Best intel chipset drivers

System Performance Solid State Drives
1

How about when it comes to the best Intel chipset drivers, which one is the best? I think it does contribute to the performance of SSD’s/HDD’s too, right? They’re the first thing I install after coming from a fresh installation of Windows.

2

Please read the statements I have given >here< and >here<.
Since there are no Intel Chipset Drivers available at all, a discussion about the “best” of them would be nonsense.

3

Got it, I did read about those points in the past.

If that’s the case, what is the “newest” and “latest” Intel INF utility package for my 6-series system?

4

Unless you have unrecognized Intel devices at Device Manager, this thing should not be installed. Windows 8.x should already include the required dummy driver entries.

5

I do have some unrecognized devices in device manager that the Intel INF utility usually fixes. What’s the most appropriate version for 6-series chipsets anyway?

6

The latest "Intel Chipset Device Software" package with INF files for 6-Series Chipsets is the Set v9.3.2.1020 dated 03/06/2014. The included INF files have been added by Intel on 02/27/2014. Note: This is not the date of their compilation. You can see the version of the different INF files after having opened them with an Editor.
Only 6 of the included 59 INF files for Win7/8 are usable for Intel 6-Series Desktop systems. I will attach them.

EDIT:

Right click onto the related device, choose "Update Driver Software" and navigate to the unzipped small INF file folder.

Intel-INF-for-6-Series-WIN7.rar (85.1 KB)

7

Thanks. If I use the utility itself, it will just use the necessary inf files as long as you don’t use the -overall switch, right?

8

Don’t run the setup, do it manually like Fernando said. The setup will replace the good RST & ME drivers with the equivalent fake/dummy ones which for RST means the MS drivers will be used and for ME that you will practically have no real driver and tools won’t work. If you really love the setup for some reason you may have to reinstall the proper RST & ME drivers afterwards.

9



Ok. Well, for a fresh system where you install the INF setup first and then follow it with the RST and ME drivers, I guess it won’t hurt, right?

10

I guess not

11

Ok. Is the v9.3.2.1020 also the latest applicable version for laptop 6-series chipsets?

12

Yes. According to my knowledge the 6 INF files, which I have attached to post #6, do support all Intel 6-Series Chipsets (Desktop and Mobile).

13

I compared the versions of the 6 inf files that you’ve uploaded to the same inf files inside the 9.4.4.1006 package and they’re just exactly the same.

14

Have you been really surprised? Look into the Intel Chipset Device Set v9.5.0.1005 - you will find exactly the same INF files for 6-Series Chipsets (they are all v9.2.0.1035 resp. v9.2.0.1036).
This is what I have written to users, who install each available "new" Intel INF "Update" Utility package with a higher version number by running the installer with the -overall command. It is nonsence, because they overwrite the previously installed INF files by exactly the same ones and blow up their registry and Windows\Inf folder.

I am always wondering which sort of "Optimization" users may expect from a "new" package full of simple TEXT files, which do nothing else than to tell the OS, that
a) no driver is required for the related Intel device and
b) the device should be renamed to "Intel Device" (or to an even more irritating name)?

15

Not really since these are older chipsets anyway and Intel won’t waste time to update those inf because they’re already at their latest. Oh, so 9.4.4.1006 isn’t the latest v9.x chipset device set. It is the one in station-drivers and I thought they’re always updated.

By the way, what does “resp.” mean? I keep wondering about that when I read it in your posts, lol.

16

I guess if my system has a 6-series chipset and I just installed Windows 10, I definitely won’t need to install this inf package, right?

17

The installation of any Intel Chipset Device Software version is never really needed, because the Intel Chipset Devices work without the related "driver" (which is just a textmode file).
Nevertheless I recommend to install the appropriate INF file, if the Device Manager shows an Intel device with a yellow "missing driver" flag.

18

@ Fernando

I see. And all it does is to let the system recognize the “name” of that device, right? Since they’re really not drivers but rather just text files with a descriptor name for those devices. After installing Windows 10 on my test machine, I kind of have one device with an exclamation point:

Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)

Would the inf files you’ve uploaded in post #6 also work for Win10?

19

This is not absolutely correct. The INF file just does the following:

  1. It gives the OS the information, that no driver is required for the related device.
  2. It gives the related Intel Chipset Device a name (given by Intel) with the word "Intel" in it. Unfortunately this is not always a good idea.
    Example: The "Standard SATA AHCI Controller" (which is managed by the MS in-box AHCI driver) of an Intel 7-Series Chipset system may be renamed to "Intel(R) 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family SATA AHCI Controller - 1E02", which lets the user think, that the MS AHCI driver has been replaced by an Intel AHCI driver, but the AHCI driver has not been changed at all!