Some Questions re a "Failed" Driver Update

Hi all

Regarding "Failed" Driver Update: Intel - net - 10/31/2017 12:00:00 AM - 18.33.11.2

This thread seeks info about (and extending from) a driver update shown* (*Windows Settings > Update & Security > Installed Update History > Driver Updates) as "Failed to install on ‎17/‎01/‎2018 - 0x800705b4". (A timeout error).

This issue was touched-on in another, more general, thread (What to do about Failed Updates? - Windows 10 Forums), and I thank Ix07 yet again for the information there.

Following Ix07's link, I looked at the Microsoft Update Catalogue pages. Having two pages of places to download drivers from threw me a bit, but I noted they essentially had the same significant info in the title links, except for the driver models - either Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 3160, or Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265.

My laptop has (Settings > Network & Internet > WiFi > Hardware Properties) an Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260, Driver version: 18.33.11.2.

So, now to my questions. Warning! My technology knowledge and skills are - I'm not kidding - really basic. Please assume I know next-to-nothing about the hardware and software I'm asking about here.

Questions:
(1) When I check Device Manager > Network adapters > Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 > Properties > General tab, I see "Location: PCI bus 3, device 0, function 0". Also "Device status: This device is working properly." This confuses me a bit. What does the "device 0" indicate? Which "device" is working properly?

(2) In Driver tab view, I see this (image):

So, do I have the driver that "didn't" update on 17/01/2018, or .......?)

(3) In Events tab view, I see this (image):

and in the Information panes, "Driver Management has concluded the process to add Service ("vwifibus" OR "NETwNb64") for Device Instance ID PCI\(...alphabet soup...) with the following status: 0."
What does the "status 0" mean?

(4) Last question, taking the failed update alert with the above info, do I have an updated driver OR does the "failed" alert mean some parts of the update succeeded and others timed out? In other words, do I have a driver version 18.33.11.2 or not?

Any and all help welcome!

Many thanks

ausgumbie

ausgumbie said:

(1) When I check Device Manager > Network adapters > Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 > Properties > General tab, I see "Location: PCI bus 3, device 0, function 0". Also "Device status: This device is working properly." This confuses me a bit. What does the "device 0" indicate? Which "device" is working properly?

Device 0 identifies the 1st device on PCI bus 3. Function 0 identifies the 1st "function" of that device. A full explanation of these terms would fill a book (called the PCI specification).

For your 7260, it is the only device connected to bus 3, so it is device 0. And there is only one function (the network controller), which is function 0.

A single hardware device can have multiple functions. For instance, my nVidia graphics card has two: function 0 is the graphics controller, function 1 is the audio controller. As far as Windows is concerned, these are 2 different "devices" and therefore require 2 different drivers, even though they are on the same physical device.

ausgumbie said:

(2) In Driver tab view, I see this (image):

So, do I have the driver that "didn't" update on 17/01/2018, or .......?)

It looks like it did get installed.

ausgumbie said:

(3) In Events tab view, I see this (image):

and in the Information panes, "Driver Management has concluded the process to add Service ("vwifibus" OR "NETwNb64") for Device Instance ID PCI\(...alphabet soup...) with the following status: 0."
What does the "status 0" mean?

0 is generally used to indicate success (i.e. no error occurred).

ausgumbie said:

(4) Last question, taking the failed update alert with the above info, do I have an updated driver OR does the "failed" alert mean some parts of the update succeeded and others timed out? In other words, do I have a driver version 18.33.11.2 or not?

The actual driver was installed. However, the "driver" package can contain other software, such as configuration utilities or support services. If everything is working then I wouldn't really worry about it. Otherwise you can manually go install the full driver package.

Hi PolarNettles,

A very good explanation indeed for my level of understanding. Many thanks.

I'm accessing the internet ok, no dropouts worth mentioning and no angry popups yelling about this, that or something else not functioning. So, I'm assuming all is working ok.

I found an Intel page with downloads for drivers and packages (didn't bookmark the url - typical, but I'm sure I can google my way back to it if I ever need to).

My thanks again

ausgumbie