Searching Online for Driver Update...Where Online?

[John]

When I click Update driver and let Vista search online, where does Vista
look?

Does MS have a direct link to the hardware mfg's site to look for drivers?

Or does MS have an collection they get as manufacturers make them available
to MS?

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

John

Found this in the help for Device Manager.

"By default, Windows searches the Windows Update driver repository on the
Internet if the driver cannot be automatically discovered locally."

This sounds like it simply searches the Windows Update database. I don't
know the details, but there is a relationship between Microsoft an most
hardware manufacturers that allow the manufacturers to submit newer drivers
that Microsoft distributes via Windows Update. I'm not sure of the timeline
that this follows, since you can often find newer drivers on the
manufacturers website that have not been made available on windows update
yet.

 

[Jane C]

Hello John,

Driver search goes to the Microsoft Update site/server. Drivers get
provided to Microsoft by the manufacturers. Often, they are out of date by
the time they get there though. It's always best to go direct to the
manufacturers support site for drivers.