XPS8940/Nvidia card and Windows Update.

OK, the question IS does Windows Update REALLY install a new driver for you?

I think NOT!

See today I noticed a desktop change, usually happens when I install a new Nvidia driver, that is my desktop loses the rightmost column of icon's mostly and part of the desktop is displaced on the left most column to the left.

So I checked Windows Update (today is Tuesday and they usually drop and update on that day). It only had a Powershell update, however I also looked at the Optional ones and see this:

Now that is ODD??? Notice it reports 4 times it put V536.19 down? I never to the best of my knowledge had that done? So I looked at Device Manager to see what I have, as on 1/18/2024 I did install the lastest Nvidia driver. I see this:

Hmm, same date MS Update supposedly put down an Nvidia Driver? See the PRIOR dates too, all dates I personally install an Nvidia driver? Hmm...

Let me check the actual driver installed in Dev. Manager then:

Seems pretty clear to me that MS Update did NOT install the driver then?

My thought, as I've seen with other drivers and even updates, Windows Update sort of 'assumes' IF it set a driver or file that it KNOWS needs a REBOOT to complete install, it makes and entry into the MS Update Install log that it did install the file and then writes the file to RAM and via the registry RUNONCE key gives the path to that file. However, since in my case at least, I had a NEWER driver, the install fails with no warning or log. Now I also suspect MS Update knows it installed something and over what. So it doesn't show you the same file to install assuming it did do it. However, a new file will trigger it again it seems.

Bottom line I draw from the above, don't trust that MS Update did install a file, double check the file to be sure. Now for a BIOS, with the BIOS set to allow a back-level, MS Update probably would install and older update. I know Nvidia drivers do no allow an older driver to be installed I recall, you have to approve it maybe or, I might have deleted the older newer driver before doing the back level install, not sure. But I am sure MS Update DID NOT install the driver it thinks it had.

YMMV.