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My Norton security software tells me I have 7 outdated drivers every single time it runs. The Window Update function does NOT recognize ANY outdated drivers. Who is correct???

Anonymous
2025-05-24T01:37:59+00:00

Norton Security software tells me I have 7 outdated drivers every time I run a scan. When I run Windows Update, there are no driver updates.

I've used the device manager to update drivers multiple times. Anybody know who might be correct????

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-06-27T03:52:10+00:00

    Hello Hazo,

    This situation is actually quite common: different software uses different standards and databases to determine whether drivers are “outdated.”

    About Norton’s alerts:   Norton security software relies on its own database and might flag drivers as “outdated” even if they aren’t causing issues or aren’t officially recognized as needing updates by Microsoft.

    About Windows Update and Device Manager:   Windows Update focuses on drivers that are certified and signed by Microsoft, especially those related to system stability. So it may not suggest updates for certain third-party or non-critical drivers.

    **So, who’s right:**Actually, **** both are valid, just based on different criteria. If your device is running fine—no blue screens, hardware problems, etc.—there’s no need to update every driver Norton flags. In fact, updating unnecessarily can sometimes cause compatibility issues.

    Recommendations:

    • Check exactly which drivers Norton is referring to (e.g., sound card, graphics card, etc.)
    • Visit the official websites of those hardware manufacturers to confirm if updates exist
    • If your device is working properly, it’s okay to ignore the update warnings
    • If you prefer everything optimized, tools like Driver Booster can help double-check—but choose trusted software only

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