If Windows Update does not recognize a driver, there are several possible solutions.
1. Check Device Manager
The first step is to check the Device Manager to determine if the driver is present and if it has any errors. Open Device Manager by pressing Windows + X on your keyboard and selecting “Device Manager”. Once the Device Manager window opens, look for the device in question and expand its entry. If it has an exclamation mark next to it, this indicates an error and the driver may need to be updated.
2. Update or Reinstall Drivers
If updating the driver does not resolve the issue, you can try reinstalling the driver. You can do this manually by going to the manufacturer’s website and downloading the driver, or you can use a free driver updater tool such as Driver Booster or IObit Driver Booster. Driver Booster will automatically detect and download the necessary drivers.
3. Update Windows
If updating drivers does not resolve the issue, it is possible that there is a problem with Windows itself. Try updating Windows by running Windows Update. To do this, open the Start Menu and type “Windows Update”. Click on “Check for updates” and then follow the on-screen instructions to update Windows.
4. Run System File Checker
System File Checker is a utility that scans for corrupt system files and repairs them. To open it, press Windows + X and select “Command Prompt (Admin)” from the menu. Type “sfc /scannow” and press enter. This will scan your system and attempt to fix any corrupted files.
5. Reset Windows Update Components
If updating Windows or running System File Checker does not resolve the issue, you can try resetting the Windows Update components. To do this, open an elevated command prompt as described above and type “net stop wuauserv”. Then type “net start wuauserv”. This will reset the Windows Update components and hopefully resolve the issue.
6. Perform a Clean Boot
Finally, if none of the above steps work, you can try performing a Clean Boot. A Clean Boot will disable all non-essential services and startup items so that only essential services are running, which can help isolate problems with drivers or other software. To perform a Clean Boot, open the System Configuration utility by typing “msconfig” into the Run box (Windows + R). Go to the “Services” tab, check the “Hide all Microsoft services” box, and then click “Disable all”. Go to the “Startup” tab and click “Open Task Manager”. In the Task Manager, select each startup item and click “Disable”. Finally, restart your computer. This will put your computer in a Clean Boot state.
If none of these solutions work, then it is possible that the driver is not compatible with your system or has been discontinued by the manufacturer or Windows. In this case, you may need to contact the manufacturer directly or find an alternate solution.