[GUIDE] Manually backup Non-Microsoft Drivers from Windows 7

[haris_sane69]

Greetings everyone,

 

This guide will help you to manually backup all third-party drivers (non- microsoft drivers) from an existing Windows 7 installation. I did some testing and found that all the hardware drivers are stored in C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository directory.

What you have to do is:

(i)Go to C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository
(ii)Sort by last modified date &
(iii)Check and copy folder for non-microsoft drivers to say C:\Drivers.

That's all

IGNORE those folder which don't contain *.cat file.

 

I also slipstreamed the above drivers in Windows 7 January 2020 Disc Image & it integrated successfully.

Command Line Interface(Extract):

C:\Windows\system32>Dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:C:\Win7\sources\install.wim

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7601.24499

Details for image : C:\Win7\sources\install.wim

Index : 1
Name : Windows 7 HOMEBASIC
Description : Windows 7 HOMEBASIC
Size : 14,867,750,897 bytes

Index : 2
Name : Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM
Description : Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM
Size : 15,386,654,205 bytes

Index : 3
Name : Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL
Description : Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL
Size : 15,291,878,047 bytes

Index : 4
Name : Windows 7 ULTIMATE
Description : Windows 7 ULTIMATE
Size : 15,454,575,521 bytes

The operation completed successfully.

C:\Windows\system32>PAUSE
Press any key to continue . . .

C:\Windows\system32>mkdir C:\ULTIMATE

C:\Windows\system32>Dism /Mount-WIM /WimFile:C:\Win7\sources\install.wim /index:
4 /MountDir:C:\ULTIMATE

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7601.24499

Mounting image
[==========================100.0%==========================]
The operation completed successfully.

C:\Windows\system32>Dism /Image:C:\ULTIMATE /Add-Driver /Driver:C:\Drivers /Recu
rse

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7601.24499

Image Version: 6.1.7601.24499

Searching for driver packages to install...
Found 19 driver package(s) to install.
Installing 1 of 19 - C:\Drivers\atheros_bth.inf_amd64_neutral_7f7d27b8abb6001a\a
theros_bth.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 2 of 19 - C:\Drivers\dptf_cpu.inf_amd64_neutral_aa6e0c437ab150d5\dptf
_cpu.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 3 of 19 - C:\Drivers\esif_manager.inf_amd64_neutral_c73fefaf22ba926a\
esif_manager.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 4 of 19 - C:\Drivers\hdxma7.inf_amd64_neutral_9bbcdf3b5e3fc734\hdxma7
.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 5 of 19 - C:\Drivers\heci.inf_amd64_neutral_16593ab35133f7a6\heci.inf
: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 6 of 19 - C:\Drivers\iaahcic.inf_amd64_neutral_0a9d931ff5b9c7cf\iaAHC
IC.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 7 of 19 - C:\Drivers\ialpss2_gpio2_skl.inf_amd64_neutral_be53f7a7c63d
ac92\iaLPSS2_GPIO2_SKL.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 8 of 19 - C:\Drivers\ialpss2_i2c_skl.inf_amd64_neutral_b2e38689a4eb38
7b\iaLPSS2_I2C_SKL.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 9 of 19 - C:\Drivers\intcdaud.inf_amd64_neutral_66e0a5048e30f9c5\Intc
DAud.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 10 of 19 - C:\Drivers\k120130.inf_amd64_neutral_299d0c74ec099c32\K120
130.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 11 of 19 - C:\Drivers\netathr7x.inf_amd64_neutral_f6b1b7669e6ad5b3\ne
tathr7x.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 12 of 19 - C:\Drivers\rt64win7.inf_amd64_neutral_ded7d70457da510f\rt6
4win7.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 13 of 19 - C:\Drivers\rtsuerx.inf_amd64_neutral_c49dd1b16298e63c\RtsU
erX.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 14 of 19 - C:\Drivers\sunrisepoint-lpsystem.inf_amd64_neutral_c08c10f
a27075155\sunrisepoint-lpsystem.inf: The driver package was successfully install
ed.
Installing 15 of 19 - C:\Drivers\sunrisepoint-lpsystemlpss.inf_amd64_neutral_244
c81f76a71145b\sunrisepoint-lpsystemlpss.inf: The driver package was successfully
 installed.
Installing 16 of 19 - C:\Drivers\sunrisepoint-lpsystemthermal.inf_amd64_neutral_
7e014774b9c5f768\sunrisepoint-lpsystemthermal.inf: The driver package was succes
sfully installed.
Installing 17 of 19 - C:\Drivers\synpd.inf_amd64_neutral_5ab01e2e519fd6f2\synpd.
inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 18 of 19 - C:\Drivers\USB\iusb3hub.inf: The driver package was succes
sfully installed.
Installing 19 of 19 - C:\Drivers\USB\iusb3xhc.inf: The driver package was succes
sfully installed.
The operation completed successfully.

