Is it possible to disable drivers installation by windows?

Hello everyone I have one question but I haven't found answer anywhere.
I Performed clean installation of windows 10 without internet connected because I don't want drivers to be installed automatically during win10 installation.
My question is: Is it possible to disable drivers installation by windows?
I just want to install all drivers manually but every time I connect to the internet windows starts to download it's own drivers. Even if I install all drivers offline then connect to the internet windows starts to download some drivers I don't want.

You can either make it so it will auto install driver if missing, but not if one already exists.
Or you can make it so it will never fetch a driver from windows update.

Check the tutorials on here I would be surprised if it isnt there as Shawn has added a lot.

Otherwise it can be changed in the policy editor probably under the windows update section.

dalchina said:

Some options:
Turn On or Off Device Driver Automatic Installation in Windows 10
Prevent Windows Update from Updating Specific Device Driver
Enable or Disable Driver Updates in Windows Update in Windows 10

Bear in mind using driver updater tools is discouraged, and from 20H2 certain things change as to searching for drivers using the Device Manager and which would be delivered as optional updates by WU (see the introduction to one or more of those tutorials).

If you wish to scan manually for driver updates and take control that way, you can use one of the free 3rd party tools such as WUmgr - check box selection to apply should you wish.

Inevitably the driver package delivered when you install a Windows upgrade differs from build to build, connected to the internet or not.

I just want to manually install all drivers from manufacturer (like graphic, audio, chipset etc.) But after clean windows installation drivers is automatically downloaded by windows.

I tried modify this registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Device Metadata\PreventDeviceMetadataFromNetwork

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate

Nothing works. After I turn on internet connection Windows starts to install all drivers.

dalchina said:

Thank you for your reply.

Why are you connecting to the internet after you've installed Windows before blocking driver updates then? That's the problem you've created for yourself.

a. Disconnect the internet from your PC.
b. Clean install Windows - and KEEP THE INTERNET DISCONNECTED
c. Use the tutorials I have given you and which you don't appear to have used to disable driver installation via W Update.


Why are you hacking Windows yoursefl when there's no need to do so? Use the appropriate tutorial.

If you wish to disable Windows Update and take full control yourself you can do that too. Tutorial available - in the Tutorials section.

I'm not asking how to block drivers update. Windows is downloading/installing drivers right after I connect to the internet. No matter if I follow all steps from tutorials or not. That registry edits does nothing to this problem.
This is what I did: disconnect internet > install windows > registry tweaks from tutorials you gave me > connect internet.
Again windows installed all drivers from their servers. Windows update wasn't even running.

This should be an option not automatic thing.

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Update:

I've just found one way to disable this auto installation of drivers in local group policy editor:

1. Open local group policy editor
2. Expand Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Device Installation > Device Installation Restrictions
3. Enable "Prevent installation of devices not described by other policy settings".

I'm not sure if this is the right way to do this but it works for me.

Hi Martinx2

I use wushowhide to block Windows update from updating the drivers I want to manage myself. It is a very small program made by Microsoft and doesn't need installation.

Just run it and tick any device drivers you do not want Windows to update. This needs to be done before windows applies the updates or after rolling back/uninstalling the specific driver updates you want to disable.

Download wushowhide - MajorGeeks

Martinx2 said:

Hello everyone I have one question but I haven't found answer anywhere.
I Performed clean installation of windows 10 without internet connected because I don't want drivers to be installed automatically during win10 installation.
My question is: Is it possible to disable drivers installation by windows?
I just want to install all drivers manually but every time I connect to the internet windows starts to download it's own drivers. Even if I install all drivers offline then connect to the internet windows starts to download some drivers I don't want.

When a clean install is performed without an internet connection most drivers that are installed are Microsoft default drivers. There may be some component manufacturer default drivers that are installed.

Starting with Windows 2004 Windows should display component manufacturer drivers giving the end user options to install (no longer automatic installation).