Optional Driver Updates -- should I install them

[ArloSmurf]

When I run Windows Update and check "Optional Drivers" I see these from HP -- do I want/need any of them?  The descriptions in MS Update Catalog are cryptic, and I don't find these versions in HP Support pages. Users have had problems with previous versions of the same drivers.

HP Inc - Firmware - 15.11.0.0
HP Inc - HIDClass - 2.1.17.45138
HP Development Co, LP - System - 7.0.22.44692
HP Inc - SoftwareComponent - 2.1.17.45138
HP Inc - 1.47.3132.0

My laptop:

Product name : HP ENVY Laptop 17-ce1xxx
Product number : 6UX02AV
Serial number : [Personal Information Removed]
Software build ID : 19WW2OKT601#SABA#DABA
Motherboard ID : 86B0
BIOS : F.04-11/28/2019
Keyboard revision : 84.14
Total memory : 16GB
Processor name : Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10510U CPU @ 1.80GHz

OS:  Version 21H1 (OS Build 19043.2075)

[ub6424]

Hello @ArloSmurf 

If you have a <stable working Windows system> I would advise you not to install these optional updates.

Kind regards

[ArloSmurf]

What are they for? They do not appear on my HP Support app

[ub6424]

Hello @ArloSmurf 

I cannot answer these questions in detail. The package descriptions at Microsoft and HP are partly meaningless. "Optional" means you don't need them to run your notebook. Try your luck in the Microsoft Community and contact HP. But I suspect that they will be silent as the grave...

You should focus on using your notebook wisely.

Kind regards

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, @ArloSmurf 

You can usually look up most of those oddball updates on the Microsoft Update Catalog website, which is where they are uploaded to.

But you need to manually download each update you can find and use the free 7-zip utility to extract the info out of the cabinet file.

For example:  Let's take the first one:  HP Inc - Firmware - 15.11.0.0

You will find the source of the file at the link below...

Microsoft Update Catalog

I downloaded and extracted the info from the first file listed from 7/21/22.

The results indicate that it is an update to the system firmware. 

It could be a BIOS update.

I've zipped up and attached the info file below.

So, if you want to do the detective work, you can probably find out what most of those updates are for before installing them.

In some cases, you may not find them.

Should you install them?

I tend to agree with Ub6424...If it's not broke, don't fix it.'

For me though, I am always tempted to install them, and I usually do.

Once in a while I have been burned and had to uninstall the update.

One surprised the heck out of me because it was that 1.21.0 system firmware BIOS update, and I was not prepared to let one run.

That is the one shown in my screenshot.

Fortunately, it went well.

In closing...if you don't want to see those optional updates, you can run the Microsoft Hide Windows Update utility that I also zipped up and attached below.

Unzip and run the utility.  It will check for updates.

Then it will find the updates and you have the option to check the box(es) to hide the updates you do not want to install.

The utility will run and report the problem is 'fixed.'

You close out of the utility restart the PC and the updates will no longer appear after a couple of restarts.

You can always run the utility again and uncheck the boxes to have the updates reappear in Windows Update.

You may especially want to do that if you have other users with administrative rights who may choose to install those updates, and you don't want them installed.

[Molkree]

For what it's worth, "HP Development Company, L.P. - System - 7.0.22.44692" was installed on my laptop automatically today (noticed it when I got a prompt to restart) so maybe it was promoted from optional to recommended for my configuration. I'm on Win10 latest update, HP ENVY - 15t.