why won't the Intel® Driver & Support Assistant check for updates since 10/19/2019 - all the apps does is take you to the faqs page - then if you choose "Get Started" the link takes you back to the faqs page again - it never scans your computer ?

IDSA works fine.

To correct the "FAQs" page issue, clear your browser cache.

And, not "everyone else" uses Windows Update to update drivers. Updating drivers is different from Windows Update, and a significant amount of time/resources has been devoted to making IDSA.

Other manufacturers (i.e. Dell) have their own driver update application. And, not even Microsoft uses WIndows Update to update everything. Office 2019 is NOT updated by Windows Update (for example).

Doc