Drivers and Driver package and different way to install them

#1

It seems like every time your computer is about for an "forced" Windows update there is a probability over  50% that it afterwards have changed your system into a non working state it wont work as before Ex. non working mouse etc.

I guess there is plenty of people that find it very time consuming, and no time what so ever to do the to often annoyingly procedure to search the web ( extremly time consuming because of 1000 ths of solutions reading of how to  ) and to find the issue/solution for the drivers that is not working because of the update messed up a working system,  just to get things back in order as it was before the update. // the critic lines to MS. Windows.

If you got a .cab file … what to do?  The CLI or GUI way?

if you got a .msu file … what to do?  The CLI or GUI way?

if you got a .msi … what to do?  The CLI or GUI way?

Is there a prefered format for a driver package ( .cab, .msi or .msu ) and what is a better solution over the other? 

#1

For the general population, the fortunately the failure rate is no where near 50%, not even 0.5%.  But, yes, for you and your machine I can believe that the problem is happening around half the updates.  Twice a year, in the Spring and Fall MS releases the "new features" update.  That update makes significant changes to Windows, adding new features and removing some old ones. Sometime the new features require new drivers that have to be provided by the makers of various hardware components.  Sometimes the other companies are slow to make these updates.  MS claims that they have an AI running in the update system to prevent sending updates to computers that don't qualify ... (that is their story).

This page has links to company pages that list computer models that support the various Windows versions.  You can check to see what it (hopefully) says for yours.

Win10 Qualify for Update/Upgrade – Hardware Qualify- Check this List to Determine if Your Computer is Compatible with the Windows 10

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/check-this-list-to-determine-if-your-computer-is/5152bb37-f95d-48a6-b7b2-ad0d5c738923

<snip>The unfortunate reality is, even though you might be able to run a version of Windows 10, it does not guarantee you will be able to run the latest version or the version after that. If you have been making attempts to upgrade without success, you probably need to check the manufacturers website for your computer model to find out if its compatible with the next Update </snip>

Windows 10 April 2018 Update (1803)

These are the makers that have 1803 specific information (as of 2018 05 23)

Dell - http://www.dell.com/support/article/ca/en/cabsdt1/sln297954/dell-computers-tested-for-windows-10-april-2018-update-and-previous-versions-of-windows-10?lang=en – All major updates

HP / Compaq - https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c05195282

Lenovo - https://support.lenovo.com/ca/en/solutions/ht506455

Panasonic - http://askpc.panasonic.co.jp/win10/up/2018\_v1803.html

Samsung - https://www.samsung.com/us/support/windows10/

Toshiba- http://win10upgrade.toshiba.com/swupdate/information.aspx?region=TCL&country=CA&lang=en

Toshiba- http://win10upgrade.toshiba.com/ - Select Geographic Region for Win 10 Upgrade Info

Go to https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/check-this-list-to-determine-if-your-computer-is/5152bb37-f95d-48a6-b7b2-ad0d5c738923****

for details on these Versions:

.  *  Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (1709)

.  *  Windows 10 Creators Update (1703)

.  *  Windows 10 Anniversary Update (1607)

Hi GetOverITFast,

There is no order in installing device drivers. It will only check if the one that you are trying to install is newer or not. You will only get an error message when trying to install an outdated driver version.

Those files that you've mentioned are actually the same. They are all compressed files that store data and drivers. It's just that different device manufacturer compressed them in different formats. There is no better nor preferred package. What matters is the driver version that you've installed. It should be the latest or the most stable version. Once an update has been released, manufacturer needs to update their driver as well in order to ensure the compatibility of their products. 

To check if your device is fully compatible with the latest Windows version, you may go to the manufacturer's support page. Go to the download section and look for the latest released driver for your device. 

If you would like me to provide additional advice, simply respond to this thread. I will get notified and I’ll reply to you as soon as I can.

It depends on how you draw the line of non working state.

For you it seems that you can accept that the system changes the settings that you did not approve.

I draw the line much more harsh, I would say that a system is not in working or acceptable state when someone has changed your prefered settings or messed with them.

My philosophy somewhat decline away from your more socialistic view.