POLL: Do you allow Windows Update to install new drivers?


Windows Update by default downloads and install drivers. Do let WU do this?

  • Yes, I let Windows Update install drivers whenever it wants to.

    Votes: 21 42.9%
  • No, I use a group policy to stop all drivers downloads in Windows Update.

    Votes: 16 32.7%
  • No, I use a Registry edit or other means to stop Windows Update from installing drivers.

    Votes: 5 10.2%
  • I use my OEM's support app to update (eg. HP, Dell or Asus etc.)

    Votes: 7 14.3%

  • Total voters
    49

Marcus Vinicus

Semper paratus
Pro User
VIP
Local time
2:03 AM
Posts
2,375
Location
New Zealand
OS
Windows 11 Pro 25H2
Windows Update by default installs and upgrade drivers. How do you handle this on your PC's.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2Intel Core i9 13900KCorsair Dominator Platinum 64gb 5600MT/s DDR5...Sapphire NITRO+ AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Vapor-...
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Homebuilt
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 13900K
    Motherboard
    Asus ProArt Z790 Creator WiFi - Bios 3107
    Memory
    Corsair Dominator Platinum 64gb 5600MT/s DDR5 Dual Channel
    Graphics Card(s)
    Sapphire NITRO+ AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Vapor-X 24GB
    Sound Card
    External DAC: Cambridge Audio DACMagic200M - Headphone Amp: Topping L50
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Panasonic MX950 Mini LED 55" TV 120hz
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160 120hz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 980 Pro 2TB (OS)
    Samsung 980 Pro 1TB (Files)
    Lexar NZ790 4TB
    LaCie d2 Professional 6TB external - USB 3.1
    Seagate Expansion 16TB external - USB 3.2
    Seagate One Touch 18TB external HD - USB 3.0
    PSU
    Corsair RM1200x Shift
    Case
    Corsair RGB Smart Case 5000x (white)
    Cooling
    Corsair iCue H150i Elite Capellix XT
    Keyboard
    Incase Ergonomic USB (Microsoft clone)
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3S
    Internet Speed
    Fibre 900/500 Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Total Security
    Other Info
    AMD Radeon Software & Drivers 26.1.1
    Hasleo Backup Suite
    Dashlane password manager
    Kensington Verimark fingerprint reader
    Logitech Brio 4K webcam
    Orico 10-port powered USB 3.0 hub
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2Intel® Core™ i9-13900H32GB DDR4-3200 Dual channel*Intel Iris Xᵉ Graphics G7
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus Vivobook X1605VA
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i9-13900H
    Motherboard
    Asus X1605VA bios 309
    Memory
    32GB DDR4-3200 Dual channel
    Graphics card(s)
    *Intel Iris Xᵉ Graphics G7
    Sound Card
    Realtek | Intel SST Bluetooth & USB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    16.0-inch, WUXGA 16:10 aspect ratio, IPS-level Panel
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200 60hz
    Hard Drives
    512GB M.2 NVMe™ PCIe® 3.0 SSD
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Ergo Trackball
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Total Security
    Other Info
    720p Webcam
    WiFi & USB to ethernet
With regular image backups, why worry? If owt goes wrong I just restore.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8655AMD Ryzen 7 5825U with Radeon Graphics16GB
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8655
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acemagic LX15PRO
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 5825U with Radeon Graphics
    Memory
    16GB
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    SSD 2TB
    Internet Speed
    30 Mbps
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    Defender/Windows Security
    Other Info
    System 3

