This has happened to me on every OS iteration from Windows 98 to Windows 8, note who the thread starter is:
http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=721236
At any rate, @SteveLord and @EarthDog: You all know who redduc900 is. He discussed this issue in several threads in this section of the forum in the past. If he shares the opinion that Windows Update is not reliable with hardware drivers then I would take another look if that notion has any merit.
But for the record: Separately, one of the times when Windows Update driver hosed a system I was working on, it wasn't even an optional choice, it wasn't even listed anywhere other than under a Critical Update section.
I distinctly remember questioning why a video card driver update would be listed there, and especially a bug ridden update capable of hosing systems? The evidence over the years is ample that Windows Update hardware drivers
can make your system unusable at the same time when the driver you download directly from a manufacturer site on that same day, would not make your system unusable.
I found this out the hard way over the years. If redduc900 reached that conclusion independently... that should give you cause to take another look. I don't know, maybe it comes down to making a choice between what kind of a hardware driver we are talking about, for example a small adapter vs. a video card... but I'm comfortable with continuing to suggest hardware drivers should *not* be downloaded from Windows Update.