Intel RST/RSTe Drivers (latest: v20.0.1.1039/ v9.0.3.1026)

Important Drivers Specific: Intel AHCI/RAID Drivers
101

Sata Link Power Management = Enabled (I have never disabled it)

Write-cache buffer flushing = Disabled

Cache Mode = Write back (same setting I always use)

All other synthetic benches results are similar - just the 4K writes are way down.

Not sure whether it translates to losing much real-world performance.

102


Well you should disable, you don’t want the drive entering a low power state. This has caused a lot of problems, enabled.

103

For users with an X79 Chipset Mainboard there are new Intel RSTe Drivers available.

Update of the start post

Changelog:

  • new: 32/64bit Win7 Intel RSTe drivers v3.8.1.1006 WHQL dated 09/25/2013
  • new: 32/64bit Win8/8.1 RSTe Drivers v3.8.1.1006 WHQL dated 09/25/2013
  • new: Intel RSTe Drivers & Software Set v3.8.1.1006 WHQL dated 10/14/2013


Thanks to Station-Drivers for the source files.
Enjoy the new Intel RSTe Drivers!

Regards
Fernando

104

For users with an Intel 5-, 6-, 7- or 8-Series Chipset there are new Intel RST(e) Drivers available.

Update of the start post

Changelog:

  • new: 32/64bit Win7 Intel RST(e) drivers v12.8.6.1000 WHQL dated 09/20/2013
  • new: Intel RST(e) Drivers & Software Set v12.8.6.1000 WHQL dated 10/02/2013


These drivers are usable with Win7, Win8 and Win8.1.
Thanks to Station-Drivers for the source files.

Meanwhile I have installed these new RST(e) drivers v12.8.6.1000 WHQL onto my Z77 RAID and onto my HM76 AHCI system. Both systems are running fine with these drivers.

Enjoy the new Intel RST(e) Drivers!

Regards
Fernando

EDIT: The Intel RST(e) Drivers & Software Set v12.8.6.100 WHQL has been added at 10/25/2013.

105

Is there a change log of the 32/64bit Win8/8.1 RSTe Drivers v3.8.1.1006 WHQL dated 09/25/2013 drivers? I would like to know the difference between these and the previous v3.8.0.1108 which are only about 3 weeks older.

106

Intel only offers a Readme file with a changelog for officially released drivers.

107

I’m still getting some kind of a shutdown bug on a P45 Chipset. (P5Q-E)
I don’t remember the exact versions right now, but it was in the early 12.0 series of the driver, where my computer just restarted instead of a shut down.
Since, i believe it was 12.8.1.1000 the bug is gone, but STILL, before my computer is shutting down i hear my harddrives just spinning on again before my PC is going off.
They do not start completely again, they are being interrupted by the shutdown then.

12.8.6.1000 - no change, it seems that they just don’t get it.

Back to 11.7.4.1001 - the only & latest ones that are stable and don’t fuck around. At least i don’t notice that.

Windows 8 or 8.1 - OS makes no difference.
Not quite sure about Windows 7, but don’t want to go back on that old horse anyway.

Edit: 1x Vertex3, 2 HDDs (Raid-0)

108

@ lemon:

Welcome at Win-RAID Forum and thank you for your interesting report.
It is obvious, that only some systems are affected by the shutdown issue.
After having read your findings I suspect, that it has something to do with the fact, that 4-Series Chipsets are not fully supported by Intel’s v12 series RST(e) drivers.
Although the Intel ICH10R SATA RAID Controllers have the same “universal” DeviceID as the more actual ones (DEV_2822), the internal (hidden) DeviceID and its mode of operation is different.
This may explain, why you don’t have the shutdown problem with Intel RAID drivers of the v11 series.