    Acer Swift SF114-34 laptop
    OS Windows 11 Pro 26200.8655
    CPU Pentium Silver N6000
    RAM 4GB
    BIOS v1.17
    SSD Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD 2TB (an upgrade)
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 22631.2506Atom N450 1.66GHz2GB
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 22631.2506
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Mini 210-1090NR PC (bought in late 2009!)
    CPU
    Atom N450 1.66GHz
    Memory
    2GB
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    Webroot
I use registry edit to block those evil drivers included in Windows Updates. :D
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Win 11 Home ♦♦♦26200.8655 ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦25H2AMD Ryzen 7 3700XG.Skill (F4-3200C14D-16GTZKW)EVGA RTX 2070 (08G-P4-2171-KR)
    OS
    Win 11 Home ♦♦♦26200.8655 ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® [May 2020]
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
    Motherboard
    Asus Pro WS X570-ACE (BIOS 5302)
    Memory
    G.Skill (F4-3200C14D-16GTZKW)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA RTX 2070 (08G-P4-2171-KR)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220P / ALC S1220A
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell U3011 30"
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1600
    Hard Drives
    2x Samsung 860 EVO 500GB,
    WD 4TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    WD 8TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    DRW-24B1ST CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling 750W Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Cooler Master ATCS 840 Tower
    Cooling
    CM Hyper 212 EVO (push/pull)
    Keyboard
    Ducky DK9008 Shine II Blue LED
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-100
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox (latest)
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Total Security
    Other Info
    Speakers: Klipsch Pro Media 2.1
  • At a glance

    Windows XP Pro 32bit w/SP3AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (OC'd @ 3.2Ghz)TWIN2X2048-6400C4DHX (2 x 1GB, DDR2 800)EVGA 256-P2-N758-TR GeForce 8600GT SSC
    Operating System
    Windows XP Pro 32bit w/SP3
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® (not in use)
    CPU
    AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (OC'd @ 3.2Ghz)
    Motherboard
    ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition
    Memory
    TWIN2X2048-6400C4DHX (2 x 1GB, DDR2 800)
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA 256-P2-N758-TR GeForce 8600GT SSC
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic G90FB Black 19" Professional (CRT)
    Screen Resolution
    up to 2048 x 1536
    Hard Drives
    WD 36GB 10,000rpm Raptor SATA
    Seagate 80GB 7200rpm SATA
    Lite-On LTR-52246S CD/RW
    Lite-On LH-18A1P CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Generic Beige case, 80mm fans
    Cooling
    ZALMAN 9500A 92mm CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    Logitech Classic Keybooard 200
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-BT96a
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox 3.x ??
    Antivirus
    Symantec (Norton)
    Other Info
    Still assembled, still runs. Haven't turned it on for 15 years?
My choice isn't listed, I let Dell's SupportAssist update drivers.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro RTM Version 24H2 Build 26100.4202Intel Core i5 11th Gen. 2.40GHz12GB
    OS
    Win11 Pro RTM Version 24H2 Build 26100.4202
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Vostro 3400
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 11th Gen. 2.40GHz
    Memory
    12GB
    Hard Drives
    256GB SSD NVMe M.2
  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro RTM Version 24H2 Build 26100.4202Intel Core i5 10th Gen. 2.90GHz16GBOnboard, no VGA, using a DisplayPort-to-VGA a...
    Operating System
    Win11 Pro RTM Version 24H2 Build 26100.4202
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Vostro 5890
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 10th Gen. 2.90GHz
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Onboard, no VGA, using a DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" Dell
    Hard Drives
    512GB SSD NVMe, 4TB Seagate HDD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender/Microsoft Security
If you write a poll on here just get used to the critics!
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8655AMD Ryzen 7 5825U with Radeon Graphics16GB
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8655
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acemagic LX15PRO
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 5825U with Radeon Graphics
    Memory
    16GB
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    SSD 2TB
    Internet Speed
    30 Mbps
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    Defender/Windows Security
    Other Info
    System 3

