I still have it from time to time that Windows has to install a driver for something benign like a thumb drive. Not always, though. And yes, the driver is fixed to the physical port. Using a different port reinstalls the same driver again.

Experienced this exact behavior on Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 and Windows 11.

huh every time I plug my Logitech receiver in a different port I get a notification about a driver installation, fortunately it’s almost instant on my new pc but it’s still weird that we need that in 2023

I once was fixing someones computer booting with Bluescreen, because Windows 7 thought it found newer drivers for USB 3.1, and those newer were causing BSOD

I see it regularly with Win10, and I also see plenty of PCs in my job.

I’ve seen this so often on Windows Vista, and I’ve never seen it on Windows 10.

Granted, I’ve switched USBs in the meantime, so maybe it’s just the USB?

Yes for stupid stuff like turning off the network device, to cut access to the internet. Windows finds by itself that the network device is disconnected and reconnects it by itself. Granted it’s not much, but it’s as complicated to find that menu than to run that utility.

Has the annoying “search for a solution” window ever found a solution?

Actually yes. In W7, at least, anytime sound wasn’t doing what it should have the “search for solution” button would fix it right up. The first time it gave and performed a solution and worked I was dumbfounded.