Windows 7 + drivers (installation order)

Hello,

I have Intel i7 PC with Asus motherboard, Windows 7 x64.
I want to ask what is the correct drivers installation order?
After I do a clean install of Windows 7 there are options to choose:
1. Use Recommended Settings;
2. Install Important Updates Only;
3. Ask Me Later.

Which option do you personally choose?

If I choose "Use Recommended Settings", then Windows automatically installs NVIDIA drivers and ATK0110 ACPI UTILITY. But I think first must be installed "Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility" before installing Graphics and other drivers... Also when Windows Update automatically downloads and installs NVIDIA driver, there is no PhysX software included. So maybe I should download NVIDIA driver directly from nvidia.com ?

If I choose "Ask Me Later", then I can select which updates to install in Windows updates list, but how to be sure that all Windows updates will be installed in correct (optimal) sequence if I uncheck all unwanted drivers in the list of Windows updates? I think that it is best to install all Windows updates first (without drivers), and then download and install all necessary drivers (Intel Chipset, NVIDIA driver, ATK0110 ACPI UTILITY) directly from hardware manufacturers internet pages...? And what about ATK0110 ACPI UTILITY - should I also download this driver from motherboard manufacturer's (asus.com) page, or it is best to install this driver from Windows updates?

Maybe someone can explain step-by-step installation order (from personal experience), because I want properly use my PC, and play latest games with best performance.

Thanks.

For every Win 7 x64 install I have done (about 20 or so) I select ask me later.. Once the machine booted into Windows, I change my Windows Update settings to 'notify me of updates but do not install them'.

Windows will still install every available driver it has for the hardware it recognizes. I am not sure about the order sequence though. I never thought it made that much of a difference...

Always select the "Ask me later" option, and don't install any drivers available through Windows Update. Instead download any needed drivers directly from the source, for example video card drivers from nVidia or ATI, chipset and RAID drivers from Intel, the ATK0110 ACPI utility from Asus, etc. Win7 natively supports the majority of any installed hardware, so other than installing drivers for hardware that isn't supported, updated drivers available from the manufacturers are normally newer than those released w/ the OS. As far as non-driver related Windows updates, there's really no reason not to install any that are available, as most are security related.

The order of installation for device drivers really doesn't matter. I always install network drivers first so that I could go on the internet and download drivers for all the other devices.

Tokae said:

For every Win 7 x64 install I have done (about 20 or so) I select ask me later.. Once the machine booted into Windows, I change my Windows Update settings to 'notify me of updates but do not install them'.

Windows will still install every available driver it has for the hardware it recognizes. I am not sure about the order sequence though. I never thought it made that much of a difference...

Click to expand...

+1

redduc900 said:

Always select the "Ask me later" option, and don't install any drivers available through Windows Update. Instead download any needed drivers directly from the source, for example video card drivers from nVidia or ATI, chipset and RAID drivers from Intel, the ATK0110 ACPI utility from Asus, etc. Win7 natively supports the majority of any installed hardware, so other than installing drivers for hardware that isn't supported, updated drivers available from the manufacturers are normally newer than those released w/ the OS. As far as non-driver related Windows updates, there's really no reason not to install any that are available, as most are security related.

Click to expand...

+1 for the manufacturers drivers (generally newer) and not windows, all other windows updates as mentioned.

TempliNocturnus said:

The order of installation for device drivers really doesn't matter. I always install network drivers first so that I could go on the internet and download drivers for all the other devices.

Click to expand...

and +1

Order doesn't matter at all that I've seen on 7, and the notify but don't install I set so it doesn't do it while I'm in the middle of something else.

redduc900 said:

Always select the "Ask me later" option, and don't install any drivers available through Windows Update. Instead download any needed drivers directly from the source, for example video card drivers from nVidia or ATI, chipset and RAID drivers from Intel, the ATK0110 ACPI utility from Asus, etc. Win7 natively supports the majority of any installed hardware, so other than installing drivers for hardware that isn't supported, updated drivers available from the manufacturers are normally newer than those released w/ the OS. As far as non-driver related Windows updates, there's really no reason not to install any that are available, as most are security related.

Click to expand...

Thanks for information . It is better to install all latest drivers before installing Windows Updates or after installing Windows Updates?