    Acer Swift SF114-34 laptop
    OS Windows 11 Pro 26200.8655
    CPU Pentium Silver N6000
    RAM 4GB
    BIOS v1.17
    SSD Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD 2TB (an upgrade)
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 22631.2506Atom N450 1.66GHz2GB
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 22631.2506
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Mini 210-1090NR PC (bought in late 2009!)
    CPU
    Atom N450 1.66GHz
    Memory
    2GB
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    Webroot
My choice isn't listed, I let Dell's SupportAssist update drivers.
Good point. I've added a new option to the poll.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2Intel Core i9 13900KCorsair Dominator Platinum 64gb 5600MT/s DDR5...Sapphire NITRO+ AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Vapor-...
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Homebuilt
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 13900K
    Motherboard
    Asus ProArt Z790 Creator WiFi - Bios 3107
    Memory
    Corsair Dominator Platinum 64gb 5600MT/s DDR5 Dual Channel
    Graphics Card(s)
    Sapphire NITRO+ AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Vapor-X 24GB
    Sound Card
    External DAC: Cambridge Audio DACMagic200M - Headphone Amp: Topping L50
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Panasonic MX950 Mini LED 55" TV 120hz
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160 120hz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 980 Pro 2TB (OS)
    Samsung 980 Pro 1TB (Files)
    Lexar NZ790 4TB
    LaCie d2 Professional 6TB external - USB 3.1
    Seagate Expansion 16TB external - USB 3.2
    Seagate One Touch 18TB external HD - USB 3.0
    PSU
    Corsair RM1200x Shift
    Case
    Corsair RGB Smart Case 5000x (white)
    Cooling
    Corsair iCue H150i Elite Capellix XT
    Keyboard
    Incase Ergonomic USB (Microsoft clone)
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3S
    Internet Speed
    Fibre 900/500 Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Total Security
    Other Info
    AMD Radeon Software & Drivers 26.1.1
    Hasleo Backup Suite
    Dashlane password manager
    Kensington Verimark fingerprint reader
    Logitech Brio 4K webcam
    Orico 10-port powered USB 3.0 hub
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2Intel® Core™ i9-13900H32GB DDR4-3200 Dual channel*Intel Iris Xᵉ Graphics G7
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus Vivobook X1605VA
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i9-13900H
    Motherboard
    Asus X1605VA bios 309
    Memory
    32GB DDR4-3200 Dual channel
    Graphics card(s)
    *Intel Iris Xᵉ Graphics G7
    Sound Card
    Realtek | Intel SST Bluetooth & USB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    16.0-inch, WUXGA 16:10 aspect ratio, IPS-level Panel
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200 60hz
    Hard Drives
    512GB M.2 NVMe™ PCIe® 3.0 SSD
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Ergo Trackball
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Total Security
    Other Info
    720p Webcam
    WiFi & USB to ethernet
No I use Group Policy to block it
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows11 Pro 26200.8728Intel Core i9 14900F (24 -Core, 68 MB Total C...32GB DDR5RTX 4080 Super w/581.95
    OS
    Windows11 Pro 26200.8728
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Alienware Aurora R16
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 14900F (24 -Core, 68 MB Total Cache)
    Motherboard
    Dell Alienware
    Memory
    32GB DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    RTX 4080 Super w/581.95
    Sound Card
    Realtec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Corsair XENEON 32QHD165
    Screen Resolution
    2560 X 1440
    Hard Drives
    1-2TB Samsung 990 Pro PCIe NVMe M2 SSD
    1-4TB Samsung 990 Pro PCIe NVMe M2 SSD
    PSU
    1000 Watt Platinum Dell
    Case
    Alienware
    Cooling
    Liquid Closed Loop
    Keyboard
    Corsair Strafe RGB
    Mouse
    Logitech MK270 Wireless
    Internet Speed
    100Gb's Down-20 Up
    Browser
    Firefox 152.0.1
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    Very Quiet And Fast
    CyberPower UPS CP1500PFCLCD
  • At a glance

    PClinuxOS Mate (2025.7)13th Gen Inter(R) Core(TM) i3-1315U64 GB DDR4 @3200 MHz.Internal
    Operating System
    PClinuxOS Mate (2025.7)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Intel
    CPU
    13th Gen Inter(R) Core(TM) i3-1315U
    Motherboard
    Intel
    Memory
    64 GB DDR4 @3200 MHz.
    Graphics card(s)
    Internal
    Sound Card
    None
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 2419HGCF
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    SAMSUNG 980 PRO SSD 2TB, PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280
    PSU
    Chicony 30 Watt
    Case
    Small
    Keyboard
    Dell
    Mouse
    Razor
    Internet Speed
    1GB
    Browser
    Slimjet
I don't see a resone why not to let it do it's thing
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 10
OS
Windows 10
Computer type
PC/Desktop
I have had all drivers updated since Win11 is the core drivers need to be up to date, only once since have I had a issue with updates. I would not worry about. But if you get notice of a pending update and it wants to be installed you could create a new restore point in your settings according to copilot this is how
Creating a restore point is a great way to safeguard your system before making any major changes. Here's a step-by-step guide for Windows 10 and 11:

