Keeping your Windows drivers up-to-date is crucial for maintaining system stability, performance, and security. Drivers act as a bridge between your operating system and hardware devices, ensuring they communicate effectively. While most users update drivers using graphical interfaces, advanced users and system administrators might prefer using Command Prompt (CMD) for automation and scripting purposes. This article will guide you through the process of updating Windows drivers using CMD, providing practical examples and commands.

Examples:

1. Using PnPUtil to Update Drivers: PnPUtil (PnP Utility) is a command-line tool that allows you to manage the driver store and install drivers. It is included in Windows.

   Step-by-Step Guide:

   • Open Command Prompt as Administrator:

     • Press Win + X and select "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows PowerShell (Admin)".

   • List Installed Drivers:

     pnputil /enum-drivers

     This command lists all third-party drivers currently installed on your system.

   • Add a Driver Package:

     pnputil /add-driver <path_to_driver_inf_file> /install

     Replace <path_to_driver_inf_file> with the actual path to the .inf file of the driver you want to install.

   • Example:

     pnputil /add-driver C:\Drivers\example.inf /install

   • Delete a Driver Package:

     pnputil /delete-driver <published_name> /uninstall /force

     Replace <published_name> with the name of the driver package you want to remove, which you can find using the /enum-drivers command.

   • Example:

     pnputil /delete-driver oem1.inf /uninstall /force

2. Using Device Manager via DevCon: DevCon (Device Console) is another command-line tool that provides the ability to manage devices. It is part of the Windows Driver Kit (WDK).

   Step-by-Step Guide:

   • Download and Install the Windows Driver Kit (WDK): Download the WDK from the official Microsoft website and install it.

   • Open Command Prompt as Administrator:

     • Press Win + X and select "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows PowerShell (Admin)".

   • List All Devices:

     devcon hwids *

     This command lists all devices and their hardware IDs.

   • Update a Driver:

     devcon update <path_to_driver_inf_file> <hardware_id>

     Replace <path_to_driver_inf_file> with the path to the .inf file and <hardware_id> with the hardware ID of the device.

   • Example:

     devcon update C:\Drivers\example.inf PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1C20