Microsoft Is Sending Old And Outdated Drivers Through Windows 10 Update To Some PCs

Windows 10 OS Update is delivering some incorrect, old, and outdated drivers. Microsoft appears to have been sending some wrong and inappropriate drivers to some machines. Windows 10 OS users are advised to avoid some driver updates that might arrive in the next few days to avoid the accidental installation of drivers that have long been replaced.

Windows 10 OS Users Reporting Inappropriate Driver Updates Arriving Through Optional Updates?

Quite a few Windows 10 OS users have complained on social media platforms and Reddit about receiving inappropriate drivers to some machines. The majority of the users claim Microsoft is pushing inappropriate driver updates to Windows 10 devices which aren’t registered for the Insider program.

The most common incorrect driver delivery is about “Intel – System”, which was pushed out last week alongside other optional driver updates for Windows 10 version 2004 (May 2020 Update). Although not as common, a few users have also reported another bug where the same driver update will reappear for download and successful installation. Incidentally, this bug has been prevalent for quite some time, and quite a few users have complained about repeatedly receiving driver updates that have already been installed.

@WindowsUpdate Windows update is offering this optional update: INTEL – System – 7/18/1968 12:00:00 AM – 10.1.15.6 Intel System driver update released in September 2020.

— DIRLAND (@Dir_land) September 26, 2020

In some cases, Windows Update has shown old drivers, including drivers with a release date of 1968. It seems Microsoft is intentionally backdating drivers to avoid the installation of Windows-provided drivers when users have a custom manufacturer-provided driver. In other words, Microsoft appears to be aware of custom drivers and has deliberately stamped a much older date on some drivers to ensure the Windows 10 PC doesn’t overwrite the custom drivers with these new ones.

Which Windows Optional Driver Update Should The OS Users Avoid?

According to Windows 10 OS users on May 2020, 20H1, or v2004, the update to avoid is  ‘Intel – System’ or other inappropriate drivers displayed under the “Optional Updates” section in the Windows Update page. Users are cautioned not to hit download or install on the update. Some experts advise not installing any Optional Updates that Microsoft suggests.

Incidentally, if users have accidentally installed the inappropriate driver then their device driver has been downgraded. Users will need to download the latest and most compatible version from the manufacturer’s website.

https://twitter.com/APicard27/status/1310456826757107713

If users have installed the problem driver, then it is recommended to uninstall the same. Ignoring the same can cause system instability. Moreover, in case if users have installed a custom driver earlier and accidentally installed the new one, then they are recommended to uninstall the new one and reinstall their old driver which worked.

Since the outdated driver is being sent through the Optional Updates screen in Windows Update, the problem isn’t widespread. Additionally, it is quite likely that Microsoft has already begun pulling the driver from deployment.