Can I stop W10 Home from Updating my NVidia Driver?

[odourboy 1,287]

This is getting a bit annoying. Windows 10, Home Edition, keeps updating my NVidia Driver to the latest official version. I keep rolling back to 384.94, clean minimal install (driver and HD Audio only), re-do the P3D and X-Pane profiles, rebuild the P3D shaders. Then Windows 10 sneaks in and slaps the more recent WHQL driver behind my back. It doesn't show up in the Windows Updates list, but I have to presume it's Windows doing it because I don;t have any of the other NVidia bloatware even installed. Today it literally updated while I was in the middle of a P3D flight.

Is there a way to stop this? I don't actually want to stop Windows Updates but this driver replacement is getting a bit old.

[Vineguy 26]

I guess you can always remove the driver the update installed and go back to the one you like.

[odourboy 1,287]

After now 5 re-installs of the previous driver in the last few weeks, only to have the new one slipped back in under my nose, it's getting to be a bit old..

[MartinRex007 390]

This site might help!

https://www.howtogeek.com/223864/how-to-uninstall-and-block-updates-and-drivers-on-windows-10/

 

[odourboy 1,287]

50 minutes ago, MartinRex007 said:

This site might help!

https://www.howtogeek.com/223864/how-to-uninstall-and-block-updates-and-drivers-on-windows-10/

 

Yes - thanks! There's some good info in that article and some others it refers to.

Question: If I 'Roll Back' a driver using the Device manager feature added to the Anniversary Update (which I now have), does that instruct the Windows Updater not to keep re-installing the new driver? The article is unclear to me if, the roll back is just a means of getting back to the desired driver version.

[MartinRex007 390]

It looks like you have two choices, You can download the “Show or hide updates” troubleshooter for Windows 10 from Microsoft, which lets you hide updates so Windows won't see them to update, or set your connection as metered to prevent Windows 10 from automatically installing most updates. I haven't jumped onto Win 10 yet so I can't say from first hand experience, but it looks like the Troubleshooter app from Microsoft might be an easier way to go, this way if you ever want a version of your driver re-installed just unclick the box next to it and that will allow Windows 10 to now read it?

[odourboy 1,287]

My advice is don't go to Windows 10 unless you absolutely must.

[MartinRex007 390]

34 minutes ago, odourboy said:

My advice is don't go to Windows 10 unless you absolutely must

Yeah, I've been pretty happy with Win 7 and hope to stay with that OS as long as possible. Hope you get it figured out. This hobby can be frustrating at times!

 

[vortex681 806]

5 hours ago, odourboy said:

After now 5 re-installs of the previous driver in the last few weeks, only to have the new one slipped back in under my nose, it's getting to be a bit old..

 

3 hours ago, MartinRex007 said:

It looks like you have two choices, You can download the “Show or hide updates” troubleshooter for Windows 10 from Microsoft, which lets you hide updates so Windows won't see them to update, or set your connection as metered to prevent Windows 10 from automatically installing most updates.

There's a much better way. Rather than just removing or hiding drivers, you can easily just prevent Windows from updating them in the first place. See: https://pureinfotech.com/exclude-driver-updates-windows-10/. You'll still get security updates but not driver updates.

[JesC 88]

@odourboy

To stop all driver updates from Windows you can go to: Control Panel/System/Advanced System Settings/Hardware Tab/Device Installation Settings and bullet the "No (Your Device May Not Work As Expected)" setting.

 

Jesse

[sgreen91 182]

Go to computer management then services then scroll the list down to Windows Update and set startup to disabled and stop the current service running.  Windows will never update again.  Been using it for quite a few months without any updates being performed.

 

 

[vortex681 806]

1 hour ago, sgreen91 said:

Go to computer management then services then scroll the list down to Windows Update and set startup to disabled and stop the current service running.  Windows will never update again.  Been using it for quite a few months without any updates being performed.

Sadly, using this technique you also miss out on security updates which have been very important for some in the past (WannaCry was a good example). I have all of the non-driver updates installed with no problems.

[vortex681 806]

2 hours ago, JesC said:

@odourboy

To stop all driver updates from Windows you can go to: Control Panel/System/Advanced System Settings/Hardware Tab/Device Installation Settings and bullet the "No (Your Device May Not Work As Expected)" setting.

I've always successfully used the Group Policy/Registry technique linked in my post above to prevent automatic driver updates. I'm curious to know what the "Device Installation Setting" option actually does as it doesn't specifically mention drivers (only "manufacturers apps") and there seem to be posts around the forums, including Microsoft's own Community site, from people who've set it to No and still get driver updates.

[JesC 88]

@vortex681  That's an interesting point. I hadn't seen any of the kind of comments you reference and it seemed to be working for me. Of course it is difficult for me to be certain about what "isn't" happening and you are certainly correct about the wording. I may have simply not had any driver updates during the time I tried the setting.

In short, thanks for the information. I will certainly be watching my updates carefully.

Jesse

[odourboy 1,287]

17 hours ago, vortex681 said:

 

There's a much better way. Rather than just removing or hiding drivers, you can easily just prevent Windows from updating them in the first place. See: https://pureinfotech.com/exclude-driver-updates-windows-10/. You'll still get security updates but not driver updates.

This looks like a winner to me! Appears it will accomplish exactly what I'm looking for. I'll give this a go. Thanks all who have contributed to this thread!