From the Computer Management view in the SmartDeploy console, you can update device drivers on a target device, including BIOS (UEFI) updates, without reimaging the target system.
In order to update drivers on a particular device, you need the following:
- The SmartDeploy Client must be installed on one or more target devices, and it must have a Local or Cloud-based connection with the SmartDeploy console, so that it appears in the Computer Management view.
- You must have a compatible Platform Pack for the target computer's manufacturer and model, as well as its current operating system.
If you are managing both Windows 10 and Windows 11 endpoints and aren't sure which Platform Pack to use, see this article: Can I deploy Windows 11 to a computer using a Windows 10 Platform Pack?
Important: It is possible that a driver update or firmware update may initiate a restart of the target device, with or without a prompt to the user. If a computer is powered off during a firmware update, it may become "bricked" and unusable. Exercise caution when performing driver and firmware updates - it is important to communicate to your end users that you intend to update drivers if it will occur during a date/time that they may be actively using the target device.
SmartDeploy offers several options to configure user notification and reboot behavior - see below for details.
Start the Driver Deployment
- In the Computer Management workspace of the SmartDeploy Console, identify one or more computers that you want to deploy updated drivers to. If a downloaded Platform Pack is a newer version than the one that a device was last deployed with, an icon is displayed next to the device to indicate that updated drivers are available.
Note: Clients that appear in the Computer Management workspace in gray or faded text indicate that the device is off or there's another issue preventing a full connection between the console host and client. Deployments won't work when clients are in this state. Please see the Advanced Configuration and Troubleshooting section for more information. - Click to select the client(s) that you want to deploy to, and then click Deploy | Drivers.
You can click on a single endpoint and then use Ctrl-click (for multiple, specific computers), Shift-click (for a range of computers), or Ctrl-A (to Select All), and you will be able to perform any action that can be performed on multiple endpoints simultaneously.
Note that you may only multi-select computers that have the same model, as a Platform Pack may need to be manually selected in the event of an ambiguous match with a target device. - Select Local Network or Cloud Network for the source of the Platform Pack.
- Toggle the drop-down menu and select the Platform Pack that matches your device model.
- (Optional) Review the checkboxes, and check or uncheck them as desired:
Allow User To Defer Driver Update: If checked, the user will receive a warning that a driver update has been scheduled, and they will have a chance to defer or delay it until later. The driver update will not proceed until the user allows it to proceed. If a BIOS update is present in the selected Platform Pack, the user will be warned by default, regardless of whether or not this box is checked.
Ignore BIOS Warning Prompt on Client: This will override the BIOS warning mentioned above. If you check this box, the driver and BIOS update will proceed without any warning. Exercise caution and communicate with your users when selecting this option, as any power interruption during a BIOS update can result in a bricked and unusable endpoint.
Skip BIOS Installation: This will skip any BIOS update that is present in the Platform Pack - other device driver and device firmware packages will be installed, but BIOS updates will not.
Schedule Deployment: This option allows you to specify a date/time for the driver update to occur in the future.
- Specify the credentials with access to the location of your Platform Pack files and then click Finish.
- Click OK to confirm the driver update.
- When the driver update starts, the icon next to the computer will change.
Next: Advanced Configuration
