Enabling Automatic Drivers Download ?

[Auld Bint]

Hi,

Would anyone please be able to tell me where I locate the setting to enable/disable automatic driver downloads in Windows 7 64 bit?


Rgds

 

[mak74]

I copied this from: "windows help and support":
You can check Windows Update at any time to see if it found new drivers and icons for your hardware, especially if you recently installed a new device. If you want to have Windows Update automatically check for the latest drivers and icons, here's how:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2803-device-installation-settings.html

1. Click to open Devices and Printers.
   Right-click the name of your computer, and then click Device installation settings.
2. Click Yes, do this automatically (recommended), and then click Save changes. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
   If Yes is already selected, click Cancel to close the dialog box.

 

[theog]

Best to update your drivers from the OEM manufacturer's website.

 

[Auld Bint]

Best to update your drivers from the OEM manufacturer's website.

Not in the case of a non plug and play legacy printer from the HP site which scumms up the PC with its guff called a Universal Printer driver which then refuses to print.

 

[Mark Phelps]

Personally, I would NOT enable any setting that allowed for automatic driver updating, especially if that is done via Windows Update.

I mistakenly did this in the past and had my hard drive trashed when a (supposedly) newer SATA controller driver replaced the (supposedly) older driver in place. Resulted in filesystem corruption. Had to use file recovery software to get my files back.

So now, I have it set to only Notify me. That way, I get to choose what drivers to update and when.

 

[richnrockville]

I agree that never allow automatic downloads for drivers. Pick your drivers by hand. some are better of course from the Manufacturers website. I have had nothing but heartaches with nvidia drivers from the ms update site. OF course I always make an image backup to recover without too much aggrivation.

Rich

 

[seavixen32]

Start>All Programs>Windows Update>Change Settings>Choose your settings.

Generally speaking Windows 7's updates do a good job, but you need to be aware that OEM drivers may not have the same functionality as Windows 7's drivers.

For that reason, you're probably best to update your hardware drivers via the manufacturers' support sites and use Windows 7 for software updates.