HP SDM Error "Selected SoftPaqs are not auto-installable. They have been downloaded only"

[AceJ]

PC Information:

Model: HP ProDesk 400 G4 DM

OS: Windows 10 Pro Version 1803

OS build: 17134.1246

Program with Problem: HP SoftPaq Download Manager (HP SDM) [Version: 4.4.0.0] [SSM verison: 3.2.11.1]

I am experiencing a transient issue with HP SoftPaq Download Manager (HP SDM). When I attempt to use HP SDM to update a PC, on certain PCs I repeatedly get this error:

"Selected SoftPaqs are not auto-installable. They have been downloaded only" 

Then it ask me this question:

If I say yes, it retries and fails with the same error. If I say No, it gives me this additional message

If I say yes, it tries to open an email program. If I say no, it just closes leaving the packages I downloaded visible, but no option to install them automatically in silent mode.

This occurs no matter what package I select and even if I only select one at a time. However, on other PCs of the same model and OS (HP ProDesk 400 G4 DM) all the packages auto-install with no issue. So far the only correlation I have been able to find is with the Wi-Fi card that is pre-installed from the factory. When I do remove the Intel Wireless-AC 9560 Wi-Fi Card, the updates auto-install correctly. But when it is left in I get the error. However, it does make sense to continuously get this message when trying to install update packages unrelated to the Wi-Fi card. 

I have already referenced another user's post from 2015 here on the HP Forums. Message 4 of 5 on that page suggesting enabling /ForceHTTP does not help because since 2015, HP SDM uses HTTP as its' default protocol.

I can still install packages manually, but when there are 20+ packages to run it is tedious. If anyone knows how to resolve this issue with auto-install failing, please share.

[AceJ]

This is not a true fix but it may potentially help someone.  HP Support had me use HP Image Assistant to install drivers and BIOS updates to my PC. I rebooted letting those install. Then I uninstalled and reinstalled HP SDM. After that I ran HP SDM and auto install worked like it should.

[Joel_R · Accepted solution]

HP recommends that you use HPIA as SoftPaq Download Manager reached EOL in July 2019

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/caps-softpaq/cmit/whitepapers/SDM_EOL.pdf

The current and future development for commercial platform driver installation is with HPIA and HP CMSL (Client Management Script Library).

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/caps-softpaq/cmit/HPIA.html (GUI or command line execution)

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/caps-softpaq/cmit/hp-cmsl.html (PowerShell scripting)

You can also check out this link to see some additional information Client Management.

https://www8.hp.com/us/en/ads/clientmanagement/overview.html#manageability-tools

Joel

[AceJ]

Joel_R,

Thank you for your response. There is only one issue I see with HPIA. It does not give me the same results as HP SDM when I search for updates. I get about 8 updates when searching with HPIA compared to the 20 I get when using HP SDM. Now a lot of the extra things I get are smaller programs like HP System Software Manager, HP Notifications,  HP Hotkey Support, HP Collaboration Keyboard,  HP BIOS Configuration Utility, HP Sure Click, HP Device Access Manager, and HP Application Driver. But I do not understand why your replacement (HPIA) for HP SDM does not also include these software. Is there something in HPIA I am missing or doing wrong?

[Joel_R]

Some of what you are seeing might be in how you are using SDM and HPIA. 

SDM does not have the intelligence built in to filter out drivers that are not needed.  SDM will show you SoftPaqs that are available for a platform but you might not have the specific component in your system based on what you actually ordered.  

HPIA has this same ability if you look a the Download SoftPaq section of HPIA.  This works just like SDM in that it will show you all of the available drivers for a platform.

However, HPIA also has the ability to look at your system and compare what it finds against a reference image from HP.  It uses this information to then determine what drivers are missing or out of date on your system.  It does this based on the actual hardware in your system which helps prevent you from being offered drivers for hardware that not in your system.

In summary.  HPIA is a smarter version of SDM which is why SDM ended service in July of 2019.

Joel