Disable Automatic Windows Update Driver Update

tonightwetaco · 14 Feb 2018

Hello and thanks for taking a look at my issue.

I have been using my PC manufacturers Synaptics touch-pad driver for years without issue, it is from 2015. The other day Windows 10 automatically updated to some 2017 Synpatics driver. I lost the ability to scroll up or down with my touch-pad. I have reinstalled the 2015 factory OEM Synaptics software but each time I run Windows Update it automatically installs the new Synaptics driver. How do I prevent this? Isn't it best to just use OEM Synaptic drivers?

Thanks!

dalchina · 14 Feb 2018

Hi, like you, I found that to have one finger and chiral (circular) scrolling on my touchpad I had to find a significantly older version of my Synaptics driver- actually one nominally for a different PC as there isn't one for mine. This driver works much better than my manufacturer's. Loss of this functionality with later drivers is not an uncommon problem, apparently.

You can 'hide' windows updates (same terminology as in Win 7).

Many answers are available in the tutorial section:
Windows 10 Tutorial Index | Windows 10 Tutorials

Start here:
Hide or Show Windows Updates in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

More of possible interest although much less appropriate:
Turn On or Off Device Driver Automatic Installation in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials
Enable or Disable Driver Updates in Windows Update in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

Also have a look at Windows update minitool (free) which is really useful.

tonightwetaco · 14 Feb 2018

so there is no simple way to disable automatic updates in Windows 10?

tonightwetaco · 14 Feb 2018

alright I downloaded the notify of updates registry file and merged it successfully. However I am not able to check for windows updates because the button says "install now" and this would install the Synaptics driver I do not want.

dalchina · 14 Feb 2018

Yes. Disconnect your internet.

You do not want to completely disable all updates for obvious reasons- nor was that the question you asked.
MS has made it harder to disable windows update.
Windows Update Minitool offers a one-click option to disable Windows update, as well as the far far better option to set it to Notify. Have you looked at that tool? Best try it - but I can't guarantee if disable actually works.

If you want to know more about disabling Windows update, please search recent threads on that on this site.

tonightwetaco · 14 Feb 2018

the Windows Update Minitool solved the issue, thank you.

So I should use the Windows Update Minitool from now on instead of using Windows Update GUI?

dalchina · 14 Feb 2018

Good- it depends what you've done with the tool- Notify is great- gives you control- (it's a group policy setting in Pro). if you've disabled updates, that's the crudest possible option, and definitely not what I recommend.

You actually need only to stop one driver update- and that you can do also with Minitool if you install the old driver version, then check for updates with Minitool, then hide specifically the one you don't want.

Also set updates to Notify- should never have an unexpected upgrade or restart.

That way you then leave Windows update to work normally.

tonightwetaco · 14 Feb 2018

thank you, dalchina!

dalchina · 14 Feb 2018

You're welcome.. MS's default with windows update is the worst setting...