C:\Windows\system32>Dism /Unmount-WIM /MountDir:C:\ULTIMATE /Commit

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7601.24499

Image File : C:\Win7\sources\install.wim
Image Index : 4
Saving image
[==========================100.0%==========================]
Unmounting image
[==========================100.0%==========================]
The operation completed successfully.

C:\Windows\system32>rmdir C:\ULTIMATE

C:\Windows\system32>Dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:C:\Win7\sources\install.wim

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7601.24499

Details for image : C:\Win7\sources\install.wim

Index : 1
Name : Windows 7 HOMEBASIC
Description : Windows 7 HOMEBASIC
Size : 16,074,956,469 bytes

Index : 2
Name : Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM
Description : Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM
Size : 16,593,602,612 bytes

Index : 3
Name : Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL
Description : Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL
Size : 16,498,828,957 bytes

Index : 4
Name : Windows 7 ULTIMATE
Description : Windows 7 ULTIMATE
Size : 16,661,516,327 bytes

The operation completed successfully.

C:\Windows\system32>PAUSE
Press any key to continue . . .

 

Regards.

EDIT 1 : As an extra precaution(optional), it's better to delete the *.pnf files from copied folders as these files are machine-specific and are created by the system when the driver is installed for device.

EDIT 2: If you're planning to slipstreamed all third-party drivers like I do above then don't forget to integrate dotNet also in Windows 7 January 2020 ISOs as some drivers malfunction like MaxxAudioPro, Synaptics Touchpad Driver, etc. without it.

EDIT 3: Or you can simply use this third-party program called Windows Download Integrator (Not Recommended) shared by @Mach1 to do this work for you.

 

CREDITS: @abbodi1406

 

[mp68terr]

Thanks to you and abbodi1406 for the guide.

AFAIR there are also apps like DriverMagician that can backup drivers as exe and/or zip files. Another option is to simply copy/keep the ones coming in the installation disk, maybe not updated but at least the ones bundled with the hardwares are supposed to work.

[haris_sane69]

14 hours ago, mp68terr said:

there are also apps like DriverMagician that can backup drivers as exe and/or zip files

The issue with these Driver Backup software is that you cannot slipstreamed all third-party drivers in Windows Disc Image from the folder(drivers backup) created by it.

Following is the error which I got while slipstreaming the drivers:

 

Installing 7 of 22 - C:\Drivers\MEDIA\Realtek Audio\oem5.inf: Error - An error occurred. The driver package could not be installed.

For more information, check for log files in the <windir>\inf folder of the target image.

 

14 hours ago, mp68terr said:

simply copy/keep the ones coming in the installation disk

This guide is meant for third-party drivers(non-microsoft drivers) which not came with installation disc. In my case after installing Windows 7, I have to manually install all the drivers from Chipset to Ethernet so that my system works smoothly that's why I already know which drivers should I backup & which not. Since Windows 7 is an obsolete operating system it lacks basic drivers like Intel USB 3.0 drivers. 

 

Regards.

[Matrix]

15 hours ago, haris_sane69 said:

In my case after installing Windows 7, I have to manually install all the drivers from Chipset to Ethernet so that my system works smoothly that's why I already know which drivers should I backup & which not.

 

That's an old problem easily fixed with an equally old program that can both backup any selected driver as well as slipstream it to your ISO Works on Win10 also..

 

Info

 

Spoiler

 

Download 

Site: https://www.upload.ee
Sharecode: /files/11492614/Windows_Download_Integrator.rar.html

[mp68terr]

To make it short, win7, as well as vc++ and .net are updated with Simplix's update pack, then drivers slipstream, components removal and customization are done with ntlite-, wintoolkit-like softwares. Non-ms drivers that come with hardwares (mostly motherboard) are kept in a single folder to ease the slipstream phase.

[haris_sane69]

I know this @mp68terr, but I preferred doing things manually. Also you can't slipstream drivers which are in *.exe format. Although we can extract Driver folder from it which contains *.inf file but not from all executable program.

