Windows will always make the best effort when you plug in a new device to your computer to try to download and install the recommended drivers from Windows Update automatically. This is a good feature to ensure that your newly installed hardware works properly, but not always will the installation go as smoothly as you would like. Sometimes, the drivers from Windows Update are not the latest, and the installation could cause file corruption or other problems for uncommon devices.
It would be preferable to install your own drivers downloaded from the manufacturer’s website or from the CD that comes with the device.
To disable Windows 7 from automatically installing drivers, do the following:
1- Click Start and in the search box “Search programs and files” type “view advanced system settings” and under “Control Panel” title select View Advanced System Settings.
2- Select the Hardware tab and click Device Installation Settings button.
3- Next, select No, let me choose what to do with the option Never install driver software from Windows Update.
4- Click Save Changes, Apply and OK.
Now, the next time you plug a new device into your system, Windows 7 will not automatically install drivers; at this point, you can install your own drivers.
Tip: If you upgraded some device drivers and you are having problems try to Roll Back to the previous drivers, follow this link!
Here is a bonus for this article:
Windows 7 can download high-resolution icons for many hardware devices that you connect to your computer, as well as detailed information, like product name, model number, manufacture, etc., to help you identify what devices are connected to your computer when you need to configure or troubleshoot them.
If you notice in the last image above there is an option that says: Raplace generic device icons with enhanced icons. You can check this option to allow Windows 7 download HD icons for your connected devices.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].