  1. Open the Start Menu: Click on the Start button and type "Create a restore point" in the search bar.
  2. System Properties: Select "Create a restore point" from the search results. This will open the System Properties window.
  3. System Protection Tab: In the System Properties window, go to the "System Protection" tab.
  4. Create a Restore Point: Click on the "Create" button. You'll be prompted to name your restore point. Give it a descriptive name, like "Before Installing Software" or "Before System Update".
  5. Confirm: Click "Create" again to finalize it. You'll see a progress bar, and once it's done, you'll get a confirmation message.
That's it! You've successfully created a restore point. If you ever need to revert your system, you can go back to this window and select "System Restore" to choose the restore point you created.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Win 11 HomeIntel Core Ultra7 Processor16gbIntel Arc
OS
Win 11 Home
Computer type
Laptop
Manufacturer/Model
Dell Inspiron i7640-7366BLU 2 in 1
CPU
Intel Core Ultra7 Processor
Memory
16gb
Graphics Card(s)
Intel Arc
Monitor(s) Displays
on laptop 1XHDMI 1.4
Screen Resolution
1920x1200 Full HD+
Hard Drives
1TB SSD
Keyboard
on laptop / on screen using as tablet
Mouse
Microsoft 3500
Internet Speed
800 mg
Browser
Edge
Antivirus
Defender
I use the Group Policy option because WU has the unfortunate habit with my Sapphire\AMD GPU of installing new drivers without any warning. This screws up the whole thing including the Adrenalin Radeon software. Before I stopped WU updating drivers, I used DDU or the AMD Clean Up utility to wipe out the drivers the start again and reinstall the original drivers/software.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2Intel Core i9 13900KCorsair Dominator Platinum 64gb 5600MT/s DDR5...Sapphire NITRO+ AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Vapor-...
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Homebuilt
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 13900K
    Motherboard
    Asus ProArt Z790 Creator WiFi - Bios 3107
    Memory
    Corsair Dominator Platinum 64gb 5600MT/s DDR5 Dual Channel
    Graphics Card(s)
    Sapphire NITRO+ AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Vapor-X 24GB
    Sound Card
    External DAC: Cambridge Audio DACMagic200M - Headphone Amp: Topping L50
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Panasonic MX950 Mini LED 55" TV 120hz
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160 120hz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 980 Pro 2TB (OS)
    Samsung 980 Pro 1TB (Files)
    Lexar NZ790 4TB
    LaCie d2 Professional 6TB external - USB 3.1
    Seagate Expansion 16TB external - USB 3.2
    Seagate One Touch 18TB external HD - USB 3.0
    PSU
    Corsair RM1200x Shift
    Case
    Corsair RGB Smart Case 5000x (white)
    Cooling
    Corsair iCue H150i Elite Capellix XT
    Keyboard
    Incase Ergonomic USB (Microsoft clone)
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3S
    Internet Speed
    Fibre 900/500 Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Total Security
    Other Info
    AMD Radeon Software & Drivers 26.1.1
    Hasleo Backup Suite
    Dashlane password manager
    Kensington Verimark fingerprint reader
    Logitech Brio 4K webcam
    Orico 10-port powered USB 3.0 hub
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2Intel® Core™ i9-13900H32GB DDR4-3200 Dual channel*Intel Iris Xᵉ Graphics G7
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus Vivobook X1605VA
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i9-13900H
    Motherboard
    Asus X1605VA bios 309
    Memory
    32GB DDR4-3200 Dual channel
    Graphics card(s)
    *Intel Iris Xᵉ Graphics G7
    Sound Card
    Realtek | Intel SST Bluetooth & USB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    16.0-inch, WUXGA 16:10 aspect ratio, IPS-level Panel
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200 60hz
    Hard Drives
    512GB M.2 NVMe™ PCIe® 3.0 SSD
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Ergo Trackball
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Total Security
    Other Info
    720p Webcam
    WiFi & USB to ethernet
There is this tutorial here at these forums which may be helpful.

