar 28, 2022

Ghot said:
You can disable driver updates with Winaero Tweaker also.

Ah, I don't use it but good to know for future reference

Subscriber43 · Mar 28, 2022

Try3 said:
You'll also find guidance on the tool & a better download link in
Hide or Show Windows Updates - TenForumsTutorials
This tutorial hasn't yet been copied across into ElevenForum but, when it is, it will be exactly the same.
The TenForumsTutorials direct download link for the tool wushowhide.diagcab still works and it currently provides a 2021 version of the tool. The MajorGeeks download is the original 2015 version.

MS have withdrawn their explanatory KBs on the subject [at some stage since late 2017].

Denis

Thanks. Tool downloaded.

Subscriber43 · Mar 28, 2022

CornishRattler said:
What version of Windows are you running. home or pro? If pro then you can disable driver updates with WU altogether in GPedit

Home, but I don't want to disable all driver updates, just video drivers updates. Is that possible?

Subscriber43 · Mar 28, 2022

Ghot said:
You can disable driver updates with Winaero Tweaker also.

View attachment 25576

like @CornishRattler, I've never used it, but thanks for the heads-up.

CornishRattler · Mar 28, 2022

Subscriber43 said:
Home, but I don't want to disable all driver updates, just video drivers updates. Is that possible?

Probably not, there's only the 1 option.

Subscriber43 · Mar 28, 2022

I see. I guess I will have to use that show/hide tool if this happens again. Thanks again.

Archigos · Mar 28, 2022

Try3 said:
You'll also find guidance on the tool & a better download link in
Hide or Show Windows Updates - TenForumsTutorials

Thanks for this, I forgot to check TenForums before making my post... and I honestly didn't know the MajorGeeks version was so old, I just knew it worked.

Dch48 · Mar 29, 2022

There's a much easier way to prevent Windows Update from installing drivers. It will still download them but they will be shown as optional updates and you can choose to install them or not. Here is the procedure.

Click on Start, Settings, System, About, Advanced System Settings. Then click on the Hardware tab and then Device Installation Settings. Select the NO button and save the changes. Ignore the warning. There are no adverse effects.