Configure driver search locations: registry value DontSearchFloppies and 2 moreUserHKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching
- Policy ID
- DriverSearchPlaces
- Scope
- User Configuration
- Supported on
- Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows XP
- Source
- Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
- Category
- System › Driver Installation
Registry
DontSearchFloppies
REG_DWORDUser- Checked
- 1
- Unchecked
- 0
- Element
- Do not search floppy disk drives
- Value type
- REG_DWORD
Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell
.reg
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching] ; Options (use only one) ; Checked "DontSearchFloppies"=dword:00000001 ; Unchecked "DontSearchFloppies"=dword:00000000
CMD
:: Options (use only one) :: Checked reg add "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching" /v "DontSearchFloppies" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f :: Unchecked reg add "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching" /v "DontSearchFloppies" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
PowerShell
# Common: create the key New-Item -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching' -Force | Out-Null # Options (use only one) # Checked New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching' -Name 'DontSearchFloppies' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null # Unchecked New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching' -Name 'DontSearchFloppies' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null
DontSearchCD
REG_DWORDUser- Checked
- 1
- Unchecked
- 0
- Element
- Do not search CD-ROM drives
- Value type
- REG_DWORD
Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell
.reg
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching] ; Options (use only one) ; Checked "DontSearchCD"=dword:00000001 ; Unchecked "DontSearchCD"=dword:00000000
CMD
:: Options (use only one) :: Checked reg add "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching" /v "DontSearchCD" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f :: Unchecked reg add "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching" /v "DontSearchCD" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
PowerShell
# Common: create the key New-Item -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching' -Force | Out-Null # Options (use only one) # Checked New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching' -Name 'DontSearchCD' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null # Unchecked New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching' -Name 'DontSearchCD' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null
DontSearchWindowsUpdate
REG_DWORDUser- Checked
- 1
- Unchecked
- 0
- Element
- Do not search Windows Update
- Value type
- REG_DWORD
Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell
.reg
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching] ; Options (use only one) ; Checked "DontSearchWindowsUpdate"=dword:00000001 ; Unchecked "DontSearchWindowsUpdate"=dword:00000000
CMD
:: Options (use only one) :: Checked reg add "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching" /v "DontSearchWindowsUpdate" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f :: Unchecked reg add "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching" /v "DontSearchWindowsUpdate" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
PowerShell
# Common: create the key New-Item -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching' -Force | Out-Null # Options (use only one) # Checked New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching' -Name 'DontSearchWindowsUpdate' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null # Unchecked New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching' -Name 'DontSearchWindowsUpdate' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null