Does a new install of Windows include all drivers for any computer?

Mark Phelps · 09 Oct 2021

To provide a different answer -- by DEFINITION, Windows install can not include ALL drivers for ALL hardware. Why?

Two reasons.

First, some drivers are proprietary and Windows does not provide those -- the OEMs provide those. Most common examples are specialized hardware included in some laptops that require the OEM laptop driver for full functionality. I've run into this several times when upgrading older laptops.

Second, some hardware requires drivers that MS does not provide. For example, I have an old USB-to-VGA add-on card and it did not work, despite running Windows Update several times, until I went to the manufacturer's website, downloaded, and installed THEIR driver.

Standard rule of thumb -- any time anyone claims ALL or NONE, they are generally WRONG -- because there will be exceptions, they simply don't know about them.

rodion15 · 10 Oct 2021

Megahertz said:

A hardware to work properly needs more than a driver.

I'm even more confused now: I didn't know of these two folders.
This is important for me...I've posted this separately in
Drivers locations in Windows 10 clarified

This is like the universe, the more we learn the more doubts crop up:
So now there're these four:

By what I understand...
C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\ (this is where drivers are "staged" ready to be installed when needed, such as when a PNP device is plugged in)
C:\Windows\System32\drivers (this is where drivers are actually installed from the oforementioned Driverstore folder)
...
C:\Windows\INF (info files in the DriverStore\repository folder are repeated here, why?)
C:\Windows\winsxs ...you said this is where "the source of the drivers" go, isn't this what the C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\ is doing?

Thanks for your answer.

eLPuSHeR · 12 Oct 2021

To my understanding Windows Update provides "tested" drivers that are stable enough to be useable. They won't be neither latest ones nor fastest. And manufacturers sometimes tweak drivers to be able to access all features for an specific piece of hardware.
If you want the safest route and everything is working fine with drivers Windows provides, then leave them alone.
If you want to tinker and get latest versions (they may be faster or not), just do a backup copy before (or restore point).

spunk · 13 Oct 2021

Windows 10 and 11 have most of the drivers you will need. Also, when going to Windows Update, it will update any drivers the manufacturer has released. There is the occasional driver that slips thru the cracks, and you can download those from the Computer or Motherboard Manufacturers web site.
After installing Windows and doing all Windows Updates, press the Windows key +X and choose Device Manager. If there are no devices with yellow flags, you don't need ANY drivers installed, unless a device is not working correctly.

MisterEd · 13 Oct 2021

spunk said:

Windows 10 and 11 have most of the drivers you will need. Also, when going to Windows Update, it will update any drivers the manufacturer has released. There is the occasional driver that slips thru the cracks, and you can download those from the Computer or Motherboard Manufacturers web site.
After installing Windows and doing all Windows Updates, press the Windows key +X and choose Device Manager. If there are no devices with yellow flags, you don't need ANY drivers installed, unless a device is not working correctly.

I wish that were true but it is not always so. Intel seems to be actively working with Microsoft so you will see their drivers in Windows Update. Not so with drivers from AMD and NVIDIA. My desktops have NVIDIA graphics and my laptop has AMD graphics. After the initial installation of Windows 10 I had to manually update these graphics drivers. None have ever come through Windows Update.

spunk · 13 Oct 2021

Graphic drivers usually have to downloaded from the Video Card Manufacturer, in most cases

confession · 21 Oct 2021

rodion15 said:

I have these two doubts about Windows Updates for Windows 10:
Is it A or B?
1. When you install the latest version of Windows 10:
A: it includes all drivers for all possible computers
B: it just includes drivers currently detected on your computer
2. The drivers that are present after a new install of the latest Windows:
A: Are included in the installer Media USB image that you use to install Windows.
B: Are downloaded as needed if detected in the computer.

Any help much appreciated

My experience has been that Windows 10 has 95% of the drivers for most machines. The drivers that are the only ones that seem to get missed are Card Readers and Bluetooth chipsets. Most people will go hunting for the bluetooth drivers, and the card readers some people skip completely due to never being used.

Paul Black · 11 Nov 2021

Hello @rodion15,

Megahertz said:

On the first stage of a clean install you see "copying files" . . .

Just a bit of extra information on the different processes as mentioned above . . .

Does a new install of Windows include all drivers for any computer?-win_10_install_processes.png

I hope this helps.

krollo · 11 Nov 2021

MisterEd said:

My experience has shown that sometimes Windows will install a basic driver. The hardware will usually perform much better if the manufacturer specific driver is later installed. Sometimes the Windows installation will supply a manufacturer specific driver but it will not be the latest one. The computer user will then have to find and install a newer drivers if that is wanted.

Windows update seems to be geared toward having driver updates for Intel hardware. People with AMD and Nvidia hardware usually have to find and update the drivers themselves.

Laptop user since 2008, this is mostly what's been true for me as well.

My usual sequence is:

Clean OS install from latest official ISO
Let all Windows Updates finish, drivers included
Run manufacturer-specific driver updater to "override" Windows-downloaded drivers (most brand-name laptops would have this)
Get specific drivers for AMD (recommended version) and NVIDIA (whql version) from their official websites

In the event of a driver clash, I pick the manufacturer driver over the Windows Update driver. The latter I would set to hidden updates so it won't try to download again on my next Windows Update effectively retaining the manufacturer driver.

Paul Black · 11 Nov 2021

Hello @krollo,

Something that is ALWAYS worthwhile to do once you have ALL the drivers installed, and NO Yellow Triangles in Device Manager, is to perform the following, because you will NEVER know when you might need them . . .

> How to Backup and Restore Device Drivers in Windows 10.

Also, have a look at the Related Tutorials at the BOTTOM of the above Tutorial, as they are also a useful source of information, especially this one if the manufacturers drivers are more current than the WU ones . . .

> How to Enable or Disable Including Driver Updates in Windows Update in Windows 10

I hope this helps.