1

I have a Dell E5450 and I have downloaded the Windows 10 driver pack cab file from Dell. I'd like to use 7zip to extract these driver files to their proper location on the windows computer only using the command line.

I have read that windows 10 .inf files need to live in C:\WINDOWS\INF and .sys files need to live in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\drivers or in C:\WINDOWS\SYSWOW64\drivers of x64 machines.

So, theoretically, if I extract all the .inf files to C:\WINDOWS\INF using this command:

7z e [.cab file location ] -o [C:\WINDOWS\INF] [*.inf -r]

And all of the .sys files to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ using this command:

7z e [.cab file location ] -o [C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS] [*.sys-r]

Should that "install" the drivers to the machine? Is there a better way to do this? Is there another location on the C:\ drive where driver files live? Is this even possible? Again, I'm looking to find a solution to just install all of the drivers for this machine via the command line with no user interaction in the device manager.

Thanks!

newman
  • 13
  • 6
  • I can't speak to where drivers are stored in Windows, but I've never copied files directly there before. Those driver packs are usually for automating install of Windows (commonly called imaging) with MDT (Microsoft Deployment Toolbench) or SCCM (microsoft System Center Configuration Manager). So I CAN say you are usually them in an abnormal way, but it might work? – gregg Feb 24 '21 at 20:23
  • https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/devtest/pnputil – gregg Feb 24 '21 at 20:26
  • @gregg Thank you for your input. I appriciate it! So, using 7-zip, it exports the .cab file into a single directory. Could I feasibly use PnPUtil and run `pnputil /add-driver c:\DellE5450\*.inf` on that directory? – newman Feb 24 '21 at 20:54
  • The INF files are likely in subfolders, I am not sure that command will search subfolders, I'm guessing it'll search only in the top-level folder. I have NO experience with pnputil. Win10 install most drivers automatically from Windows Updates, if you have internet is there a reason you want to automate this on just 1 PC? – gregg Feb 24 '21 at 21:21
  • It will! PnpUtil has a /subdir option that will traverse subdirectories, find them, and install them. It works! Thanks for your help! – newman Feb 24 '21 at 22:28
  • I've added that as an answer if you want to accept it? – gregg Feb 24 '21 at 22:46

1 Answers1

2

PnPUtil Microsoft command MIGHT be able to install extracted drivers, not sure how well it'd work with directories/multiple-drivers.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/devtest/pnputil

gregg
  • 5,598
  • 2
  • 21
  • 36