How good is windows update for drivers?

[Comdrpopnfresh]

Is it sufficient to let windows update install the initial and and new updates on a computer? Or is it worthwhile to go to the manufacturer's website. Intel P45 chipset for example- what do I manually have to do to get the most out of it- download something or let windows 7 take care of it?

Is it advisable or not to let windows automatically install device drivers as well?

 

[seepy83]

I would neverr recommended using Microsoft for your driver updates (unless it is Microsoft hardware - like keyboards/mice).

Go you your PC Manufacturer (if you bought from one...like Dell, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Acer, Asus, etc) or your Hardware Manufacturer (if you built the PC yourself).

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

Okay- seems to make sense; go to the source. But are my vga drivers from asus prefered over ATI drivers? And what about intel and chipsets- they don't exactly make is the easiest to wrangle down what you need to download and actually download+install it. How close to the source are we talking?

 

[KlokWyze]

I would neverr recommended using Microsoft for your driver updates (unless it is Microsoft hardware - like keyboards/mice).

Go you your PC Manufacturer (if you bought from one...like Dell, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Acer, Asus, etc) or your Hardware Manufacturer (if you built the PC yourself).

+1

 

[KlokWyze]

Okay- seems to make sense; go to the source. But are my vga drivers from asus prefered over ATI drivers? And what about intel and chipsets- they don't exactly make is the easiest to wrangle down what you need to download and actually download+install it. How close to the source are we talking?

The manufacturer's website. If it's an Intel board go to Intel. Video cards I think you could go to either the original manufacturer, ATI or Nvidia. ATI & Nvidia will give you all the bloated software they can though... then again so would the manufacturer.

 

[Theguynextdoor]

Well,

I can go both ways. Depending on what your'e trying to achieve. Windows does tend to have more up to date drivers then what the manufacturer makes. However going to the OEM website is best.

 

[MrChad]

Some things to consider.

Windows Update generally host drivers that have been submitted and approved by Microsoft WHQL labs. You are getting the manufacturer's drivers. This article explains the process a bit.

Not all manufacturers submit their drivers for WHQL certification. That's why, in general, if you want the latest and greatest you are better off going to the source.

Video cards and chipset drivers can be unique cases. The chip manufacturers (ATi, nVidia, Intel, etc.) will generally have more up-to-date drivers than the video card / motherboard manufacturers. Most video card manufacturers use the chip maker's reference design, and thus there are no problems using drivers directly from the chip maker.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I've only seen it work maybe twice, for drivers. Most of the time it's "windows was unable to locate a driver..."

If windows does not recognize the hardware upon install then chances are windows update wont.

 

[MStele]

Never rely on MS for drivers. Many of the drivers they offer are either out of date or stripped of functionality.

 

[tcsenter]

Never rely on MS for drivers. Many of the drivers they offer are either out of date or stripped of functionality.

Actually, you can obtain a number of newer drivers that just aren't published or otherwise made available by the device vendor. Particularly for Windows Vista and Windows 7, most are fairly recent drivers, though they may not be the latest drivers available. Again, the "source" of the drivers published to Windows Update are the device manufacturers or hardware vendors. ATI puts ATI drivers on Windows Update. NVIDIA puts NVIDIA drivers on Windows Update. Not Microsoft.

That doesn't mean the drivers are guaranteed compatible, there are exceptions (particularly for laptops). e.g. my sister has a Compaq Presario laptop with Conexant audio (and modem). It came with Windows Vista but I wiped it and installed Windows XP. The Conexant audio drivers offered by Windows Update are correct (and work) for Windows Vista but do not work with Windows XP. Before wiping Vista, I updated those drivers from Windows Update and they worked fine. But when I installed the audio drivers from Windows Update under Windows XP, the audio stopped working.

After searching on HP/Compaq's website for about 45 minutes and downloading numerous driver packages, I finally found one that was compatible with the hardware under Windows XP.