 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2Intel Core i9 13900KCorsair Dominator Platinum 64gb 5600MT/s DDR5...Sapphire NITRO+ AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Vapor-...
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Homebuilt
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 13900K
    Motherboard
    Asus ProArt Z790 Creator WiFi - Bios 3107
    Memory
    Corsair Dominator Platinum 64gb 5600MT/s DDR5 Dual Channel
    Graphics Card(s)
    Sapphire NITRO+ AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Vapor-X 24GB
    Sound Card
    External DAC: Cambridge Audio DACMagic200M - Headphone Amp: Topping L50
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Panasonic MX950 Mini LED 55" TV 120hz
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160 120hz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 980 Pro 2TB (OS)
    Samsung 980 Pro 1TB (Files)
    Lexar NZ790 4TB
    LaCie d2 Professional 6TB external - USB 3.1
    Seagate Expansion 16TB external - USB 3.2
    Seagate One Touch 18TB external HD - USB 3.0
    PSU
    Corsair RM1200x Shift
    Case
    Corsair RGB Smart Case 5000x (white)
    Cooling
    Corsair iCue H150i Elite Capellix XT
    Keyboard
    Incase Ergonomic USB (Microsoft clone)
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3S
    Internet Speed
    Fibre 900/500 Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Total Security
    Other Info
    AMD Radeon Software & Drivers 26.1.1
    Hasleo Backup Suite
    Dashlane password manager
    Kensington Verimark fingerprint reader
    Logitech Brio 4K webcam
    Orico 10-port powered USB 3.0 hub
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2Intel® Core™ i9-13900H32GB DDR4-3200 Dual channel*Intel Iris Xᵉ Graphics G7
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus Vivobook X1605VA
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i9-13900H
    Motherboard
    Asus X1605VA bios 309
    Memory
    32GB DDR4-3200 Dual channel
    Graphics card(s)
    *Intel Iris Xᵉ Graphics G7
    Sound Card
    Realtek | Intel SST Bluetooth & USB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    16.0-inch, WUXGA 16:10 aspect ratio, IPS-level Panel
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200 60hz
    Hard Drives
    512GB M.2 NVMe™ PCIe® 3.0 SSD
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Ergo Trackball
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Total Security
    Other Info
    720p Webcam
    WiFi & USB to ethernet
Nope. GPO to set manual download and install for ALL updates + no driver updates reg + WuMgr to do the manual installs/ hide unwanted
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro
OS
Windows 11 Pro
I block driver updates in Group Policy. My reason for doing that is experience with Windows occasionally replacing new drivers with older ones, such as current Nvidia drivers I install.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 ProIntel Core Ultra 265KTeamGroup T-Force Vulcan DDR5 6400MHz 32GBMSI GeForce RTX 3050
OS
Windows 11 Pro
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Self Build
CPU
Intel Core Ultra 265K
Motherboard
Gigabyte Z890 AOROS Elite
Memory
TeamGroup T-Force Vulcan DDR5 6400MHz 32GB
Graphics Card(s)
MSI GeForce RTX 3050
Sound Card
GPU NVIDIA High Definition Audio via HDMI to Denon AVR-S670BT Receiver
Monitor(s) Displays
LG 32UN650 32" 4k
Screen Resolution
3840x2160 @ 60Hz (175% scaling)
Hard Drives
Samsung 980 Pro NVMe 1TB x2
PSU
Corsair RM850x
Case
be quiet! Pure Base 600
Cooling
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120SE & be quiet! Silent Wings Pro x3 case fans
Keyboard
Arteck Backlit USB Wired
Mouse
Logitech M510
Internet Speed
500Mb down/12Mb up
Browser
Firefox & Edge
Antivirus
Windows Defender & Free MBAM
Other Info
Main PC
Sometimes . . . ;-)

