RE: Device Drivers From Windows Update

I can answer question 2 - You are correct that it's similar to System Restore
in that it simply gets you back to your previous driver configuration.

I am most interested in question 1 - I would like to know the same thing.
At one point I thought it was a bad idea to accept driver updates from MS
through Windows Updates, until I realized that they were coming from the
manufacturer in most cases.


"Jentle Jiant" wrote:

> Ever since SP2 was installed, Update has had a very large new driver
> for my display card, an ATI Radeon 9700 pro W. TV out. (20+mg, on my
> dial-up connection is very large!)
>
> I have read in this group, and others, various warnings against
> accepting device drivers from Update, So have not downloaded it.
>
> I have tried to get updated drivers from my machine's maker, Dell, but
> the files they offer are always rejected by my computer as being
> incorrect for the device. No amount of Tech SUpport communication has
> been helpful.
>
> So, I have the following three questions:
>
> 1: Why should I not accept the drivers from Windows Update?
>
> 2: How does Driver Rollback work? If I need or want to rollback, do I
> need to have discs with the most recent driver's? Or is rollback
> accomplished in the same way that Restore points are done.
>
> 3: Is there a way I can create usable backup discs of my existing
> video drivers, or indeed ALL my device drivers?
>
> Thanks
>
> Jentle Jiant
>

The answer to question 1 is that ATI drivers sent by Microsoft are not
compatible with all ATI hardware. Unless you get drivers for your specific
hardware from ATI there is no guarantee that your hardware will continue to
work with the wrong drivers from Microsoft. Once loaded into your system you
may not be able to remove these drivers. Since they may be newer than the
compatible drivers from ATI they will be installed everytime no matter what
you do and your hardware will never work again until you format the hard disk
and start over.

Don

"Charlie" wrote:

> I am most interested in question 1 - I would like to know the same thing.
> At one point I thought it was a bad idea to accept driver updates from MS
> through Windows Updates, until I realized that they were coming from the
> manufacturer in most cases.

Microsoft posts third party drivers as a favor to those manufacturers, and
does not write any drivers itself. Personally, I've found usually while the
drivers eventually make their way through the accreditation process in the
WHQL and then to the Update site, they're behind in what the OEM hardware
folks have on their own websites for download. I never automatically accept
the Update site drivers for anything, and with Windows XP and the Roll Back
Driver feature in Device Manager, if a driver is sour on my setup I can
always go to the one which worked.
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone


"Don Wells" <> wrote in message
news:C992F262-B054-4241-90B4-...
> The answer to question 1 is that ATI drivers sent by Microsoft are not
> compatible with all ATI hardware. Unless you get drivers for your
> specific
> hardware from ATI there is no guarantee that your hardware will continue
> to
> work with the wrong drivers from Microsoft. Once loaded into your system
> you
> may not be able to remove these drivers. Since they may be newer than the
> compatible drivers from ATI they will be installed everytime no matter
> what
> you do and your hardware will never work again until you format the hard
> disk
> and start over.
>
> Don
>
> "Charlie" wrote:
>
>> I am most interested in question 1 - I would like to know the same thing.
>> At one point I thought it was a bad idea to accept driver updates from MS
>> through Windows Updates, until I realized that they were coming from the
>> manufacturer in most cases.
>