Driver Update

Bob I don't follow you. Are you saying you don`t need or want to keep all drivers up to date?

One of the good sources of income for my friends in the service industry are clients that fell for the driver update apps along with registry cleaners and machine speed up apps.

My direct answer is no. I don't need to keep all drivers up to date. They don't wear out and by updating you can make a working machine fail.

But hey, why should I deprive my friends in the industry new clients?
Bob

you feel like really need version x.y.z+1 if you now have version x.y.z of, say, your mouse driver: you can download them free from the makers site. For a mouse, that might be Logitech, for example.
But generally, they only offer a new version because that supports their latest mice. Since your x.y.z-version supports your somewhat older mouse, why update?

I must admit one exception: the Realtek audio driver that came on the motherboard CD for 64 bit Windows 7 didn't work on my new MSI motherboard. The (nearly the same) Realtek audio driver I downloaded from their site didn't work either. I couldn't find anything on realtek.com. Luckily the one that came with Windows worked, although it only offers basic features.
Then - months later - I downloaded it from http://download.cnet.com/Realtek-High-Definition-Audio-Codec-Windows-Vista-Windows-7-Windows-8-64-bit/3000-2120_4-75317047.html. It was 120 MB only (in stead of the 220 MB files that didn't work) and although there were some issues when installing it, it worked!
But I didn't pay any driver site.

Kees

Thanks to all who replied.
I presume tho` that you would keep all suggested Window`s updates, updated.

I consider all but the optional as necessary.

Kees

Again, it's a lesson waiting to be learned by asking or doing. Either way works. One can be costly as some can't fix their PC and have to pay to get it working again.
Bob

....size for audio driver files! Wow, talk about "bloatware".

It's a new package that weighs less and cost more.