I use Dell and Intel primarily, with occasional Windows Update drivers
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (OS Build 26200.8246)Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E3-1535M v5 @ 2.90 Max T...64GB DDR4 ECC (Error-Correcting Code memory)NVIDIA Quadro M2000M 4GB GDDR5 & Intel(R) HD ...
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (OS Build 26200.8246)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Precision Mobile Workstation
    CPU
    Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E3-1535M v5 @ 2.90 Max Turbo 3.80
    Motherboard
    00V5FJ
    Memory
    64GB DDR4 ECC (Error-Correcting Code memory)
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Quadro M2000M 4GB GDDR5 & Intel(R) HD Graphics P530
    Sound Card
    Realtek Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15.6" 4K UltraHD
    Screen Resolution
    4K UHD 3840x2160
    Hard Drives
    2TB Crucial NVMe & 2TB Seagate SATA
    PSU
    Dell 180W 19.5V-9.23A
    Keyboard
    Backlit
    Mouse
    Logitech G703 & Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    WIFI: Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6E AX210NGW(Gig+) 160MHz Bands 2.4GHz(574Mbps), 5GHz 2.4Gbps, 6 GHz (160MHz) 2.4Gbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender/Microsoft Security + additional Anti Spyware, Anti Malware, etc.
    Other Info
    Thunderbolt 3
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 (OS Build 26100.6725)Dual (X2) Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2690 0 @ 2....64GB DDR3 ECC (Error-Correcting Code memory)NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB of GDDR5
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 (OS Build 26100.6725)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Precision Workstation T5610
    CPU
    Dual (X2) Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2690 0 @ 2.90GHz Max Turbo 3.80
    Motherboard
    0WN7Y6
    Memory
    64GB DDR3 ECC (Error-Correcting Code memory)
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB of GDDR5
    Sound Card
    Realtek Audio & NVIDIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    3 Acer Monitors
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    2 Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM008-2UB102 (RAID)
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
Sometimes . . . ;-)

