"With [CIDR], Microsoft can now trigger a recovery action directly from the Hardware Dev Center (HDC), rolling back a problematic driver to the previously known-good version via the Windows Update pipeline. Partners are not required to take any action. Microsoft handles the recovery end-to-end."
"Faulty drivers installed through Windows Update can only be dealt with currently by its partners or the end user, which is obviously not ideal. With [CIDR], Microsoft can now trigger a recovery action directly from the Hardware Dev Center (HDC), rolling back a problematic driver to the previously known-good version via the Windows Update pipeline."
"Driver updates for certain hardware like GPUs have caused issues with Windows Updates for years, with the NVIDIA “Nvlddmkm.sys” driver error being one of the most famous examples. Microsoft’s CIDR system should help with that to a certain extent, and should start gradually rolling out in September."
"At it's Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC 2026), the company said it's “heavily investing” in hardening kernel mode drivers for higher security, reliability and resiliency. It's also introducing stronger partner verification for trusted drivers, improving lifecycle management and expanding quality measures."
Cloud-Initiated Driver Recovery (CIDR) enables Windows Update to automatically roll back problematic drivers to previously known-good versions when faulty drivers are detected during Microsoft’s evaluation process. Faulty drivers installed through Windows Update currently require partners or end users to resolve, but CIDR allows Microsoft to trigger recovery directly from the Hardware Dev Center and handle the process end-to-end through the Windows Update pipeline. The rollout is expected to begin gradually in September. Microsoft is also expanding user control by allowing pausing and skipping updates and enabling shutdown or restart without installing them. In parallel, the Driver Quality Initiative (DQI) aims to prevent driver issues by hardening kernel mode drivers, strengthening partner verification, improving lifecycle management, and expanding quality measures.
Read at Engadget
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