Windows 7 Problem Installing Optional Updates

patlaw

Honorable Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2009
I just updated an HP Elitebook 6930p laptop to Windows 7 Professional. Everything installed and is working fine. However, Windows Update reports that there are optional updates for the following two devices:

Analog Devices - Audio - SoundMAX Integrated Digital HD Audio
RICOH Company, Ltd. - Input - RICOH SmartCard Reader

Both devices work fine and have drivers installed. I believe that the installed drivers are possibly newer than these, but in any case, these drivers will not install. They fail. There's not a lot of information in the "Select the updates you want to install" window.

One option at this point is to hide the updates, which I have never done in any of the hundreds of computers I've serviced. Is there another option? Isn't there some procedure for resetting the Windows Update database on the computer?
 
Well, to be perfectly honest I've had to do that a few times in order to finish a job and get paid! But, I didn't feel very good about it! My goal is to be 100% accurate on rebuilds, but sometimes you just can't fix the problem.

What version of Windows came with that Elitebook??

I would suggest the following:

1) Make sure your Win7 Professional is at SP1 level--you didn't mention. There are over 900 updates in SP1, and that causes lots of problems with older driver incompatibilites when you use Auto-Update downloading.

2) Is the Win7 Pro media you installed from a copy or an Actual Microsoft Disc with the little Hologram on the box or disc? If a copy, inferior media can cause read errors and sometimes driver cab expands can get scrambled during the install.

3) Have you checked to see if there is a BIOS update for the Elitebook model at the HP website (support.hp.com)? If so, did you apply the BIOS update?

4) When you installed the BIOS Update *if applicable*, did you install it before or after the Chipset drivers? Recommended order is to ALWAYS install the BIOS Update first, Chipset drivers 2nd, and all other drivers after; usually I do top-down approach on the alphabetical build list when you build your drivers disc after download before burn to disc. Audio, Video, Modem, Network, USB Controller, etc. **this is crucial, because it you install your BIOS update out of order, the older drivers will write over the Registry Keys and chaos ensues!**

5) This is probably silly, but I see Customers that do this--did you install the correct Win7 Pro OS type onto the Elitebook hard drive; I mean did you load 64bit Media onto a 64bit laptop? Usually if you try to install 64bit Media onto a 32bit CPU it will error out. However, if you try the reverse; install 32bit Media onto a 64bit CPU, Windows7 will not tell you, and it may allow it--I have a Toshiba on my bench right now where the Customer did this. And very squirelly things happen on it--but all hardware diags pass ok. It took me days to figure it out.

Post back your answers to my questions, and we can help you figure it out. If it were me, I would try a rebuild following my recommendations in terms of installation order, and if it still didn't work I would run complete exhaustive hardware diagnostics looking for problems in Hard drive, Motherboard, RAM, etc. Generally speaking, you should be able to get both of those failed drivers to "recognize" properly, but only if all else in your hardware is ok, especially a BIOS update being properly applied.

Cheers!

BIGBEARJEDI
 
BBJ, you definitely make some sound recommendations, and thankfully I pretty much follow the path you laid out. I've been doing this a LONG time, too. Anyway, the problem is solved. I don't know whether to be happy or embarrassed. Even though I tried to install the optional updates three times, each one followed by a reboot, the updates would not go away. They were the last two updates. Not expecting to find anything, I just happen to run "Check for Updates" again manually. Not only did several more updates show up (including .net), but the optional hardware updates went away. After I installed the remaining critical (1) and optional (2) updates, the machine is up-to-date.

I'm sorry I wasted your time for what would appear to be such a careless act on my part, but the way things unfolded, I felt sure that those problem updates were the result of a manual "Check for Updates". Hopefully this thread will help someone keep from looking stupid, like I now do. :)
 
You haven't wasted anybody time...we all live and learn....and as usual, it's the simplest of things that are always over looked....lol. It happens to all of us every now and then. Just glad to hear you have resolved your issue.
 
Patlaw: I echo bassfisher's sentiments for sure. And, I've been known to make some mistakes over the years myself. We are always excited when we can help a member resolve a nagging problem! :wink_smile: <:o) You know the story about the fellow who was perfect; the only mistake he made was admitting that he was perfect!

BBJ :brew: :pumpkin: :usa:
 
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