[haris_sane69]

On 4/16/2020 at 5:07 PM, Mach1 said:

 

That's an old problem easily fixed with an equally old program that can both backup any selected driver as well as slipstream it to your ISO Works on Win10 also..

 

Info

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Download 

Site: https://www.upload.ee
Sharecode: /files/11492614/Windows_Download_Integrator.rar.html

Thanks @Mach1 for sharing this ultimate tool to backup third-party drivers. I tested it & is working as expected.

Spoiler

C:\Windows\system32>Dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:C:\Win7\sources\install.wim

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7601.24499

Details for image : C:\Win7\sources\install.wim

Index : 1
Name : Windows 7 HOMEBASIC
Description : Windows 7 HOMEBASIC
Size : 14,867,750,962 bytes

Index : 2
Name : Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM
Description : Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM
Size : 15,386,654,211 bytes

Index : 3
Name : Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL
Description : Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL
Size : 15,291,878,269 bytes

Index : 4
Name : Windows 7 ULTIMATE
Description : Windows 7 ULTIMATE
Size : 15,454,575,529 bytes

The operation completed successfully.

C:\Windows\system32>PAUSE
Press any key to continue . . .

C:\Windows\system32>mkdir C:\HOMEBASIC

C:\Windows\system32>Dism /Mount-WIM /WimFile:C:\Win7\sources\install.wim /index:
1 /MountDir:C:\HOMEBASIC

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7601.24499

Mounting image
[==========================100.0%==========================]
The operation completed successfully.

C:\Windows\system32>Dism /Image:C:\HOMEBASIC /Add-Driver /Driver:C:\Drivers /Rec
urse

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7601.24499

Image Version: 6.1.7601.24499

Searching for driver packages to install...
Found 29 driver package(s) to install.
Installing 1 of 29 - C:\Drivers\BLUETOOTH\Qualcomm QCA9377 Bluetooth 4.0\atheros
_bth.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 2 of 29 - C:\Drivers\BLUETOOTHVIRTUAL\Bluetooth LWFLT Device\btath_lw
flt.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 3 of 29 - C:\Drivers\BLUETOOTHVIRTUAL\Virtual Bluetooth Support (Incl
ude Audio)\btath_audio_flt.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 4 of 29 - C:\Drivers\DISPLAY\Intel(R) HD Graphics 520\igdlh64.inf: Th
e driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 5 of 29 - C:\Drivers\DPTF\Intel(R) Dynamic Platform and Thermal Frame
work Manager\esif_manager.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 6 of 29 - C:\Drivers\DPTF\Intel(R) Dynamic Platform and Thermal Frame
work Processor Participant\dptf_cpu.inf: The driver package was successfully ins
talled.
Installing 7 of 29 - C:\Drivers\HDC\Intel(R) 6th Generation Core Processor Famil
y Platform I\O SATA AHCI Controller\iaAHCIC.inf: The driver package was successf
ully installed.
Installing 8 of 29 - C:\Drivers\HIDCLASS\Bluetooth AVRCP Device\btath_rcp.inf: T
he driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 9 of 29 - C:\Drivers\MEDIA\Bluetooth Audio Device\hdxma7.inf: The dri
ver package was successfully installed.
Installing 10 of 29 - C:\Drivers\MEDIA\Intel(R) Display Audio\hdxma7.inf: The dr
iver package was successfully installed.
Installing 11 of 29 - C:\Drivers\MEDIA\Realtek Audio\hdxma7.inf: The driver pack
age was successfully installed.
Installing 12 of 29 - C:\Drivers\MOUSE\Dell Touchpad\synpd.inf: The driver packa
ge was successfully installed.
Installing 13 of 29 - C:\Drivers\NET\Qualcomm QCA9377 802.11ac Wireless Adapter\
netathr7x.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 14 of 29 - C:\Drivers\NET\Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller\rt64win7
.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 15 of 29 - C:\Drivers\SYSTEM\Intel(R) Management Engine Interface\hec
i.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 16 of 29 - C:\Drivers\SYSTEM\Intel(R) Serial IO GPIO Host Controller
- INT344B\iaLPSS2_GPIO2_SKL.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 17 of 29 - C:\Drivers\SYSTEM\Intel(R) Serial IO I2C Host Controller -
 9D60\iaLPSS2_I2C_SKL.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 18 of 29 - C:\Drivers\SYSTEM\Intel(R) Serial IO I2C Host Controller -
 9D61\iaLPSS2_I2C_SKL.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 19 of 29 - C:\Drivers\SYSTEM\Mobile 6th\7th Generation Intel(R) Proce
ssor Family I\O LPC Controller (U Premium SKU) - 9D48\sunrisepoint-lpsystem.inf:
 The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 20 of 29 - C:\Drivers\SYSTEM\Mobile 6th\7th Generation Intel(R) Proce
ssor Family I\O PCI Express Root Port #5 - 9D14\sunrisepoint-lpsystem.inf: The d
river package was successfully installed.
Installing 21 of 29 - C:\Drivers\SYSTEM\Mobile 6th\7th Generation Intel(R) Proce
ssor Family I\O PCI Express Root Port #6 - 9D15\sunrisepoint-lpsystem.inf: The d
river package was successfully installed.
Installing 22 of 29 - C:\Drivers\SYSTEM\Mobile 6th\7th Generation Intel(R) Proce
ssor Family I\O PMC - 9D21\sunrisepoint-lpsystem.inf: The driver package was suc
cessfully installed.
Installing 23 of 29 - C:\Drivers\SYSTEM\Mobile 6th\7th Generation Intel(R) Proce
ssor Family I\O SMBUS - 9D23\sunrisepoint-lpsystem.inf: The driver package was s
uccessfully installed.
Installing 24 of 29 - C:\Drivers\SYSTEM\Mobile 6th\7th Generation Intel(R) Proce
ssor Family I\O Thermal subsystem - 9D31\sunrisepoint-lpsystemthermal.inf: The d
river package was successfully installed.
Installing 25 of 29 - C:\Drivers\SYSTEM\Qualcomm Atheros Bluetooth Bus\btath_bus
.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 26 of 29 - C:\Drivers\USB\Bluetooth Hard Copy Cable Replacement Serve
r\btath_hcrp.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 27 of 29 - C:\Drivers\USB\Intel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller
\iusb3xhc.inf: The driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 28 of 29 - C:\Drivers\USB\Intel(R) USB 3.0 Root Hub\iusb3hub.inf: The
 driver package was successfully installed.
Installing 29 of 29 - C:\Drivers\USB\Realtek USB 2.0 Card Reader\RtsUerX.inf: Th
e driver package was successfully installed.
The operation completed successfully.

C:\Windows\system32>Dism /Unmount-WIM /MountDir:C:\HOMEBASIC /discard

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7601.24499

Image File : C:\Win7\sources\install.wim
Image Index : 1
Unmounting image
[==========================100.0%==========================]
The operation completed successfully.

C:\Windows\system32>rmdir C:\HOMEBASIC

C:\Windows\system32>Dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:C:\Win7\sources\install.wim

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7601.24499

Details for image : C:\Win7\sources\install.wim

Index : 1
Name : Windows 7 HOMEBASIC
Description : Windows 7 HOMEBASIC
Size : 14,867,750,962 bytes

Index : 2
Name : Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM
Description : Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM
Size : 15,386,654,211 bytes

Index : 3
Name : Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL
Description : Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL
Size : 15,291,878,269 bytes

Index : 4
Name : Windows 7 ULTIMATE
Description : Windows 7 ULTIMATE
Size : 15,454,575,529 bytes

The operation completed successfully.

C:\Windows\system32>PAUSE
Press any key to continue . . .

 

But one thing strange I noticed is that the size of the backup folder created by it is around 0.30 GB more than the manually backup folder.

 

Regards.

[Matrix]

50 minutes ago, haris_sane69 said:

0.30 GB more than the manually backup folder.

Long time since I've used this but the extra size and folders could suggest other system drivers missed with manual backup comparing the folders and contents should shed some light here but I'm glad you found it helpful my friend 👍

[haris_sane69]

16 minutes ago, Mach1 said:

Long time since I've used this but the extra size and folders could suggest other system drivers missed with manual backup comparing the folders and contents should shed some light here but I'm glad you found it helpful my friend 👍

That's note the scene here @Mach1, I tally all the folders one by one & found that the issue is with the MEDIA folder. The sub-folder within it viz., Bluetooth Audio Device, Intel(R) Display Audio & Realtek Audio more or less have same data stored.

😆

Regards.

 

[mp68terr]

After the drivers have been installed, wasted storage space can be recovered while Windows Driver Store is cleaned up with DriverStore Explorer.

https://github.com/lostindark/DriverStoreExplorer#driverstore-explorer-rapr

(The new version requires .net to work, AFAIR the older does not.)