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<div><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">I concur with Drew. Except:</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">I would never use any driver provided by Microsoft/Windows Update in place of a working driver from the device manufacturer. This includes driver updates which come with Feature Updates.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">I have had more trouble from Microsoft-provided Windows drivers than from manufacturer-provided drivers.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">And NEVER trust any third-party "driver update" tool. Those programs lead to disasters more often than not. Your hardware probably will not benefit from a higher-numbered driver. </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Just my 2-cents.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">-- Bob Primak </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div>
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On Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 03:48:54 PM EST, George Gamota <ggamota@stma-llc.com> wrote:
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--></style><div><div class="yiv9171340082WordSection1"><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D;">Drew</span></p><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D;">Thanks for the good advice.</span></p><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D;">George</span></p><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;color:#1F497D;"> </span></p><div id="yiv9171340082yqt79019" class="yiv9171340082yqt5438335367"><div><div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in;"><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Drew King <dking65@kingconsulting.us> <br clear="none"><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, March 2, 2023 1:52 PM<br clear="none"><b>To:</b> George Gamota <ggamota@stma-llc.com>; 'Lex Computer Group' <lctg@lists.toku.us><br clear="none"><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Time to create or re-create your Windows Recovery Drive</p></div></div><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"> </p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">George,</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">First, don't select any of them unless you first create a new System Restore Point. ALWAYS create a new System Restore Point before doing anything that will change the OS, and it's ability to boot and run.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">I <b><span style="color:red;">ALWAYS</span></b> create a new System Restore Point before doing anything to my/others computers.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">Before I let any program update itself, I first create a new Restore Point.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">If a Windows Update fails, or a software install/upgrade goes wrong, reverting to a known valid Restore Point is often the only real remedy.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">I used to work for a software company that provided, to Microsoft, software that was incorporated into the Microsoft Windows NT install CD. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">The drivers came from Microsoft, only they were written by us, not Microsoft.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">You can sometimes get real & proper manufacturer drivers directly from Microsoft.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">Other times the best drivers come from the hardware manufacturer. It really depends on the specific hardware configuration.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">So, not knowing anything about your situation/system, <b><span style="color:teal;">I would tend to lean towards leaving things alone right now. If it's not broken, don't "Fix" it.</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">I'd run Windows Device Manager and check for anything that looks yellow/red. Check for anything that looks like it's in an error state. If nothing stands out, leave everything alone.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">I'd also run the Windows Event Viewer and check if Windows is generating lots of red level errors like you see in this picture:</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">Then, you want to take a closer look and see if you have errors that can either easily be fixed, or are perhaps suggesting that there is a real problem somewhere. Periodically checking the event viewer is like taking your car to the mechanic and asking them to take a look under the hood and check for anything that might be wrong. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">Perhaps you didn't notice anything wrong while you were driving your car to the mechanic. But then, you find out your oil is low, tires, and wipers are worn, and brakes are about to go any day. The mechanic will fix it all, while you wait, and figure out where the money is going to come from to fix everything.</span></p><p><img id="yiv9171340082Picture_x0020_1" width="433" height="265" style="width:4.5083in;min-height:2.7583in;" src="cid:Ofoj6xqpKhzszO9hdfBq" yahoo_partid="1.2"></p><p> </p><p>Drew.</p><p> </p><div><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal">On 3/2/2023 11:55 AM, George Gamota wrote:</p></div><blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt;"><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#993366;">Drew</span></p><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#993366;">Thanks for your response. I do have a question about drivers.</span></p><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#993366;">I have a PC Windows 10. Every time I look for updates, they are mostly updates on security. However, if I click on optional, there is a list of driver updates. Since they are optional I don’t click them. Should I click them or just stick to the regular updates MS sends me?</span></p><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#993366;">George</span></p><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;color:#993366;"> </span></p><div><div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in;"><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Drew King <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" ymailto="mailto:dking65@kingconsulting.us" target="_blank" href="mailto:dking65@kingconsulting.us"><dking65@kingconsulting.us></a> <br clear="none"><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, March 2, 2023 1:50 AM<br clear="none"><b>To:</b> George Gamota <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" ymailto="mailto:ggamota@stma-llc.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:ggamota@stma-llc.com"><ggamota@stma-llc.com></a>; 'Lex Computer Group' <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" ymailto="mailto:lctg@lists.toku.us" target="_blank" href="mailto:lctg@lists.toku.us"><lctg@lists.toku.us></a><br clear="none"><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Time to create or re-create your Windows Recovery Drive</p></div></div><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"> </p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">George,</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">Over time, your PC will update some of the drivers that were current when you made your first drive. You are only updating it to keep pace with Windows updates to your PC configuration.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">Once per year is probably fine. Twice, if you want to be cautious, but no more than that.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;">Drew.</span></p><div><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal">On 3/1/2023 7:26 PM, George Gamota wrote:</p></div><blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt;"><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D;">Drew</span></p><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D;">When you say OLD, how often should you do this? Once or twice a year, once a month?