Brand New Computer and Windows Update Is Suggesting Driver Updates

[John181818]

I received a custom build e9280t yesterday and have been doing the installation and migrations thing.  Windows Update is already suggesting updates for the ATI Radeon HD 4850 video card and the JMicron JMB36X Controller.  I guess I have multiple questions.

1.  Should I install drivers suggested by Windows Update

2.  How often should I update drivers?

3.  In the case of the video card should I be updating from Windows Update or from ATI?

4.  If I am installing from ATI should I install the "ATI Catalyst™ 9.11 Suite for Windows 7 (64 bit)" or simply thedriver only option from the ATI Catalyst™ 9.11 Components for Windows 7 (64 bit)?

I haven't had an ATI video card in a long time and their driver suites and options have always confused me with what should be downloaded and installed. 

Thank you for any help.

[old_geekster · Accepted solution]

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John181818 wrote:

I received a custom build e9280t yesterday and have been doing the installation and migrations thing.  Windows Update is already suggesting updates for the ATI Radeon HD 4850 video card and the JMicron JMB36X Controller.  I guess I have multiple questions.

1.  Should I install drivers suggested by Windows Update

2.  How often should I update drivers?

3.  In the case of the video card should I be updating from Windows Update or from ATI?

4.  If I am installing from ATI should I install the "ATI Catalyst™ 9.11 Suite for Windows 7 (64 bit)" or simply thedriver only option from the ATI Catalyst™ 9.11 Components for Windows 7 (64 bit)?

I haven't had an ATI video card in a long time and their driver suites and options have always confused me with what should be downloaded and installed. 

Thank you for any help.

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John, here are the answers to your questions:

1) Yes, I would.  However, I would question any offer to update your BIOS before checking further.  HP Update has been known to be incorrect.  A failed BIOS flash makes an expensive boat anchor.

2) Update anytime there is a new driver.  The manufacturers use updates to correct problems.

3) This is up to you.  I don't believe that HP makes any proprietary changes the the video cards in their computers.  So, if it were me, I would use the ones from ATI/AMD.

4) Go with the 'Software Suite'.  This includes some nice utilities for adjusting your card.  One of the features that I like is 'Overdrive'.  It allows you to overclock the card and adjust the fan speeds on the fly.  I am still using XP Pro SP3, but the latest suite is working great with my 4870 XXX 1GB.

I hope this info is usefully.

[Micawber]

I'm not a technical expert, but have been maintaining a network of domestic computers successfully, with various professionals advising me occasionally for about 15 years.

My experience is that: Windows advice on drivers is nearly always right, but very occasionally wrong, in which case roll back the driver.

Only install one driver at a time and restart between updates.

ATI cards will work fine with the driver only option, but mine seems to work slightly better with the Catalyst Center installed - though I don't make any practical use of its bells and whistles. ATI's downloads are now very easy to use - not like the old days at all!

If it's an ATI card, the manufacturer's site will be best, but Windows will usually direct you to the correct driver for a major brand in my, fairly limited, experience.

How often to update: one school of thought says, only do it when things don't work properly. Personally I'm a bit of an obsessive and do it quite often. My perception, however, is that as a result of software improvements the speed of my machine has steadily improved over recent years, despite having quite an old-fashioned spec.

I agree: Only meddle with BIOS updates when that is the only option to get something to work.

Hope this helps.

Micawber

Message Edited by Micawber on 11-19-2009 02:07 PM

[John181818]

I am having communications issues with Tech Support.  They seem to think that the Windows Updates are for things not installed in my computer despite my assurance that I have both the video card and that storage controller, as confirmed by the Device Manager.

Frankly I think the answers here are correct and perhaps it was stupid of me to even ask Tech Support for their input.

Thanks for the responses.

[Micawber]

The safest - most cautious - way to manage updates is to go to Control Panel, System, Device Manager, Hardware, right click on an item and run Update from there. Using that route, Windows seems to adopt an extremely safe approach that I've found 100% reliable. However, updating directly from the websites of major companies is normally fine eg Hewlett Packard or AMD/ATI. Updates for Windows itself I normally keep up to date. I've discovered they are usually released after the second Tuesday of each month. The rest of the time you don't need to worry normally, unless there is an emergency release mentioned in the press. I also use a piece of software called Driver Detective, which I have generally found very good at finding drivers.

(However, you have to buy Driver Detective and it finds both Microsoft certified and non-Microsoft certified drivers, but I haven't generally found that a problem in practice, though using the latter is against Microsoft's recommendations.)

Micawber

Message Edited by Micawber on 11-20-2009 12:42 AM