I use Dell and Intel primarily, with occasional Windows Update drivers
Ditto, I use a combination of all three. Kind of depends who gets the latest driver first. Back on Jan 19th Dell Support surprised me by getting video driver 566.41 before NVIDIA. Usually Dell is way behind in driver updates.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 25H2Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24-Core)64GB DDR5 6400MT/sNVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 and Intel UHD Graphics
    OS
    Windows 11 25H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware 18 Area-51
    CPU
    Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24-Core)
    Motherboard
    Alienware
    Memory
    64GB DDR5 6400MT/s
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 and Intel UHD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Onboard, Realtek high-performance Audio chips (ALC3329 & ALC1708))
    Monitor(s) Displays
    300HZ 18-inch QHD 500 nit Comfort View+
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1600
    Hard Drives
    2TB NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen 5 SSD
    Case
    Magnesium Alloy
    Cooling
    Advanced Cryo-Tech Quad-Fan Cooling system & large vapor chamber
    Keyboard
    Cherry MX ultra low profile mechanical keyboard with per key AlienFX RGB lighting
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 4
    Browser
    Vivaldi (main), Firefox, Chrome, Edge
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 25H2Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (12 Core) ARM bas...16GB LPDDR5Qualcomm Adreno X1-85
    Operating System
    Windows 11 25H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 7
    CPU
    Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (12 Core) ARM based CPU
    Motherboard
    Microsoft Corp.
    Memory
    16GB LPDDR5
    Graphics card(s)
    Qualcomm Adreno X1-85
    Sound Card
    Omnisonic speakers with Dolby Atmos spatial sound
    Monitor(s) Displays
    120 Hz 13.8-inch 600 nit PixelSense Flow touchscreen
    Screen Resolution
    2304x1536
    Hard Drives
    1TB NVMe Gen 4 SSD
    Case
    Anodized Aluminum
    Cooling
    Traditional active cooling fan system
    Keyboard
    Mechanical QWERTY, backlit when in use
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 4 and Surface Arc Mouse
    Browser
    Vivaldi (main), Firefox, Chrome, Edge
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free
Windows Updates includes most drivers as an optional update, you have to manually select each.
Still those are heavily outdated like Realtek LAN is from 2017, so I manually update them myself.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Home26H2CanAMD Ryzen 5 8600G (07/24)2x32GB Kingston FURY DDR5 5600 MHz CL36 @5200...ASROCK Radeon RX 6600 Challenger D 8G @48FPS ...
OS
Home26H2Can
Computer type
PC/Desktop
CPU
AMD Ryzen 5 8600G (07/24)
Motherboard
ASROCK B650M-HDV/M.2 (07/24) BIOS 4.21 AGESA ComboAM5 1.3.0.1 (04/26)
Memory
2x32GB Kingston FURY DDR5 5600 MHz CL36 @5200 CL36 (07/24)
Graphics Card(s)
ASROCK Radeon RX 6600 Challenger D 8G @48FPS (08/24)
Sound Card
Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus (05/24)
Monitor(s) Displays
24" Philips 24M1N3200ZS/00 (05/24)
Screen Resolution
1920×1080@165Hz via DP1.4
Hard Drives
Kingston KC3000 NVMe 2TB (05/24)
ADATA XPG GAMMIX S11 Pro 512GB (07/19)
PSU
Seasonic Core GM 550 Gold (04/24)
Case
Fractal Design Define 7 Mini with 3x Noctua NF-P14s/12@555rpm (04/24)
Cooling
Noctua NH-U12S with Noctua NF-P12 (04/24)
Keyboard
HP Pavilion Wired Keyboard 300 (07/24) + Rabalux 76017 Parker (01/24)
Mouse
Logitech M330 Silent Plus (01/26)
Internet Speed
500/100 Mbps via RouterOS (05/21) & TCP Optimizer
Browser
Edge, Brave for YouTube, LibreWolf for FB
Antivirus
NextDNS blocking 1/3 Traffic
Other Info
Phone: Motorola Moto G86 (02/26)
Backup: Hasleo Backup Suite (PreOS)
Headphones: Sennheiser RS170 (09/10)
Chair: Huzaro Force 4.4 Grey Mesh (05/24)
Notifier: Xiaomi Mi Band 9 Milanese (10/24)
FlexCore USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (M) to LAN (F) (08/25)
Blocked via Group Policy for me.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Win 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8655Intel® Core™ i7-14700KG.SKILL Ripjaws S5 Series 64GB (2 x 32GB) DDR5ASUS GeForce RTX 4070 Super 12GB
    OS
    Win 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8655
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Self Built
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i7-14700K
    Motherboard
    ASUS TUF Z690-PLUS WIFI BIOS 4505 11/29/25
    Memory
    G.SKILL Ripjaws S5 Series 64GB (2 x 32GB) DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS GeForce RTX 4070 Super 12GB
    Sound Card
    Sound Blaster AE-5 Plus
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS TUF Gaming 27" 2K HDR Gaming
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 990 Pro 1TB NVMe (Win 11 25H2)
    SK hynix P41 500GB NVMe 25H2 DEV/Games
    SK hynix P41 2TB NVMe (x3)
    Crucial P3 Plus 4TB
    PSU
    Corsair RM850x Shift
    Case
    Antec Dark Phantom DP502 FLUX
    Cooling
    Corsair Nautilus 360 RS AIO
    Keyboard
    Logitech MK 320
    Mouse
    Razer Basilisk V3
    Internet Speed
    750Mbs
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Winows Security
    Other Info
    MR 8.1 Home
  • At a glance

    Win 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8655Intel Core i7-11700F64 GB DDR4MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Ventus 2X 12GB
    Operating System
    Win 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8655
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Self Built
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-11700F
    Motherboard
    Asus TUF Gaming Z590 Plus WiFi (BIOS 2803)
    Memory
    64 GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Ventus 2X 12GB
    Sound Card
    SoundBlaster Audigy Fx V2
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung F27T350
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 980 Pro 1TB
    Samsung 970 EVO Plus 2TB
    Samsung 870 EVO 500GB SSD
    PSU
    Corsair HX750
    Case
    Cougar MX330-G Window
    Cooling
    Thermalright Frozen Edge 240 Black AIO
    Internet Speed
    350Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Security
  • System Three
    Win 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8655
    ASUS PRIME Z370-P II BIOS 3004 7/12/21
    Intel Core i7-8700 CPU @ 3.20GHz
    32GB DDR4 RAM (4x8)
    iGPU Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Mid-Tower Desktop
i let win update take care of the drivers along with updates from AMD.
i use driver store explorer to keep an eye on drivers as i can remove any that are causing problems
or remove old redundant drivers. just to add i haven’t had any problems with win driver updates, thus far.

