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What determines if Windows can automatically install a device driver or not? I had a huge issue with an Android Device and finally selected "Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer" and chose the only option with the manufacture name. Even though "show compatible hardware was checked" it still warned that installed the driver may damage the computer. Why does the "search automatically" option sometimes fail (and sometimes you don't even need to go to device manager at all)?

I'm gathering Windows comes with the installers for many device drivers, but they aren't actually installed?

Note! I could understand why it can't do it automatically if the driver is not stored locally and needs to be downloaded, but this certainly wasn't my case as no download happened.

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When you plug in a device, Windows will search Microsoft Update for the driver if it isn't found on your PC. Most of the drivers from Microsoft were either written by them directly, or were submitted by the vendor for WHQL certification.

Drivers are closed-source, proprietary software from the companies that make the various chipsets found in the devices you use, which means they are still covered by copyright law. Whether Microsoft wrote a generic driver themselves, or is hosting a 3rd-party vendor's driver, they're still hosting it on their servers for Windows to find, and they must be legally authorized to do so.

Some companies do not allow this, for whatever reason. Others just never ask and Microsoft doesn't care. Either way, they can't possibly have a driver for every device out there, so that's why it's hit-or-miss on your part.

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If the driver is not signed and Microsoft does not approve the driver then the automatic install will fail. Another reason why the automatic install may fail is because the device is not recognized or does not work with the driver selected for this device.

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