Old display driver keeps installing over a newer driver

I have an older notebook with a 6th gen i7 that uses the Intel CPU graphics. I installed the latest driver which is a version 31.0.101.2111. Windows keeps insisting on installing the older version 31.0.101.2003.

Normally, I would resolve this by running the Windows Show or Hide Updates Troubleshooter utility. However, when I run that utility the Intel display driver is not shown, as a result I cannot block it. Likewise, if I check for updates in Windows, the display driver is not shown. What's odd is that sometime within the next few days I'll find the laptop again reverted to the older version, so at some point Windows update must see that older version once again. Note that this happens even if I completely remove the old driver from the system.

This is the first time that I have not been able to block an older driver from being installed.

Any ideas on an alternative method to block this driver?

I've had this issue with AMD drivers for a long while and wushowhide worked. The only thing was I had to remember to run it after every Dev channel update (weekly) and sometimes forgot. Having to go through the rigamarole for uninstalling the older one and installing the newer again. Have now given up and let the older driver stay. One other thing that worked was installing the new driver then let WU reinstall the older one. Once done was to roll back the driver (to the new one ) if it was available to roll back, or in device manager selecting update driver, browse my comp...., let me pick from a list of available drivers....... and reinstalling the new driver and leaving the older one still 'installed'. This would keep WU from then offering to install the older driver again.

Is the old driver causing problems? It may be that Windows has determined the old(er) driver is the better driver (or Microsoft has not "approved" the new driver). So, if it's not causing any problems ... Meh.

Thanks for the suggestions. Yes - I can rollback the driver, and in fact that is what I have been doing so far. The driver is being installed by Windows update is not causing any problems, it's more a curiosity as to how to prevent it from downgrading than anything at this time.

In the meantime I have discovered that because I am running the Pro edition of Windows, there is a Group Policy setting to disallow driver updates for any devices that you specify. Of course, that also prevents manual updates, not just automatic updates. But my hope is that in a few days, when Windows would normally apply the "upgrade" (really a downgrade), since it cannot be installed it will still hopefully show up in the troubleshooter tool at which point I can then block the update. If I can successfully block it, then I can remove that group policy so that any future "real" updates can be installed.

Likely not much new here but these are some of the latest links for Windows 11:


These were options for Windows 10: