Final month, we realized that Microsoft is making main modifications to the event of {hardware} drivers in Home windows. This included the retirement of Home windows Metadata and Web Companies (WMIS), together with the method for pre-production driver signing. Now, the Redmond tech agency has knowledgeable companions that will probably be eliminating previous drivers in Home windows Replace.

In what’s being described as a “strategic” transfer to enhance the safety posture and compatibility of Home windows, Microsoft has introduced that will probably be performing a cleanup of legacy drivers which can be nonetheless being delivered by means of Home windows Replace. Proper now, the primary part solely targets drivers that have already got trendy replacements current in Home windows Replace.

As part of its cleanup course of, Microsoft will expire legacy drivers in order that it’s not supplied to any system. This expiration entails eradicating viewers segments within the {Hardware} Improvement Heart. Companions can nonetheless republish a driver that was deemed as legacy by Microsoft, however the agency could require a justification. As soon as the Redmond tech big completes its first part of this cleanup, it would give companions a six-month grace interval to share any considerations. Nonetheless, if no considerations are introduced ahead, the drivers shall be completely eradicated from Home windows Replace.

Microsoft has emphasised that this shall be an everyday exercise transferring ahead and whereas the present part solely targets legacy drivers with newer replacements, the subsequent phases could broaden the scope of this cleanup and take away different drivers too. That stated, every time the corporate takes a step on this path, it would inform companions so that there’s transparency between each events.

Microsoft believes that this transfer will assist enhance the safety posture of Home windows and make sure that an optimized set of drivers is obtainable to end-users. The agency has requested companions to overview their drivers in {Hardware} Program in order that there are not any sudden surprises throughout this cleanup course of.