I normally install all of the latest available Windows Updates before installing the latest drivers, except for maybe the video drivers. Win7 natively supports all of my hardware except the sound card, so the only reason for installing drivers (Intel chipset, AHCI / RST, LAN, etc.) is because they're newer than those released w/ the OS.

redduc900 said:

I normally install all of the latest available Windows Updates before installing the latest drivers, except for maybe the video drivers. Win7 natively supports all of my hardware except the sound card, so the only reason for installing drivers (Intel chipset, AHCI / RST, LAN, etc.) is because they're newer than those released w/ the OS.

Click to expand...

So when I run Windows Updates do I need just to hide drivers from the list (right click on driver and choose "Hide Update" option) and install all Important and Recommended updates together at once (with hidden drivers in the list)?

Never let windows install drivers you should already have on hand.
Boot and then go about making your life comfortable (pc wise). This includes lan, audio, network drivers and of course anything else you can think of that you should have on your slave that will not require windows update to get going. After you are comfortable with yourself then is when updates are best done.

Don't hide anything. Look at what MS offers and choose wisely. The less you are offered and the less you need the better.
http://www.station-drivers.com/ is one of my fav sites for current drivers. It's french but the manufacturers and versions are not. Well worth a look if you need the very latest drivers.
I keep a folder on my slave with stuff I do use that spans 16+gb with a mobo/hardware folder as well as a gui folder. Works every time.

redduc900 said:

...updated drivers available from the manufacturers are normally newer than those released w/ the OS.

...

Click to expand...

redduc900, I think you answered a question I posted in another thread (on another forum ???). My question was with Windows 7, do I still need one of those "driver checker" programs that automatically keeps your system drivers current? I think the answer is "Yes, I do."

x509 said:

redduc900, I think you answered a question I posted in another thread (on another forum ???). My question was with Windows 7, do I still need one of those "driver checker" programs that automatically keeps your system drivers current? I think the answer is "Yes, I do."

Click to expand...

I would highly disagree on the need for a "driver checker" program.
Programs like that nowadays create more of a problem than they solve...

With your configuration I would do the install without hooking to the web, on first boot install all the Asus drivers on your disk if you have one. Then plug it in and do a normal windows update.
I would say it is imparitive to install the motherboard manufaturers drivers first before doing any kind of windows update. This is because I have ran into problems where windows will install the wrong driver for the device rendering it useless.
For example, Marvel controllers are notorious for having problems with windows 'generic' drivers. With the generic drivers on the motherboard in my sig i get an error in device manager for an ACX-91xx "device cannot start" and my Marvel lan, USB 3.0, and Marvel HDD controler will not work.
Thus needing me to uninstall the windows 'generic' driver and install the Asus driver to get it to work.
Hence the need to install all the motherboard drivers first.

turbohans said:

I would highly disagree on the need for a "driver checker" program.
Programs like that nowadays create more of a problem than they solve...

Click to expand...

Thanks for this perspective. One less thing on my "must do" list.

On intel.com website (http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/cs-008814.htm) I found this (Last Modified: 16-Nov-2009):

Driver installation order is one of the most crucial issues when talking about overall platform performance. This is especially true for Intel® chipsets. Drivers should always be installed in the order displayed in Table 1 below. The most critical step in the installation order is to install the Intel® Chipset Software Installation Utility (INF) first before all other drivers. Once the Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility is properly installed device driver installation order becomes less crucial and will have less impact on system performance.

In all cases, it is advised that a clean operating system load be performed before conducting these driver installations.

Table 1: Installation & Configuration Order

1 Fresh Operating System Installation
2 Latest Service Pack or Patch
3 Intel® Chipset Software Installation Utility (INF Utility)
4 All other device drivers
5 Intel® Application Accelerator if needed
6 Microsoft* DirectX* 8.0 or higher

So I think we allways need to install Windows Updates first and only then install all drivers...

Because of its history of breaking Windows after a Windows Update installs hardware drivers, I never let Windows Update install drivers for hardware, or update drivers for hardware. I always disable any notification of hardware drivers and install them manually if need be from the official web sites.

Very old hardware is especially susceptible to breaking Windows if new drivers are installed for it, I would drive image the OS partition before installing any driver updates from any source.