Windows Update graphics driver updates

[UCyborg]

Yesterday, Windows Update decided it would be best to install some broken drivers for my graphics card. I put the old drivers back and used that old troubleshooter from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3073930/how-to-temporarily-prevent-a-driver-update-from-reinstalling-in-windows-10 to keep them out.

I thought Windows Update was supposed to install graphics drivers only if none are currently installed. Did they decide to change that? And this whole need for a separate app to hide updates...ridiculous.

[xpclient]

Windows 10 Bob Edition forces driver installs and overrides existing drivers unless a Group Policy introduced in Anniversary Update is set to disable drivers via WU.

Edited February 10, 2017 by xpclient

[jaclaz]

IMHO of particular interest is the reason why all Windows drivers are dated “June 21, 2006”  :

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20170208-00/?p=95395
 

jaclaz
 

[UCyborg]

It's strange because I clearly remember graphics drivers were offered in the past if I had no driver, but they would disappear after I installed them on my own without Windows Update's help, regardless of version I installed. And AFAIK, the NVIDIA driver version 376.53 wasn't put on Windows Update servers yesterday, been up a bit longer, only yesterday they were automagically installed. And I wondered why my PC was acting funny after a trip to the bathroom! Thanks for the hint about the policy setting.

Regarding default drivers' dates, never gave a lot of thought into that. Interesting blog post. That they wouldn't be touched at all since 2006 doesn't make much sense.

But there is another similar convention. Check your CPU properties.

Edited February 10, 2017 by UCyborg

[BudwS]

Windows Update for Windows 10 insists on installing a particular Display driver that causes White text boxes.  Forcing Microsoft Basic Display Driver back removes the fault of White text boxes.   IMHO it's W10 programmers now rather than those programmers of Windows 7 Pro vintage who are turning out new and different code.  Obviously the new programmers are not getting the feedback from users about the driver issues.  It appears that one is supposed to buy a new W10 computer for the new software to work correctly.  Good luck on that point.

[UCyborg]

My experience with NVIDIA's drivers in general is that after some point, I just have to stop updating them because rather than improving something, they break things. I did read about that issue you mentioned, my problems with newer drivers are stuttering in games and stability issues. 368.81 is the last version that at least gets most things right, but I prefer 347.88 as it's the most solid in my experience. Luckily most games I play occasionally work fine with 347.88, but certain titles like DOOM (2016) require something newer to run optimally. Vulkan API also wasn't around when 347.88 was released.

I also have a mouse for which exist some outdated custom driver, which likes to make PC BSOD. Had to prevent Windows Update from installing this one as well. The only thing I found useful about it is ability to set USB polling rate from its application, but universal Sweetlow mouse driver works well for that purpose. I just remembered switching the polling rate with the help of buggy driver I mentioned even crashed Windows 7 sometimes, but after the switch, there were no issues. There aren't any issues at all with Sweetlow driver.

They shouldn't host buggy drivers on Windows Update, but since you have support for majority of graphics cards bundled in one driver package, that won't ever change in NVIDIA's camp unless they change their ways.