Is there any reason not to use Windows Update drivers? I don't really game and it's not a very powerful PC, so it just seems easier and more convenient to use WU. Thoughts?
I think it's arbitrary, depending on the brands and types of hardware. To avoid any inconvenience I always make an effort to install as many 'original brand' drivers from the manufacturers website as I can, or at least those that are available. For example, my desktop has a Realtek NIC with the original driver. WU did replace it a few times for the generic WHQL-driver after which Wake on LAN refused to start my desktop remotely. Replacing it for the original driver and disabeling this WU-update was necessary to set this straight...
Yeah but what is the easy way to use manufacturers drivers? WU keeps bringing me the drivers once I install my own, and with the WUMT Script, Windows can't access anything from MS servers when WUMT isn't running.
You can use Driver booster for free to update your drivers watch out during install that you untick unnessery crap bonus
To be honest on old PC I rather keep Windows Drivers default, rather than installing chipset drivers or what so ever The only driver that i will avoid from Windows Update are the Graphic drivers such (Nvidia, AMD) etc. Because sometimes there are realtek drivers than may cause problems in old hardware. Another thing that you can do is use Snappy-drivers software to find latest drivers, that's a recommend software.
The WU driver of Intel LAN I219-V which is commonly found in most Z170/Z270/Z370 motherboards does not support WOL (Wake on LAN) feature. To get that feature, we have to install latest driver found on Intel's website.