Windows 7: Do the regular MS win7 updates keep my drivers up to date?

Do the reg. windows updates include drivers?

Yes, but usually they are not as up-to-date as the manufacturer drivers. However, the drivers delivered with Windows update are thoroughly tested and digitally signed by Microsoft, meaning they are far less prone to conflict with the operating system.

Set your update preference like shown. Drivers are normally given as optional ones.

This is just a "for whatever it's worth" personal story.

A while back Windows Update said there was a new Intel driver available. I went to the Intel site and they showed that yes, this was their latest and greatest driver. I installed it and immediately began getting BSODs. I uninstalled it, went back to the previous driver version, and all was good again. I was using a Sony Vaio and their driver update site did not list the newest Intel driver. I contacted Intel customer support and got myself edjumacated.

Intel said that when they release a new driver each computer manufacturer is free to "optimize" that driver for their specific line of products. Since Sony had not yet optimized the new Intel driver for the Vaio computers, the driver offered through Windows Update was not compatible with my computer. It took Sony several months after Intel initially released this driver before it was optimized for the Vaio. Once Sony did its in-house work, the driver performed flawlessly.

Moral of the story (actually, two morals): (1) If you're trying to update a driver on a store bought machine, check with the computer manufacturer to see if they've signed off on that driver; and (2) when it comes to drivers, if you're not experiencing any problems, don't try to fix something if it ain't broke.

^ Good advice

Very important and good advice Lee. Newer ain't always better, speshully graphics drivers.

you want the latest drivers? you gotta download it yourself from the official website.

Hehehe -you complain of sony vaio? -go and see a bit how the things are for toshiba or fujitsu-siemens driver. When i have a pc like this to fix - i cry - from xp to win 7 there are no compatible driver even if i use the compatibility mode. Out of this - there is not alwais need for a driver to be update -building a driver is not easy -could take months of work ,and if there is no issue - many vendors don't update. I fully understand your moral of the story,infact i never update the driver thru windows update.Usually the issue of driver comes whith a pop-up windows message- you cannot run this because the "...dll" is missing .Then i go to search if there is an update.

Except laptop/notebook/netbook drivers. The manufacturer usually has specially crafted ones for their machines.

I'm not unhappy with my Win7. So I'll leave it to win7 auto updates to keep me going unless a drama eventuates. That option OK?