Regards
Fernando

109

Hi Fernando,
I recently changed the HDD of sony vaio VPCF121FX. I put a WD5000LPVX now(500GB).
Since its a 512e hdd and laptop is a 2010 model. I faced some problems loading drivers.
Now i have installed WIN7 Home premium SP1 and successfully loaded all drivers but he chipset driver and intel RST (ones which are there are on the website of sony) beacuse I think they were not compatinle with the new HDD.
Now someone told me to install latest versions on RST to avoid compatibility issues.
I dont know whether my laptop has AHCI or raid, therefore i couldnot decide which one to download. Also intel says to atleast upgrade to RST 9.6 to avoid compatibility issues with 4Ksector HDDs. Mine is a Physical sector-4K and logical sector-512 bytes.

Please suggest and provide me with the link for the suitable RST and chipset driver version for my laptop.(Quad core Intel i7processor(1.73GHZ) with turbo boost upto (2.93)GHZ
Regards

110

@ PureLogic:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!

To give you a recommendation regarding the best suitable Intel RST driver, I need some additional informations regarding the in use Intel SATA Controller of your Sony VAIO system:

  1. Open the “IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers” or - if applicable - the “Storage Controllers” section of the Win7 Device Manager and post the names of the Controllers beginning with the word “Intel(R)”.
  2. If possible, send the HardwareIDs of your Intel SATA Controller (right click onto it > “Properties” > “Details” > “Property” > “HardwareIDs”.

Regards
Fernando

111

Hi,
I dont see any starting with intel there maybe because I have not installed the chipset device software yet. I dont know which version will be compatible in my case.
Sholud I install the chipset driver first ? and which version?

112

There is no Intel Chipset Device INF file as part of the "Intel INF Update Utility" needed to find out the sort and DeviceID of your in-use SATA Controller.
Do you see a device named "Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controller? If yes, do a right click onto it and check the HardwareIDs.
If no, please post the Controller names, which are listed within the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" and - if applicable - "Storage Controllers" section of the Device Manager.

113

Under the controllers section i see-
1. ATA channel 0
2. ATA channel 1
3. ATA channel 5
4. Ricoh PCIe Memory stick host controller
5. Ricoh SDbus controller
6. Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA controller
7. Intel 5 series/3400 series chipset family 6 port SATA AHCI controller-3B2F(I installed a chipset software version 9.4 now, which was suggested by intel Automatic update suggestion system on their website)

Also I notice after since I have changed the hard disk and installed win 7 home premium sp1 again The smartWi connection utility takes more time to start. What could be the reason.
Also please provide the link of the version of INtel RST i should go for.

Thanks &Regards

114

There are following drivers for motherboard at sony support site.
MOTHERBOARD

File Description
1. Intel® Chipset Driver- Release Date 5/05/2010-- Version 9.1.1.1025(This utility installs the originally shipped version of the Intel Chipset driver)

2. Intel® 5 Series 4 Port SATA AHCI Controller Driver- Release Date 1/25/2010 --Version 9.5.4.1001 ( This utility installs the originally shipped version of the Intel 5 Series 4 port SATA (Serial ATA) AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) Driver.)

I installed a chipset driver version 9.4 after this "Intel 5 series/3400 series chipset family 6 port SATA AHCI controller- 3B2F" showed up in device manager under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers

Now I looking for RST.
Can you please tell me what the above two drivers on sony support site and what else I am missing as I have installed the above mentioned chipset driver versio 9.4 only.

Thanks and Regards

115

@ PureLogic:
Thanks for the requested informations.

These 2 SATA Controllers are the interesting ones regarding a SATA driver update.

The installation was not really required, because the related INF file has no real function and does nothing else than renaming the Intel SATA Controller name.

This is what I recommend to do:

  1. Do a right click onto the listed "Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controller" and search for the related HardwareIDs to find out the specific VendorID and DeviceID of that Controller. Choose the options "Properties" > "Details" > "Property" > "HardwareIDs". Only interesting parts are the 4 characters of the VendorID (VEN_XXXX) and of the DeviceID (DEV_XXXX).
  2. Check the in-use Intel AHCI driver (named iaStor.sys or iaStorA.sys) of the listed "Intel 5 series/3400 series chipset family 6 port SATA AHCI controller-3B2F" by doing a right click onto it > "Driver" > "Driver Details".

The Intel Chipset Device Software v9.4.0.1027 is the newest package for all Intel 5-Series Chipsets and will be suitable for your Sony system as well, but the INF file for the Intel 5-series SATA Controller is not really needed (see above).

