Windows Update - Why are some drivers forced but others are optional?


barreleye

Active member
Member
Local time
10:38 AM
Posts
173
OS
Windows 11
This happens in the latest Windows 11 and 10, and it's nothing new. For example, today, "Apricorn - USB - 21.46.5.13" appears alongside a Windows cumulative update as "Pending Download", and there is no way to opt out. OTOH, under Optional Updates -> Driver Updates, there are various items from Realtek, HP, etc. I do use Apricorn Aegis secure USB thumb drives, so it sort of makes sense, but they only use Windows built-in drivers, which I see when I bring up the file properties and look at the drivers they use. I can find no Apricorn drivers on my hard drive or when using Autoruns. It's not even a naming thing in Device Manager like with some chipset drivers. The only evidence after the fact is that the update appears in Driver Updates under Windows Update History, which unhelpfully gives on further information. Can anyone explain what's going on here?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
This happens in the latest Windows 11 and 10, and it's nothing new. For example, today, "Apricorn - USB - 21.46.5.13" appears alongside a Windows cumulative update as "Pending Download", and there is no way to opt out. OTOH, under Optional Updates -> Driver Updates, there are various items from Realtek, HP, etc. I do use Apricorn Aegis secure USB thumb drives, so it sort of makes sense, but they only use Windows built-in drivers, which I see when I bring up the file properties and look at the drivers they use. I can find no Apricorn drivers on my hard drive or when using Autoruns. It's not even a naming thing in Device Manager like with some chipset drivers. The only evidence after the fact is that the update appears in Driver Updates under Windows Update History, which unhelpfully gives on further information. Can anyone explain what's going on here?
It could be that these are necessary to run things, like your USB thumb drive that's tied to Windows. Without the new driver, the device might stop working.

For optional drivers, those are usually improvements and bug fixes, but the old drivers work.

That's just my guess, mind you. :)
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro Beta
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home built
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 5900X
    Motherboard
    MSI MPG X570S Edge Max WiFi
    Memory
    Patriot Viper Gaming DDR4 Extreme Performance (2 x32MB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ZOTAC RTX 3060 Twin Edge OC 12GB GDDR6/ ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB GDDR6 192-bit Gaming Graphics Card
    Sound Card
    Proprietary
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic XG2530 25"/Benq XL2411P 24"/ ASUS VA24DQSB) 23.8"
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 240Hz/144Hz/60Hz (based on monitor setup above)
    Hard Drives
    SK hynix Gold P31 1TB PCIe NVMe Gen3 M.2 2280 Internal SSD
    ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 1TB
    Samsung SSD 860 EVO 1TB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD
    PSU
    Thermaltake Smart 700W 80+ White Certified PSU
    Case
    Rosewill ATX Mid Tower Gaming Computer Case, Gaming Case with Blue LED for Desktop
    Cooling
    Corsair iCUE H60i RGB PRO XT Liquid CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    ~950Mb/s upload/ ~700Mb/s download
    Browser
    Edge (Chromium)
    Antivirus
    Norton 360
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 3700X
    Motherboard
    MSI B550 Gaming GEN3 Gaming Motherboard
    Memory
    32MB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    I forget, but it's old. I can't see the need to upgrade it.
    Sound Card
    Propietary
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ACER LED 24"
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung SSD 3.5"
    Case
    Corsair
    Cooling
    Stock
    Mouse
    Logitech
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Internet Speed
    ~750Mb/s download / ~750Mb/s upload
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender and Malware Bytes
It could be that these are necessary to run things, like your USB thumb drive that's tied to Windows. Without the new driver, the device might stop working.

For optional drivers, those are usually improvements and bug fixes, but the old drivers work.

That's just my guess, mind you. :)
I did a registry and Windows directory search for "Apricorn" and found a .inf entry. Looking at that file, it doesn't install a driver, but it does write some registry entries like:

Code:
HKLM, "System\CurrentControlSet\Control\usbstor\09840201", "DeviceHackFlags", 0x00010003, 0x400

Apparently, DeviceHackFlags addresses various idiosyncracies in USB drives.

So it seems Windows has required "driver" updates that do things like the above and optional driver updates that replace driver files. I wonder what Microsoft's process is for distinguishing between the two?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11

Latest Support Threads

Back
Top Bottom