How Do I Stop Windows Auto-Installing Drivers?

[Mulsiphix]

you can always to a repair install of 7 if need be

That is what I am about to start. I think this definitely will work though, deleting unused drivers from the Driver Repository. I just need to make sure I have a working version of, non-repository, drivers installed and in use before I remove the drivers from the repository. I'll give this a try once I finish the repair install and report my results. I sincerely appreciate all of the help and advice you fine folks have offered me on this subject

 

[computersplus]

No Problem

No problem glad to help hope you get it sorted out just did not know what to tell you to solve the issue at this point sounds like you should just try a repair install or as I always recommend do a complete format and reinstall which ever you choose good luck and post back to let us know how it's going

 

[Mulsiphix]

I just haven't had much luck lately. Last week I visited a flash game website, was prompted to update my version of flash, and instead was greeted with a horrible virus. It did so much damage that I did a repair install four days ago. Now I goofed again and this time around Windows is telling me I cannot perform a repair install.

Says I should check out the microsoft knowledgebase for the upgrade advisor as it is unable to install the version of Windows I have given it. Its the same DVD I installed Win7 with originally, same one I performed the repair install with a few days ago, and now I'm guessing you can't repair install a repair install of Windows 7. Not having a good day :huh:

 

[Mulsiphix]

Sorry for the double post. I meant to include this is the post above and it appears I cannot edit the post above.

EDIT
I just noticed there is a file on my desktop called Windows Compatibility Report.htm which says the following:
[quote="Windows Compatibility Report.htm]The following issues are preventing Windows from upgrading. Cancel the upgrade, complete each task, and then restart the upgrade to continue.

* Windows needs to be restarted so necessary changes to system files can be made before continuing.[/quote]

Note that I have restarted twice and attempted to upgrade again. I've tried upgrading with and without allowing the installer to check online for the latest installation updates. I've also tried running SFC and doing disk error checks. I think I'm going to have to finally break down and do a clean install. Thanks again for all the advice and feedback.

 

[computersplus]

Format

I think i would format and clean install at this point

 

[Frostmourne]

The repository drivers are there to be used if necessary, but can be replaced - as the guide in my sig shows driver sweeper will work to install the newest drivers. You may try using PnpUtil too:

Install a Plug and Play Device

I can't see how this would be a problem.

 

[Mulsiphix]

The repository drivers are there to be used if necessary, but can be replaced - as the guide in my sig shows driver sweeper will work to install the newest drivers. You may try using PnpUtil too:

Install a Plug and Play Device

I can't see how this would be a problem.

I am very happy to report that things have ended on a positive note. Frostmourne I am familiar with everything you covered in the driver guide linked in your signature. I was not familiar with PnpUtil however but after trying it out my failure rate was unchanged.

The only thing I could think of was to try the BETA drivers that are out as they aren't standard WHQL packaged like the official drivers. They (195.81) worked just fine for me. Just for the heck of it I downloaded both 190.38 and 191.07, both official releases, and each installed just fine. I tried uninstalling the drivers in my system via add/remove programs and safemode+DriverSweeper and none of that seemed to fix whatever problem 195.62 has with my system. Whatever the root of that problem is it makes little difference to me as other versions work just fine.

Thank you again for all of your help and support, especially computersplus for his/her extended help, on this matter. I'll be leaving Rep bonuses accordingly

 

[computersplus]

All Is Working

all is working good now..... I am glad you got it figured out to satisfaction good luck!

 

[joeychan]

my problem was my firewall apparently. i changed it to another one. installed my aio while ignoring auto driver installation.

 

[krazdkiller]

in 7 just like vista there is no need to uninstall the old driver. just run the driver installer and it will replace and or update files as needed. with the last few nvidia divers i have not been asked to reboot.

 

[Frostmourne]

in 7 just like vista there is no need to uninstall the old driver. just run the driver installer and it will replace and or update files as needed. with the last few nvidia divers i have not been asked to reboot.

Wrong - you will have issues. Use Driver Sweeper.

 

[krazdkiller]

in 7 just like vista there is no need to uninstall the old driver. just run the driver installer and it will replace and or update files as needed. with the last few nvidia divers i have not been asked to reboot.

Wrong - you will have issues. Use Driver Sweeper.

I have run Vista since post sp1 and Win 7 since the first beta and I have never had to uninstall the old drive to install a new one. Since installing my current copy of 7 I probably have updated various drivers a minimum of 30 times, and my system is completely stable. Uninstalling a old driver then installing the new driver for both Vista and 7 is just a matter of preference.

 

[Frostmourne]

in 7 just like vista there is no need to uninstall the old driver. just run the driver installer and it will replace and or update files as needed. with the last few nvidia divers i have not been asked to reboot.

Wrong - you will have issues. Use Driver Sweeper.

I have run Vista since post sp1 and Win 7 since the first beta and I have never had to uninstall the old drive to install a new one. Since installing my current copy of 7 I probably have updated various drivers a minimum of 30 times, and my system is completely stable. Uninstalling a old driver then installing the new driver for both Vista and 7 is just a matter of preference.

Until games start crashing. Leftovers are toxic.

 

[krazdkiller]

Wrong - you will have issues. Use Driver Sweeper.

I have run Vista since post sp1 and Win 7 since the first beta and I have never had to uninstall the old drive to install a new one. Since installing my current copy of 7 I probably have updated various drivers a minimum of 30 times, and my system is completely stable. Uninstalling a old driver then installing the new driver for both Vista and 7 is just a matter of preference.

Until games start crashing. Leftovers are toxic.

I play my games with out any issues. We each have our own view on this. Neither one is right or wrong. They are simply different ways to achieve the same results. Just flat out stating that I am wrong when I am not helps no one.

 

[Pleb5919]

How do I stop Windows from auto-detecting hardware and then installing drivers for it? I'm trying to upgrade my sound card and video drivers. I uninstall the current "windows default" drivers, reboot, and before I can even start the installation process for the drivers I've downloaded, Windows detects the hardware and installs the default drivers on its own.

open devices & printers from start menu
Right click the PC icon\
choose device installation settings
Check: No, let me choose what to do
Check: Never instal driver software from windows update

then


Open device manager
find your sound card
Uninstall the driver and check the box "Delete the driver" for this device
Press OK
reboot

What version of Windows are these instructions for? I've wasted 3 hours tonight trying to get Windows 7 to stop installing the default drivers, so I can actually install the drivers that were designed for this sound card, and it won't stop.

I'm using Win7 64 bit, and when I follow your instructions, I can get as far as:

"Uninstall the driver and check the box "Delete the driver" for this device"

The problem is there *is* no checkbox for "delete the driver". It doesn't give me an option.

Banshee

 

[Mulsiphix]

The instructions above were written for Windows 7 . I too have noticed that many drivers will not have the delete option available. However, you can manually delete the system drivers. Windows 7 has a driver repository of the most common drivers for the most common computers (pre-built) and hardware. If you want to stop Windows from installing these drivers automatically then you need to manually remove them from the Windows File Repository (C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository) and then install the drivers you want.

I was having the same problem with video drivers but was able to find success. Note that this link will show how I fixed my problem but will show you that I had a new problem once I was finished "fixing" my driver issue. It was later discovered that the problem I was experiencing was related to the specific set of drivers I was using and not to Windows or some system goof on my part. I suggest you give my method a shot.