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Question

Windows 10 update and drivers

Mar 29, 2018 7:42AM PDT

I went from windows 7 to windows 10 Dec 2017 and have never had a problem. My question is should I disable windows 10 from updating drivers. I just changed it to not to allow to update drivers. Don't know much about drivers but wondering if I should have left it alone.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
My answer is disable driver updates.
Mar 29, 2018 8:23AM PDT

Reason? Drivers do not wear out. Update when you have a good reason. Microsoft driver update is well known to create troubles. Caveat: I leave it on during an initial install but as I do the post install work it's turned off.

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question about initial and post install.
Mar 29, 2018 10:02AM PDT

Are you talking about the initial windows 10 installation which i did leave on . You guys are my teacher as I know how to keep my computer clean etc but not the other stuff.

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The initial install does not let us opt out of driver update
Mar 29, 2018 10:06AM PDT

Unless you take an extra step to disconnect from the networks and do the post install offline which is a pain as it takes 2 PCs (one for the install the other to get drivers as need be.)

So I just install, and if any trouble disable the driver update then go get the drivers just like we always do for a new install. So not much new here. Mostly your choice on when to do this.

That said I'm reading a lot of posts where folk have forgotten that Microsoft doesn't do drivers well. What you get are the basics. Some you never change or look for (example? DVD driver.) Others you know to go get them (example? Motherboard, LAN, WiFi, audio, video.)

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(NT) Thank Everyone for your response. It helps a lot.
Mar 29, 2018 10:23AM PDT
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Answer
I've already witnessed issues with MS installed drivers
Mar 29, 2018 10:01AM PDT

One of these resulted in the need to replace the network cards in a roomful of school PCs. Rely on the manufacturer of the device to write the driver code. How you disable this in Windows 10 depends on your version and its update status. The latest versions of Windows 10 Pro don't allow the neat little GUI app that does this. It's buried and changed by a Group Policy edit. I think Windows Home needs a registry edit but I've never worked with that version. The "how to" instructions are on the web.