Win11 and its auto driver install is really getting on my nerves

[mikeymikec]

Raptor lake i3, new laptop, iGPU. I think this is the third of this laptop model I've set up so it's nothing new to me.

I did a clean install of 23H2. When I installed the drivers, I purposefully didn't install the video driver because in my experience it's best to let Windows Update auto-install its preferred driver first, reboot, then install an updated driver, then normally WU doesn't get all handsy with the drivers. I then installed 24H2 from the ISO (as WU is now suggesting 25H2... hell, no). A reboot or two after 24H2 successful install later, I installed the latest Intel iGPU driver. After another reboot, I verified that the correct version was installed. Then Windows Update auto-installed another driver, older than the one already installed.

AFAIK the alternative to this madness is to switch off auto driver installs completely but then the owner of the laptop would logically have to hand-hold the computer through any procedures in future like installing a printer.

 

[bba-tcg]

Raptor lake i3, new laptop, iGPU. I think this is the third of this laptop model I've set up so it's nothing new to me.

I did a clean install of 23H2. When I installed the drivers, I purposefully didn't install the video driver because in my experience it's best to let Windows Update auto-install its preferred driver first, reboot, then install an updated driver, then normally WU doesn't get all handsy with the drivers. I then installed 24H2 from the ISO (as WU is now suggesting 25H2... hell, no). A reboot or two after 24H2 successful install later, I installed the latest Intel iGPU driver. After another reboot, I verified that the correct version was installed. Then Windows Update auto-installed another driver, older than the one already installed.

AFAIK the alternative to this madness is to switch off auto driver installs completely but then the owner of the laptop would logically have to hand-hold the computer through any procedures in future like installing a printer.

Turn off Device installation in Settings->System->Advanced system settings->Hardware->Device installation settings.

 

[mikeymikec]

Turn off Device installation in Settings->System->Advanced system settings->Hardware->Device installation settings.

Please see the last paragraph of the OP 🙂

 

[bba-tcg]

Please see the last paragraph of the OP 🙂

And the burden to the operator would really be minimal. But it is the cure for the problem. Really the only truly effective one that I know of.🙂

I did miss that you had referenced it, so you already knew the answer.

 

[mikeymikec]

And the burden to the operator would really be minimal. But it is the cure for the problem. Really the only truly effective one that I know of.🙂

I did miss that you had referenced it, so you already knew the answer.

I think if the issue impacted the end user regularly, like they called me out because suddenly video playback wasn't working properly and I found that WU had switched drivers again then I'd feel obliged to switch off auto driver install.

There must be an algorithm at play that makes Windows think that it's OK to mess around with drivers for perhaps X amount of time after a Windows install / feature update. It would be so much easier if auto driver install would work on a "no driver found locally means Windows should step in" basis.

Do you know if the auto driver install setting is honoured after a feature update install?

 

[bba-tcg]

I think if the issue impacted the end user regularly, like they called me out because suddenly video playback wasn't working properly and I found that WU had switched drivers again then I'd feel obliged to switch off auto driver install.

There must be an algorithm at play that makes Windows think that it's OK to mess around with drivers for perhaps X amount of time after a Windows install / feature update. It would be so much easier if auto driver install would work on a "no driver found locally means Windows should step in" basis.

Do you know if the auto driver install setting is honoured after a feature update install?

I have it turned off on my machines and it was still off after the "upgrade" to 25h2.

 

[Steltek]

If Microsoft was actually competent instead of narcissistic, Windows would simply ask you if you want to install the driver and your answer answer (i.e. yes, no, always, or never).

But, Microsoft will be Microsoft -- always thinks of themselves as being the smartest person in the room even when they clearly aren't even close to being the sharpest tool in the shed.