Inquiry regarding driver installation following a fresh Windows setup
Inquiry regarding driver installation following a fresh Windows setup
I have a question. Some time ago I performed a "fresh install" of Windows 11 (keeping all my files but removing all drivers). I downloaded GPU drivers, applied Windows updates, etc. Should I manually install some drivers (such as chipset) or let the Windows Update handle that? I don’t know much about this and I don’t want to cause any issues. How can I verify if my components are using the latest drivers? My motherboard is an Asus Rog Strix B760G gaming DDR4 (I checked their website for drivers, but it seems there’s no clear guidance on which drivers to choose or whether they should be installed). Here’s the link: https://rog.asus.com/motherboards/rog-st..._download/
Win update only manages operating system components and does not support dedicated hardware drivers. Special GPU drivers, MoBo drivers, SSD support, KB files, mice, etc., need to be installed separately. The OS includes standard drivers that help your system start up, such as display drivers for viewing images from the GPU and peripheral drivers to ensure devices like KB and mice function properly. It’s best to verify each piece of dedicated software individually. For example, with Samsung SSDs, Samsung Magician can check if an update is required or if any drives need new firmware. For peripherals like Corsair devices (KB/mice), use Corsair iCUE. With NZXT hardware (like AIO), install NZXT CAM. For GPUs, either the Nvidia control panel or HWinfo64 can display the driver version. Utility tools are optional, but installing drivers should prompt you about necessary updates.
Latest versions are sufficient;
Under Chipset:
Intel Serial IO Software v30.100.2417.30 compatible with Windows 10/11 64-bit.
Version 30.100.2417.30 – 4.7 MB – 2024/09/24
Intel Management Engine Interface v2428.6.2.0 for Windows 10/11 64-bit.
Version 2428.6.2.0 – 465.69 MB – 2024/09/24
Intel Dynamic Tuning Technology (APO) Driver v2.2.10001.3 for Windows 10/11 64-bit.
Version 2.2.10001.3 – 16.72 MB – 2024/09/24
Intel Chipset driver v10.1.19913.8607 for Windows 10/11 64-bit.
Version 10.1.19913.8607 – 7.16 MB – 2024/09/24
For additional interfaces (SATA, Bluetooth, Audio, VGA, etc.), only the newest ones are available. Other entries in the same section correspond to previous releases.
I like to completely erase all remnants of the previous operating system from the drive during a "clean installation". This ensures I'm sure no issues remain from the old setup.
If you wish to retain any files, move them to another storage device such as a USB stick or cloud service for future access. You might also consider purchasing a new SSD and disconnecting all other drives while setting up Windows.
I believe Windows handles driver installation quite well initially. Since I often install Windows using a local account without an internet connection, once I connect online, Windows Update launches and after a short delay, the display goes black for a few seconds when the default Microsoft Display Adapter driver is swapped for an NVidia or AMD version. When it recovers, the resolution is much higher.
Unless I'm doing advanced tasks or Device Manager lists devices without drivers, I usually leave things as they are. I sometimes open "View optional updates" in Windows Update and check "Driver Updates". If you have devices lacking drivers, they're typically covered here. This can simplify finding rare drivers, particularly on outdated hardware.
For demanding graphics tasks, I download the Nvidia Studio driver, which (theoretically) could offer better stability compared to the Nvidia Gaming driver. Some of my older GPUs haven't received a driver update since 2020.
Manually updating chipset drivers isn't something I do often. It might be worth trying if you notice problems, but unless errors appear, Windows Update generally manages well, even with outdated drivers. The exception is for drivers related to 10Gb Ethernet and SFP+ network cards, where I prefer to download and install the newest version. I'm more meticulous on my primary systems, but on older test machines I relax a bit.
If you obtain drivers from trusted sources—such as the motherboard manufacturer's website or NVidia—you should be confident they're safe and free of infections.
Should you encounter any instability after updating a driver, you can attempt to revert it in Device Manager.
When choosing among available drivers, I usually opt for the most recent version.