How To Tutorial: Block Windows 10 from updating a specific driver

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
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This is a two-fold post:

1. A specific driver solution for a specific computer
2. A tutorial for how to block driver updates by using hardware ID's

The problem:

So I've got a customer with a whole bunch of 2014-era mini computers that have a GTX760 video card in it. For anyone searching for it on the forums or from google, the specific model is the Gigabyte BRIX GB-BXi7G3-760 (rev. 1.0):


For whatever reason, all of the latest versions of the NVIDIA driver cause the computer to crash (PC randomly reboots automatically). However, the OG factory Windows 10 driver is functional (v10.18.15.4248, 612.60mb, 2015/08/17 release date). Direct link here:


The problem I was running into was that Windows kept wanting to get the latest NVIDIA driver, which would then proceed to continuously crash the system. I tried various methods, such as disabling automatic driver updates within Windows 10:


However, it would still load it in the background (even after disabling that option above), as well as deleting the driver from Device Manager, and other methods.

The solution:

The solution went like this:

1. Disconnect the network connection, uninstall any other driver & remove the driver file, get the hardware ID's from Device Manager and copy them to Notepad
2. Install the original factory driver
3. Use GPedit to specifically block those device ID's from updating

Screenshots:


First, we have to grab the hardware ID's:

1. Open Device Manager
2. Right-click on the "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter" (generic GPU driver & open up the Properties)
3. Go into the Details tab and select "Hardware Ids" from the Property drop-down
4. Select all of them (CTRL or SHIFT-click), then right-click on them & click copy, then paste into Notepad

Second, go ahead & install the factory software (reboot if needed, but keep the device off the network for now). You have to do this before blocking it, otherwise the driver installation will fail.

Third, we have to block the driver from updating via group policy: (tested this on Windows 10 Pro on a local non-domain account)

1. Open up GPedit.msc
2. Drill down the tree to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Device Installation > Device Installation Restrictions
3. Double-click on "Prevent installation of devices that match any of these device IDs" & switch to "Enabled"
4. Copy & paste in each hardware ID from Notepad one by one. Apparently, technically you only need one hardware ID, but I pasted all of them in (4, in this case) just to cover all of my bases, haha
5. Click OK & OK again & then close GPedit
6. Reboot

Now you can reconnect the computer to the network & run updates, and Windows Update won't override your decision to not update that particular driver. Oddly enough, I've never really run into this situation in all of my years of doing IT, figured I'd post a quick guide in case anyone else gets stuck on a similar issue!
 
Last edited:

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,392
5,257
136
Great write up, thanks, this could come up handy.

Yeah, never had an issue like this before, for some reason the hardware just doesn't like any of the newer software. Their CAD software whines at them that they're using an older driver, but it still functions OK, and the PC's are circa 2014, so they're not exactly brand-new, so whatever.

I tested out running Windows Update with the GPedit in place, and it tried to download the NVIDIA update but errored out. I also downloaded the install package directly from NVIDIA and it got all the way to the end and errored out, so the GPedit is doing its job properly (unlike the option for not using Windows Updates for device drivers, which went ahead & did it anyway, boo, hiss).
 

Micrornd

Golden Member
Mar 2, 2013
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I would add -
GPedit.msc also allows the blocking of all drivers from Windows Update using - Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Updates > Do not include drivers with Windows Update

Or if you don't have access to GPedit or would just rather use a REG file you can use -

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate]
"ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate"=dword:00000001
 
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Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,392
5,257
136
Do these fixes stay after a major update (eg. v1809 to v1909, or v1909 to v2004)?

So far, yes. In particular, I have a lot of customers who use specific drivers for older hardware that don't require a global driver-block across the entire OS, but just a very specific individual driver-block setup implemented. Currently on 2004 & it's holding!