best of luck, Steve ..
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Debian 13 KDE .. Windows 11 HomeRyzen 7 5825u64GB DDR4 3200Ryzen 7 5825u
    OS
    Debian 13 KDE .. Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP 24" AiO
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 5825u
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    64GB DDR4 3200
    Graphics Card(s)
    Ryzen 7 5825u
    Sound Card
    RealTek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" HP AiO
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080 @60 Hz
    Hard Drives
    1TB WD Blue SN580 M2 SSD Partitioned.
    2x 1TB USB HDD External Backup/Storage.
    PSU
    90W external power brick
    Case
    24" All in One
    Cooling
    Default Air Cooling
    Keyboard
    HP WiFi UK extended
    Mouse
    HP WiFi 3 Button
    Internet Speed
    1GB full fibre
    Browser
    Edge & Firefox
    Antivirus
    AVG Internet Security/Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Mainly Open Source Software
  • At a glance

    Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTSi5 7200u16GB DDR4Intel
    Operating System
    Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell 13" Latitude 2017
    CPU
    i5 7200u
    Motherboard
    Dell
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel
    Sound Card
    Intel
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13" Dell Laptop
    Hard Drives
    250GB Crucial 2.5" SSD
    Mouse
    Generic WiFi 3 button
    Internet Speed
    WiFi only
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    ClamAV TK
    Other Info
    Mainly Open Source Software
I'm rarely offered new drivers through windows update, but when I am I usually jump at the chance as I've found them to work better than anything else.

The exception would be gpu drivers, but I haven't had a fancy gpu in 20 years. With gpus it's hard to tell which are best without installing then benching and comparing to other versions.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-14900KCorsair 128GB (4x32GB) DDR5 5600MT/S CL40 Mem...Onboard
OS
Windows 11
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Intel
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-14900K
Motherboard
GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS Elite X WIFI7
Memory
Corsair 128GB (4x32GB) DDR5 5600MT/S CL40 Memory Kit
Graphics Card(s)
Onboard
Sound Card
Onboard
Monitor(s) Displays
43 inch 4k
Screen Resolution
2k (2560 x 1440)
Hard Drives
WD_BLACK 1TB NVMe SSD with Heatsink 7300 mb/s
PSU
MEG Ai1300P PCIE 5 & ATX 3.0 PSU 1300 watts
Case
Phanteks (PH-ES614PTG_BK) Enthoo Pro ATX , Tempered Glass, Integrated RGB Lighting
Cooling
ENERMAX LIQMAXFLO 360mm A-RGB AIO CPU Liquid Cooler
Keyboard
Wireless logitech
Mouse
Wireless logitech
So does anyone here use a third-party driver manager? I have read where they are a waste of money (at best) and a waste of effort even if free.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 2H25AMD 9900X64 GBAMD 9070 XT
OS
Windows 11 2H25
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
DIY
CPU
AMD 9900X
Motherboard
MSI X870E Carbon
Memory
64 GB
Graphics Card(s)
AMD 9070 XT
Sound Card
built-in
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell 24"
Hard Drives
Sabrent 1 TB NVMe, 4 x SSD (need to check models), 4 x 3.5" HDD, 8-16 TB, all WD
PSU
Seasonic 850
Case
Fractal Design North XL (which I likw)
Cooling
Corsair AIO for CPU, fans for case
Keyboard
Das Keyboard 4
Mouse
Corsair M65 (white)
Internet Speed
1 TB download
Browser
Firefox
Antivirus
Bitdefender
Other Info
Also have Lenovo T14S laptop (me) and Lenovo Slim 71 (wife)

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