Driver Set-Up: recommended approach?

Nitefly

Nitefly

Nitefly

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Hi gang - I’ll soon be building a new PC using an Asrock X870e Nova motherboard.

I’ve been reading that some people have problems with Windows taking control of installing drivers. But I also don’t want to create a faff for myself and miss something out.

Is the best approach just letting Windows get on with it, then go to Asrock’s website and install the drivers?

If so… which ones are actually essential? There’s a million… surely not all of them?!


Many thanks in advance!
 
In reality most of the Windows provided drivers will be fine (although normally a bit out of date).

The only driver I'd really bother sourcing separately would be the AMD Chipset driver, and you'd be better getting that directly from AMD's site as it will likely be newer
 
Clean install of Windows,
Connect to internet, don't run windows update,
If it doesn't auto pop up for driver install (most modern Asrock boards do) get Asrock app shop and this will update / install your drivers.
 
So after Windows its normally the following

Chipset driver
GFX driver
Sound driver
Printer driver

Then any apps and games but normally i just reinstall the main app like steam or whatever and point to the drive where there already installed
 
I only manually update the graphics drivers and AMD chipset drivers. Everything else I leave to windows.

If you have a printer then obviously get the printer drivers from the manufacturers website.
 
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Nitefly said:
Is the best approach just letting Windows get on with it, then go to Asrock’s website and install the drivers?
Click to expand...
I'd recommend disabling the driver updates from Windows update, I've never had anything but trouble (mangled updates) with Windows doing that.

Nitefly said:
If so… which ones are actually essential? There’s a million… surely not all of them?!
Click to expand...
Audio driver - yes, though Windows will usually install one that is fine.
Wifi and bluetooth driver - if you use it, you may also need it to turn it off.
AI NPU driver - eww.
Chipset driver - the most important one there.
LAN driver - same as Audio.
RAID - shouldn't be needed.
SATA floppy image - same.
AMD graphics driver - I expect you'll turn it off, but your call.
ASRock motherboard utility - nasty things these.
Blazing OC tuner - no thanks.
APP Shop - huh?
Auto Driver Installer - noooooooo.
Nahimic3 utility - what?
Norton 360 for Gamers - nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
Restart to UEFI - huh?
ASRock Polychrome RGB - you might need it, depends how RGB is being controlled (and if you have any, obviously).
 
I let windows get on with it.

after get the drivers for my motherboard, just the drivers not the bloat
GPU driver, soundcard driver, network driver for ethernet
Monitor driver
mouse driver, keyboard driver


usually windows will install an older driver, so I always check with the important things.

Motherboard drivers you can probably get direct from AMD or INTEL rather than your brands website, might even be more recent ones too, depending on how often msi/asus etc update their websites
 
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