116


The Intel Chipset Device Software v9.4.0.1027 is the newest package for all Intel 5-Series Chipsets and will be suitable for your Sony system as well, but the INF file for the Intel 5-series SATA Controller is not really needed (see above).[/quote]

I checked for the version you mentioned above the intel website says"Intel chipset device software for intel desktop boards" but mine is a laptop.
What should I do regarding that? Also in the description it says that"It installs the windows INF files" which is something you said is not much needed. So what should I do about that?

I feel that my computer is also a little slow in loading programs after startup and software response feel rough and sluggish.

Also is there any risk in sharing the hardware IDs on this open forum? I dont know their importance or whether there are any security concerns over that.
Please Guide.

117
  1. There are no different Intel Chipset Device Software ("INF Update Utility") packages for Desktops and Mobiles. That means, that the Inzel Chipset Device Software Package v9.4.0.1027 definitively supports your Sony laptop.
    2. Neither Sony nor any other mainboard manufacturer develops any Intel Chipset Device "Drivers" (better: INF files). There are all developed by Intel and released to the mainboard manufacturers.
    3. At Intel’s Download Center you will only see drivers for Intel hardware and no drivers for Sony or ASUS mainboards. Nevertheless the drivers, which you can download from the Intel Download Center, can be used with mainboards from other manufacturers.

As long as your Device Manager doesn’t show any yellow mark and your system is running fine, there is no need to install any of the Intel INF files. If you want to update the Intel Chipset Device INF files of your Sony laptop nevertheless, I recommend to run the setup.exe of the newest package v9.4.0.1027.

I doubt, that this has anything to do with the Intel Chipset Device Software.

Don’t worry about that. The Vendor and DeviceIDs are published all over the world and do not characterize an individual system.

118

This is what I recommend to do:

Do a right click onto the listed "Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controller" and search for the related HardwareIDs to find out the specific VendorID and DeviceID of that Controller. Choose the options "Properties" > "Details" > "Property" > "HardwareIDs". Only interesting parts are the 4 characters of the VendorID (VEN_XXXX) and of the DeviceID (DEV_XXXX).
Check the in-use Intel AHCI driver (named iaStor.sys or iaStorA.sys) of the listed "Intel 5 series/3400 series chipset family 6 port SATA AHCI controller-3B2F" by doing a right click onto it > "Driver" > "Driver Details".

1. This time when i see the device manager there is no "Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ata controller" .I dont know what happened to that?
2. Now all that I see under controllers is "Intel 5 series/3400 series chipset family 6 port SATA AHCI controller-3B2F"
The driver files listed under this are- atapi.sys , ataport.sys , maahci.sys , pciidex.sys
The hardware ids are-
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_3B2F

What should i di next?

119

The currently working SATA Controller is still the MS generic one ("Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controller"), but it has been renamed by one if the INF files, which are within the Intel Chipset Device Software. The active AHCI driver is still the generic MS driver named MSAHCI.SYS.

Right click onto the Controller, choose "Update Driver Software", navigate to the latest 32/64bit (depends on your OS) Intel RST(e) driver v12.8.6.1000 WHQL and install it.

120
  1. Windows says -already latest driver. Now what should i do?
    2. I wrote the hardware IDs in last post . Please suggest which IRST version to install from Intel website.
    I think that should complete my system.
    3. There are following drivers for motherboard at sony support site
    1. Intel® Chipset Driver- Release Date 5/05/2010-- Version 9.1.1.1025(This utility installs the originally shipped version of the Intel Chipset driver)
    2. Intel® 5 Series 4 Port SATA AHCI Controller Driver- Release Date 1/25/2010 --Version 9.5.4.1001 ( This utility installs the originally shipped version of the Intel 5 Series 4 port SATA AHCI Driver.)

    4. Which drivers am I missing next having already installed the Version 9.4 of chipset software?
    Will the intel Rapid storage driver be suffecient to complete my system drivers?
    Please suggest which version of RST is suitable for my laptop.

    Thanks.