</span></p><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D;">Thanks</span></p><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D;">George</span></p><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;color:#1F497D;"> </span></p><div><div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in;"><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> LCTG <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" ymailto="mailto:lctg-bounces+ggamota=stma-llc.com@lists.toku.us" target="_blank" href="mailto:lctg-bounces+ggamota=stma-llc.com@lists.toku.us"><lctg-bounces+ggamota=stma-llc.com@lists.toku.us></a> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Drew King<br clear="none"><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 1, 2023 7:09 PM<br clear="none"><b>To:</b> Lex Computer Group <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" ymailto="mailto:lctg@lists.toku.us" target="_blank" href="mailto:lctg@lists.toku.us"><lctg@lists.toku.us></a><br clear="none"><b>Subject:</b> [Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Time to create or re-create your Windows Recovery Drive</p></div></div><p class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"> </p><p>All,</p><p>If you don't have a Windows recovery USB flash drive, you should consider making one. You'll need at least a 16 GB drive to hold the system files.</p><p>If you have one, and it's OLD, you NEED TO REDO IT! </p><div style="border:solid #D9D9E3 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;"><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:#F7F7F8;white-space:pre-wrap;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;word-spacing:0px;"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#8080FF;">To create a Windows recovery drive, follow these steps:</span></b></p></div><div style="border:solid #D9D9E3 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 5.0pt;"><ol style="margin-top:0in;counter-reset:item 0;display:flex;orphans:2;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:2;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;word-spacing:0px;" start="1" type="1"><li style="color:#374151;background:#F7F7F8;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;">Connect a USB drive or external hard drive with at least 16 GB of free space to your computer.</span></li><li style="color:#374151;background:#F7F7F8;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;">Type "Create a recovery drive" in the Windows search bar and select the "Create a recovery drive" option that appears in the search results.</span></li><li style="color:#374151;background:#F7F7F8;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#8080FF;">When the Recovery Drive wizard opens, make sure that the </span></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:red;">"Back up system files to the recovery drive"</span></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#8080FF;"> option is checked</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;"> and click "Next".</span></li><li style="color:#374151;background:#F7F7F8;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;">Select the USB drive or external hard drive that you want to use as the recovery drive and click "Next".</span></li><li style="color:#374151;background:#F7F7F8;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;">Click "Create" to start creating the recovery drive. This may take some time, depending on the size of the Windows system files that need to be copied.</span></li><li style="color:#374151;background:#F7F7F8;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;">Once the recovery drive has been created, click "Finish" to complete the process.</span></li></ol></div><div style="border:solid #D9D9E3 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;"><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;background:#F7F7F8;orphans:2;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:2;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;word-spacing:0px;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#374151;">Your Windows recovery drive is now ready to use. Be sure to keep it in a safe place in case you need it in the future. To use the recovery drive, simply connect it to the computer you want to repair or troubleshoot, boot from the recovery drive, and follow the on-screen instructions.</span></p></div><p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;">The recovery drive contains specific drivers or software that are unique to the computer it was created on. This means that while the recovery drive can be used on other computers with the same version of Windows, it may not include all of the necessary drivers or software for those computers.</span></p><p> </p><div style="border:solid #D9D9E3 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;"><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:#F7F7F8;orphans:2;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:2;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;word-spacing:0px;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#374151;">There are several reasons why you might want to create a Windows recovery drive, including:</span></p></div><div style="border:solid #D9D9E3 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 5.0pt;"><ol style="margin-top:0in;counter-reset:item 0;display:flex;orphans:2;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:2;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;word-spacing:0px;" start="1" type="1"><li style="color:#374151;background:#F7F7F8;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;">System Failure: In the event of a system failure or a corrupted operating system, a Windows recovery drive can help you restore your computer to its previous state.</span></li><li style="color:#374151;background:#F7F7F8;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;">Virus or Malware Infections: A recovery drive can be useful in case of a virus or malware infection that cannot be removed by regular antivirus software.</span></li><li style="color:#374151;background:#F7F7F8;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;">Hardware Issues: If you experience hardware problems, such as a failing hard drive or memory issues, a recovery drive can help you troubleshoot the problem and repair your system.</span></li><li style="color:#374151;background:#F7F7F8;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;">Reinstallation of Windows: If you need to reinstall Windows, a recovery drive can help you do so quickly and easily without having to go through the entire installation process.</span></li><li style="color:#374151;background:#F7F7F8;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;">Upgrading to a New Operating System: If you are upgrading to a new version of Windows, a recovery drive can be a useful backup in case something goes wrong during the upgrade process.</span></li><li style="color:#374151;background:#F7F7F8;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;">Resetting Your Computer: If you want to reset your computer to its factory settings, a recovery drive can help you do so easily.</span></li></ol></div><div style="border:solid #D9D9E3 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;"><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;background:#F7F7F8;orphans:2;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:2;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;word-spacing:0px;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#374151;">Overall, a Windows recovery drive is an essential tool to have in case of any unforeseen problems with your computer's operating system or hardware.</span></p></div><p> </p><div><p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal">-- <br clear="none">Drew King <br clear="none"><br clear="none"><br clear="none"><br clear="none"></p></div></blockquote><div><p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal">-- <br clear="none">Drew King <br clear="none"><br clear="none"><br clear="none"></p></div></blockquote><div><p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;" class="yiv9171340082MsoNormal">-- <br clear="none">Drew King <br clear="none"><br clear="none"></p></div></div></div></div></div><div class="yqt5438335367" id="yqt49041">===============================================<br clear="none">::The Lexington Computer and Technology Group Mailing List::<br clear="none">Reply goes to sender only; 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