Install the Latest DisplayLink Drivers Before Updating to Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 will be coming on the scene in just a few more days, bringing with it a lot of welcome changes and improvements over Windows 8. However, the upgrade to 8.1 will invalidate all but the most recent DisplayLink drivers.

Because of this, we are urging everyone who is using one of our docking stations or USB display adapters (all of which use DisplayLink) to download and install version 7.4 of those drivers from our driver page at this address: https://plugable.com/drivers/displaylink.

We have not been able to get our hands on an exact copy of the upgrade to Windows 8.1 that will be pushed to users on Oct. 17th over the Windows app store. However, the latest news is that any drivers that have not been signed specifically for Windows 8.1 will stop working after the upgrade. Because of this, it is possible that upgrading to Windows 8.1 without installing the version 7.4 drivers beforehand will leave the system in an unstable situation where the old drivers cannot be removed and the new ones cannot be installed. Installing the drivers in advance of the upgrade will prevent this by ensuring the correct drivers are in place before the upgrade. DisplayLink has published details about this on their website here.

DisplayLinkUpgradeIndication

You can check your version of the drivers by opening Programs and Features from the Control Panel. Two driver programs should be listed, DisplayLink Core Software and DisplayLink Graphics. The first two digits of the version numbers in the Version column of the display indicate the current version.

We will continue to monitor this situation and provide more information as we receive it.

8 comments on “Install the Latest DisplayLink Drivers Before Updating to Windows 8.1”

  1. Richard Jolly

    David, how will W8.1 affect those of us struggling to make W8 work with USB 3.0 at full bandwidth in new i7 4th generation procesdor laptops with the help of Ekko’s workaround quoted in your blog, for instance to capture HD video from Blackmagic devices? Will it solve the problem?

    Currently after trying every combination in the driver INF files using Coolookoo’s additional information I can see the device is present, but can’t get vision and sound from it.

    • David Roberts

      Hi Richard,

      Unfortunately, we haven’t tested that with Windows 8.1, and with the workload generated by nearly simultaneous releases of Windows 8.1 and OS X 10.9, we aren’t likely to be able to any time soon, partially because it would mean having to get our hands on a 4th generation laptop that has this issue.

      Evaluation versions of Windows 8.1 are easy to come by. If you have an opportunity to install Win 8.1 on your 4th gen machine and test it, we would be grateful if you could let us know what your experience was. The blog post about that issue is at https://plugable.com/2012/12/01/windows-8-and-intel-usb-3-0-host-controllers.

      Thanks!

      David

  2. rob

    So I’ve got W8.1 already on my machine already – I have purchased one of your products (UD-3900 to be specific) but have yet to take delivery of it – what do I need to do to make sure I don’t encounter issues ?

  3. David Roberts

    Hi Rob,

    As long as you go to the link in the post above, and install the 7.4 drivers, you should be fine. I’m using them on my Windows 8.1 installation, and they work great.

    David

  4. Nancy

    Hi Rob, I had a plugable usb 3.0 docking station and a dvi adapter for my dual monitors running fine in win8, I upgraded to 8.1 (did not upgrade drivers first). The docking station didn’t work so I downloaded the latest driver (7.5) and it fixed my docking station issue but I still cannot get the DVI adapter to work. Any suggestions? I tried to go back and install 7.4 over 7.5 but it doesn’t let me.

    • AJ

      Hi I have the exact same issue.
      I upgraded to Win8.1, without ever loading Displaylink drivers.
      I downloaded 7.5M0 and installed, but cannot manage to get the DVI to work. Tried to uninstall and ran the cleanup tool, re-installed, but still nothing.
      Please assist.

      • AJ

        After restarting and unplugging a few times, it started working. Not sure why, but its working. Please ignore my previous post.

  5. Reginald

    With the Display Port, Wireless HDMI, and DVI, you have the potential of 3 HDMI outputs with this card. Great for a triple plasma gaming rig?

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