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Windows Device Manager - Driver Updates

davemon50
Level 11
For the fun of it, I went through all the devices under the Windows Device Manager and selected to update each driver individually. In at least 3 cases Windows found an update and proceeded to install it. Normally it says you are up to date whether you think so or not. I'm just wondering why it didn't automatically do this. Undef Windows Updates my copy of Windows thought it was already up to date beforehand. I call BS on that apparent lie.
Davemon50
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JustinThyme
Level 13
Most devices I leave be unless Im having issues. The major ones I check the vendor sites periodically for updates as Ive had experiences with letting windows update the driver only to find later it rolled it back to something I didn't want. Whats really fun is when you have to force it because it tell you that the antiquted driver assigned by M$ is the best driver when its not even close.



“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity, I'm not sure about the former” ~ Albert Einstein

xeromist
Moderator
davemon50 wrote:
For the fun of it, I went through all the devices under the Windows Device Manager and selected to update each driver individually. In at least 3 cases Windows found an update and proceeded to install it. Normally it says you are up to date whether you think so or not. I'm just wondering why it didn't automatically do this. Undef Windows Updates my copy of Windows thought it was already up to date beforehand. I call BS on that apparent lie.


Well, I don't know if this is related but during this last update cycle it was revealed that people who were *manually* checking for updates were getting the October update before MS made it available to their *automatic* check for updates. So people manually checking were unwitting beta testers. It's possible MS is doing something similar with drivers where they have a version that is considered mainline stable and a newer version which is only available to people who manually check for it.

If that's the case I suppose I agree with that approach more for drivers than general updates. Most people aren't going to update drivers through the device manager unless they are having issues so providing them a newer driver might resolve things. On the other hand, I think pushing general Windows updates differently for people who check manually versus leaving it automatic is just stupid and confusing.
A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station…

xeromist wrote:
...Most people aren't going to update drivers through the device manager unless they are having issues so providing them a newer driver might resolve things...


Like I said above....just for fun... 😄
Davemon50

xeromist
Moderator
I stand by my assertion of "most people" 😉

On the flip side, checking for Windows updates through the update screen is something I could see being taught to neophytes as good hygiene. Not exactly the demographic Microsoft claims would desire bleeding edge updates.
A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station…

due to how Windows classifies and ranks its drivers, it's perfectly possible to actually downgrade your driver by using this method.
the 'best' driver is not necessarily chosen by its age or version number. critical security updates, for example, are ranked higher than new version numbers, so if you use the device manager to update a driver, it may in fact revert to an older version which is marked as a critical update in windows driver database.

thr23 wrote:
due to how Windows classifies and ranks its drivers, it's perfectly possible to actually downgrade your driver by using this method.
the 'best' driver is not necessarily chosen by its age or version number. critical security updates, for example, are ranked higher than new version numbers, so if you use the device manager to update a driver, it may in fact revert to an older version which is marked as a critical update in windows driver database.


Thanks, you saved my "old" mind considerable thought on how to respond to the question(s).
And to simplify what JustinThyme said, " Most devices I leave be unless I"m having issues" ... if it ain't broke don't break it!

davemon50
Level 11
I have my group policy set to notify only, so maybe that's part of it.
Davemon50