Updating the drivers is one of the essential maintenance tasks for any computer. But it is also true that it is one of the most obnoxious tasks for users, since finding, downloading and installing the drivers by hand takes a long time. For this reason, many choose to use programs, such as Avast Driver Updater, which allow us to update all the computer’s drivers automatically. However, this can bring us more problems than benefits, and we may even have to format as this user has done by trusting Avast software.
Avast Driver Updater installs wrong SATA driver
Several days ago, a Reddit user, Crazysuperepicballs , reported a problem within Avast’s Reddit that forced him to format his computer . This user, who claims to be a developer (not a novice) with experience in Windows systems, claims to have given this program a chance to automatically update drivers in Windows and, by doing so, has lost the operating system.
What has happened is that, when passing Avast Driver Updater, the program has detected an obsolete SATA driver installed in the system. In the database of drivers, the program found a more modern version of it, and, without making any other checks, installed it.
After restarting the computer to complete the update of the PC drivers, this user realized that Windows would not start. The SATA driver installed by Avast Driver Updater was incompatible with your computer. Thus, when trying to start the computer, the user found a blue screen that prevented him from continuing. And since the driver probably had a Microsoft signature, Windows replaced the original driver with the one provided by this program, so it was not possible to start in Safe Mode to repair the PC.
In theory, the program should have created a restore point before updating the drivers, just like other programs like IObit Driver Booster do. However, the user claims that this time it was not the case. Without a restore point, and without the possibility of entering Safe Mode, the only solution is to format the PC, losing the data stored on the hard drive .
Beware of programs to update drivers
Using programs like Avast Driver Updater, or IObit Driver Booster, can be tempting. These programs allow us to save time in bringing our PC up to date . Even we ourselves have recommended on more than one occasion to use the IObit option, or Snappy Driver Installer Origin, to update the system. These programs create system restore points, a copy of old drivers that are removed, and also only distribute those that have passed Microsoft WHQL tests to ensure proper operation.
The Avast program should have made a restore point (although the user assures that it did not) to be able to recover the PC from Windows RE in the event of an error. But what it does not indicate anywhere on the program’s web is that it uses certified WHQL drivers. And the problem may be due to this reason.
However, if we want to avoid problems, we should not obsess over drivers. To keep the PC up to date, it is enough to update the graphics drivers (NVIDIA or AMD) manually, and the rest of the system through Windows Update.