No option to update drivers in new HP Support Assistant

[JHermann]

I have a brand new laptop that upon installing HP Support Assistant now sports a new tile based interface.

We primarily use this for installing HP driver updates on the fly, however I cannot locate any option to do so any longer. Has this feature been removed with the latest version of the software, or is there a way to access the old interface?

HP Support Assistant ver is 9.5.2. Running Windows 10 LTSB Enterprise 2019.

[old_geekster]

@JHermann , welcome to the forum.

Here is the Official HP Support Assistant page.  You can download the latest version of HPSA and read about the functions that it will perform.

Please click the Thumbs up + button if I have helped you and click Accept as Solution if your problem is solved.

[JHermann]

So the ability to manually check for driver and BIOS updates has been removed with the latest version?

There are other support articles on HP's website that still list that as a feature.

[old_geekster]

@JHermann,

Q:  So the ability to manually check for driver and BIOS updates has been removed with the latest version?

A:  It appears that this is correct.  It does mention that you can configure it to notify you when updates are available.  I am in the process of installing the latest version of HPSA.  If I find out differently, I will let you know.

[old_geekster]

@JHermann, okay!  I have installed the latest version of HPSA.  If you go into the Tab titled "My devices", near the top of the page is a link to "Check for updates and messages".  This is the manual check for updates.

Please click the Thumbs up + button if I have helped you and click Accept as Solution if your problem is solved.

[JHermann]

Apologies for the late reply.

That's indeed how it once was, but it looks like with version 9.5 that feature isn't present. There are no tabs, only tiles. The tile that replaces that tab only gives you the option to edit the nickname of the device, and displays information.

Can you verify the version that installed for you?

Another odd thing is on new laptops it will install 9.5, and on new desktops it will install 8.8 which uses the tabs and the standard manual update check as you described. The image is identical with the exception of drivers for the different hardware.

[old_geekster]

@JHermann, no problem for taking awhile to reply.  I am here every day.

I just checked my HP Spectre X360 Convertible laptop for the latest version of HPSA and was told it is installed.  The version I have is 8.8.24.33.  The way the version is displayed on the HPSA's official page is Version 9.5.262.0 / 8.8.24.33.  This is the version that I installed and it still shows Version 8 in the About section on laptop.

[JHermann]

I wonder if there's a way to force the install of 8.8. My understanding is that it will install either or based on your build of Windows 10, but there also appears to be a hardware trigger of some kind.

Odd that they would remove this incredibly handy feature for 9.5.

Appreciate your help good sir.

[old_geekster]

@JHermann, it is strange, but sometimes changes are made without that intention.  Who knows what happened here?  I have Windows 10 v.1903 installed on my laptop.

[JHermann]

Quick update. Every rare now and then, the Update tile will appear at the bottom on the new 9.4 version. It's like...maybe one in every eight installs, using the same install method and same version of the software.

I'm not sure what condition is causing it to appear, but one would think it should be there for all of them.

Thus far the EliteBook G6 models are the only ones forcing an install of 9.4. All other hardware installs with version 8 regardless of Windows 10 build. Is there an install switch that can tell the installer to use version 8 instead of 9?