windows3-9  Exercise 1: Count the Non-Microsoft Drivers
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Verification: Level 1 (run on the author's machine, read-only, no administrator rights).

Prediction (work this out before running the script):

  Before running: roughly what share of your loaded drivers do you expect to be Microsoft's? Which third-party ones?

Command (driver_audit.ps1 saved in the current folder):

  .\driver_audit.ps1

Output (real, from the author's machine on 2026-10-24; your numbers will differ):

  Running kernel drivers: 194 (192 could be read)
  --- By company named in the file
   171  Microsoft
     4  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
     2  MediaTek Inc.
     2  Point Wild
     2  Advanced Micro Devices
     1  OpenVPN, Inc
     1  The OpenVPN Project
     1  Windows (R) Win 7 DDK provider
     1  WireGuard LLC
     1  Realtek                                        
     1  NordVPN S.A.
     1  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. 
     1  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc
     1  Citrix Systems, Inc.
     1  Rivet Networks, LLC.
     1  Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
  --- Not Microsoft by company, oldest first (signer in brackets)
  2022-09-16  amdgpio2         Advanced Micro Devices, Inc  v2.2.0.130  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2023-02-03  MTKBTFilterx64   MediaTek Inc.  v1.930.0.287 TK  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2023-02-03  mtkwlex          MediaTek Inc.  v3.3.0.0760  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2023-05-25  KfeCoSvc         Rivet Networks, LLC.  v10.3.9.31  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2023-08-02  amdpsp           Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.   v5.25.0.0  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2023-09-18  rt25cx21         Realtek                                          v1125.015.0717.2023  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2023-10-12  AmdMicroPEP      Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.  v1.0.42.0  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2024-05-02  AtiHDAudioService Advanced Micro Devices  v10.0.1.38  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2024-07-24  IntcAzAudAddService Realtek Semiconductor Corp.  v6.0.9703.1  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2024-07-30  amdfendr         Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.  v24.20.0.4  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2024-07-30  amdfendrmgr      Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.  v24.20.0.4  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2024-10-01  amdacpbus        Advanced Micro Devices  v6.0.0.97  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2024-10-21  amduw23g         Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.  v32.0.12011.4002  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2024-12-17  tap_ovpnconnect  The OpenVPN Project  v9.27.0 9/27  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2026-01-07  ovpn-dco         OpenVPN, Inc  v1.3.3  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2026-01-11  pweppnet         Windows (R) Win 7 DDK provider  v1.7.1.7  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2026-04-12  WireGuard        WireGuard LLC  v0.10  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2026-07-21  NDivert          NordVPN S.A.  v1.51.0.4217 3b93d020  [nordvpn s.a.]
  2026-08-23  AuActMonDrv      Point Wild  v  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2026-08-23  AuFSProcDrv      Point Wild  v  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]
  2026-09-02  ctxusbm          Citrix Systems, Inc.  v7.48.11.5  [Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher]

WHY THIS WORKS AS AN ANSWER
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  192 readable drivers: 171 name Microsoft, 21 do not. Three examples: mtkwlex (MediaTek: Wi-Fi), NDivert
  (NordVPN: redirects network traffic for the VPN), AuActMonDrv (Point Wild: the TotalAV antivirus's activity monitor).
  Counting by signer gives a different answer because most vendors' drivers are signed by "Microsoft Windows Hardware
  Compatibility Publisher", which means Microsoft's certification signed them. The signer says the driver passed
  certification, not who wrote it. The company in the file's version resource says who wrote it.
  Common mistakes: counting by signer (this author did first, and reported one third-party driver instead of 21);
  reading the file date as the install date; and treating 'present in the list' as 'involved in the crash'.