What is it like to put new drivers in when you do a fresh install of Windows?
What is it like to put new drivers in when you do a fresh install of Windows?
I have a question. A long time ago, I did a "fresh install" of Windows 11 ( keeping all my files but deleting all drivers). Later, I downloaded GPU drivers, ran windows updates, etc. Should I also install some specific drivers manually (like chipset drivers) or should Windows Update take care of that? I don't know anything about this stuff and I want to make sure I do not mess up anything. How can I check if my hardware is current with the latest drivers? My motherboard is Asus ROG Strix B760G GAMING DDR4 (I checked the website for drivers but it looks like magic, idk which ones to pick). From Asus, I only install Armoury Crate and get updates from that app.
Win Update only takes care of the OS and doesn't cover dedicated hardware drivers. You have to install things like GPU drivers, MoBo (motherboard) drivers, SSDs, KBs, mice, and other accessories on your own. The OS comes with basic built-in drivers that let you get your system working, like display drivers so your screen shows up from the graphics card. It also has peripheral drivers so that keyboards and mice actually work. Checking each piece of hardware software individually is the best way to make sure everything runs fine. For example, if you have Samsung SSDs, then Samsung Magician tells you if it needs an update or what firmware version your drives need. When dealing with peripherals like Corsair items (KB/mice), you might need Corsair iCUE instead. If you use NZXT hardware like AIO units, you'd probably want to check NZXT CAM for the latest updates. For GPUs, either Nvidia Control Panel or HWinfo64 can show you what driver version is installed. Everything else basically works without a big deal, but the Utility tool is optional. When you download and run a driver installer, it usually tells you if you need to update anything or not.
Do you want to know exactly which file to get from every section on this website? I'm worried I might pick the wrong one and end up with something broken or useless. Could you help me out?
Usually after putting on Windows fresh, you open Device Manager and look at what hardware needs drivers. Then you just install the drivers for the things that are missing. Because you're using a motherboard with an Intel chipset, you can use the Intel Driver and Support Assistant to fix most driver issues. https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/...etect.html
Latest ones suffice; Under Chipset: Intel Serial IO Software v30.100.2417.30 for 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 others (SATA, Bluetooth, Audio, VGA etc), there is only one which is latest. Other entries under same section are older versions. "Software & Utility" and "Utility" isn't needed for normal operation. Those are optional ones.
I like to delete all old software so that nothing harmful stays on my hard drive. If you want to keep some stuff, just copy it to another drive or cloud storage instead. I sometimes buy a new SSD and disconnect other drives while installing Windows. Windows usually handles drivers pretty well at the start. Because I always install with an offline account, as soon as I connect to the internet, Windows Update kicks off and the screen goes black for a few seconds when it swaps out graphics cards. When the screen comes back up, it shows much better resolution. Unless I do something cool or find missing devices in Device Manager, I leave things alone. Sometimes I check "Optional Updates" in Windows Update and select "Driver Updates." If you have old hardware without drivers, they often show up there too. It can be easier to hunt for these on the old computer instead of finding them elsewhere. For important graphics tasks, I use the Nvidia Studio driver because it's probably more stable than the gaming version. Some of my older cards haven't gotten updates since 2020. I don't really check chipset drivers often. Maybe it would be good to do so, but Windows Update usually works fine even if some drivers are years old. My only real change is with network card drivers like 10Gb Ethernet and SFP+. I prefer getting the latest ones for these. I take care of my main computers well, but when testing on old stuff, I don't stress as much. If you get drivers from trusted places like the motherboard maker or Nvidia, they are all safe and won't have viruses. If things go wrong after an update, you can roll back to the old version in Device Manager. When a list of drivers pops up, I usually pick the newest one just because it has a higher number on it.