Updating Drivers question

[mikehende]

When I go into Device Manager and choose to update a driver, in only a second or so it says "The wizard could not find a better match for your hardware than the software you currently have installed."

Where exactly does the wizard search for updated drivers?

[kelly]

Is should ask you where you want it to look. Two options #1 is automatic, the other is where you specify a location.
- tony

[mikehende]

This I can see, my question pertains to the "automatic" option, I was under the impression that it searches the net for the latest drivers?

[kelly]

I think automatic searches files in the Windows folder. I just tried it on my XP machine. When I brought Dev Mgr and told it to update a driver, the first thing it asked is if I want to search the Internet. After that, it starts asking where locally to search.

- tony

[mikehende]

I When I brought Dev Mgr and told it to update a driver, the first thing it asked is if I want to search the Internet.
- tony


That is what I am getting at, none of my pc's asks if to go to the net so I am wondering where/how it will get the latest drivers?

[mylanta]

In Windows XP the very first screen should be "do you want to check the internet".What OS are you using?

[jflan]

That is what I am getting at, none of my pc's asks if to go to the net so I am wondering where/how it will get the latest drivers?
After determining exactly what driver I have (version, date etc.), I'll go to the device manufacturer's site and see if there is anything more current.
If there is, then next is to read the release notes and see if I might benefit from this newer driver.

If yes, simply download load it and remember where it is.
Then uninstall the old and point Windows to the file that contains the new driver.

I have a printer on this desk that works much better with a driver I went and grabbed myself as compared to the one that XP wants to install. The rear USB port doesn't work with the XP-supplied driver!

Sometimes newer isn't better. That's where that roll-back button comes in handy :)

JF

[mikehende]

In Windows XP the very first screen should be "do you want to check the internet".What OS are you using?

Not on my 2 pc's here, both use XP Home.

[dbarrow]

Update drive search includes several options. As Rich stated, one of them is search the internet. The others allow you to search within your machine or manually point it to a specific location where you have saved a driver.

As JF noted, always be careful when replacing drivers with something the Update Driver internet search returns. It is NOT searching the web, just M$ site.
Drivers contained there are WHQL certified (M$ adds them to the database when they certify them) but they may not be FULL versions and they may not be the LATEST versions (as the mnfr may have a beta or is waiting for WHQL certification)

Mnfr drivers may often contain additional features or functions that were not in the version M$ has on file.

Note that running Windows Updates often returns notice of a driver update. Be careful not to auto-install this when doing updates. (Had an oops on that last month with vid driver on daughter's and it took me an hour to replace and re-configure with the right driver).

For the "average" user, M$ does provide this handy service which allows Windows to be compatible with most all hardware by auto-detecting and installing a driver for it.
They are WHQL certified to work, but may not work as well as the full mnfr version.

Mnfr version downloads may also contain additional software for the device allowing more control, options, functions, or utilities to accompany the driver.

The ROLLBACK driver feature is handy in case the update does not work well BUT...
I suggest, when obtaining drivers and software updates for any hardware, create a folder specific to the device ie: NIC card or VIDEO. Download the most current mnfr drivers for the specific device and keep these downloads in that folder any time you update. KEEP ALL VERSIONS!

Should you find the update has created a problem, you can point Update Driver screen to one of the earlier (or last successfully used) versions in your folder and revert to it.
IE: ATI has a monthly vid driver update. I have at least a year's worth of them stored under VID DRIVER\OLD.
You never know if the new one will be an improvement or a bomb!

If the device comes with or installs a specific INF file, Windows\inf folder, keep a copy of that in the same folder with the drivers.In some cases, if the driver does not update an inf or requires an inf or you somehow lose an inf, you may have to go back and install the device off the mnfr original install cd (common with ATI vid cards) as your machine may fail to correctly identify the device (as in telling you there is no 3D vid card installed).

Be particularly careful when updating drivers to
1. Create Restore Point
2. Create backup or image of your OS
3. Retain a copy of the current driver

Updating a driver can be beneficial or.... ruin your day!

[kelly]

Yes - but the question right now is why isn't Windows asking him if he wants to check the Internet for updated drivers.

Both XP Home and Pro should ask immediately when you try to update the driver.

Mike - what steps are you taking?
-td

[kelly]

Mike - just a thought - are you logged into an Admin account on that machine?

-td

[mikehende]

Yes - but the question right now is why isn't Windows asking him if he wants to check the Internet for updated drivers.
-td

That is the question I should have asked from the beginning, thanks!

I never create login accounts here at home for any of our pc's. The steps I take are to right-click on a device in Device Manager and select "update driver", same story even if I were to go into the device's properties.

[kelly]

Sounds like you're doing the right thing. I checked to see what would happen if you were logged into a limited account. In a limited account, you'd be notified that you don't have permissions to update a driver and the update button is disabled - so that's not it. Don't know what's going on here. Suggest checking MSKB.
- tony

[mikehende]

. Don't know what's going on here. Suggest checking MSKB.
- tony

Will do so just out of curiousity. I do understand that the best place is to go to the Manufacturer's site for updates but this thing is bugging me.

[kelly]

Mike - bring up System Properties by right click on My Computer or whatever other means works for you.
- Click on the Hardware tab
- Click on Windows Update button
- See is 'Ask me to search Windows Update ... ' is enabled.
- tony

[mikehende]

No, it's not so I enabled it but still don't get asked if to search the net when updating driver.

[kelly]

did u restart?

[mikehende]

did u restart?

Yeah and it does ask if to search the net but I don't see it actually searching the net becuase I disconnected one pc from the net and it still went through the motions as if it was searching the net and then came the usual prompt

"Windows could not find a better match"

or something to that effect.