Windows 10: Disable automatic driver installation in Windows 10

Contents of Administrative Templates => System:

Code: Setting State User Profiles Scripts Logon Disk Quotas Net Logon Group Policy Remote Assistance System Restore Error Reporting Windows File Protection Remote Procedure Call Windows Time Service Internet Communication Management Distributed COM Restrict potentially unsafe HTML Help functions to specified folders Not configured Do not display Manage Your Server page at logon Not configured Display Shutdown Event Tracker Not configured Activate Shutdown Event Tracker System State Data feature Not configured Enable Persistent Time Stamp Not configured Specify Windows installation file location Not configured Specify Windows Service Pack installation file location Not configured Remove Boot / Shutdown / Logon / Logoff status messages Not configured Verbose vs normal status messages Not configured Restrict these programs from being launched from Help Not configured Turn off Autoplay Not configured Do not automatically encrypt files moved to encrypted folders Not configured Download missing COM components Not configured Allow Distributed Link Tracking clients to use domain resources Not configured Do not turn off system power after a Windows system shutdown has occurred. Not configured Turn off Windows Update device driver search prompt Not configured[/quote]

 

There is another way of doing it:
disconnect from network.
From device manager uninstall the current drive but check the box for deleting the current driver from hard disk.
Install the wanted driver again, reboot.
You can perform the driver installation by right clicking on device (in the Device Manager) and choose to install from location on disk (Browse my computer etc..)
There are posts on this forum explaining different ways of doing it.
I am sure if you have the tools you can perform the needed effect, just ensure that you are Admin all the time.

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Can somebody confirm that gpedit.msc => Computer Configuration => Administrative Templates => System => Device Installation exists in Windows 10 Pro?

 

That doesn't work unfortunately.

 

Strange!!, I have Windows 10 Pro, and I have what I have listed above!!





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Ok, I managed to access Device Installation.

I tried preventing the installation of my device (the newer version, signed by Microsoft) based on the device ID I got from the driver details, however this also prevents me from installing the old driver (signed by Broadcom) as I'm guessing their IDs are the same.

Where do I go from here?

 

That was the idea right, to block the new drivers from being installed so the old drivers can remain in place?

Many thanks!

 

Attachment 29908

you must un-check both boxes.. this will prevent any driver updates..

 

Pardon me sir but I meant Device Installation in gpedit.msc. The stuff you're referring to has no effect in this case, I've disabled Windows Update in gpedit.msc temporarily anyway. Thanks!

 

Hi bulldows95,
You can uninstall the driver signed by Microsoft and delete it from disk (a driver that is signed by MS will always have precedence). Then install the driver that works for you. After reboot, use the Policy Editor prevent the Device (using Hardware Id) from updating.

It is possible for the Policy Editor not to work for you if you log into a Domain that resets the policy for employees, students, members etc... because profiles and policies will be inherited from the powers above.

If you locally log into your computer and you are (the One and only), then it MUST be possible to affect the changes required, as stated by Microsoft itself in the link: Step-By-Step Guide to Controlling Device Installation Using Group Policy

I know an other reason for registry changes reverting after reboot, and that is when the ownership of a field is taken by another user (like Administrator, for Example but ranking is not important). A example, if you have a folder and a certain user decides to take ownership and limit access to it; even the Administrator will not be able to access this folder. The same is applicable to the registry.

I hope that you go through the literature within the above hyperlink, I am interested to know what was holding you from affecting the changes to device. I have a feeling the device was not defined properly..

 

There are 3 steps to be taken to take care of driver updates, your is #1. *Wink

#2 Windows Update Automatic Updates - Disable in Windows 10

#3 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3073930

If people skip #3, they will not be able to download Windows Updates, unless they install blocked drivers.

 

Greetings everyone I seem to have found a little bit of luck. The old driver I was attempting to install was one I'd manually downloaded. I had no luck installing that, but choosing Update Driver => Browse my computer for driver software => Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer (ie. drivers that came bundled with Windows) seems to include older versions of this driver as well.

I'm gonna go ahead and mark this as solved, I'd also like to thank each and every one of you for your kind assistance.

God bless!