No Intel AHCI drivers for X99 platform on Windows 10?

[Carfax83]

OK, even though I upgraded from the X79 platform, it's clear to me that there are a number of differences compared to the X99 platform..

First off, it seems that there is no way to install the Intel AHCI drivers using Intel RST on Windows 10. In fact, RST won't even run unless I have the Intel Rapid Storage option enabled in the BIOS.

But enabling it in the BIOS turns on the RAID function, and I don't care about RAID. I just wanted the more up to date AHCI drivers rather than the old Microsoft drivers which have been around since 2006.

Is there any way to do this? Or will I have to preinstall the Intel AHCI drivers before installing Windows or something?

 

[Carfax83]

OK I solved it. I just downloaded the IRST software from Asus, which is version 14.5. I was using the latest version directly from Intel's website, which is 14.8, but I guess it's not compatible with the X99 platform..

 

[Carfax83]

I think I know what really caused the problem. Intel had a version of their chipset INF utility driver on their website, 10.0.28. That's what I used on my previous failed installation.

Now I noticed that that particular driver is not on their website anymore, and they have the 10.0.27 driver as the latest version, which is the one I downloaded from Asus and used on my current installation.

So I think what was causing the problem was that the 10.0.28 driver which I had before was defective, and was causing a conflict with the Intel RST software.

 

[Fernando 1]

I think I know what really caused the problem. Intel had a version of their chipset INF utility driver on their website, 10.0.28. That's what I used on my previous failed installation.

No, the Intel Chipset INF Utility package version has no impact on the ability to use an Intel AHCI driver:

1. The Intel Chipset Device INF files are just text files and no drivers.
2. If you want to see the really in use AHCI driver, you should expand the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" section of the Device Manager, right click onto the listed Intel AHCI Controller (maybe it has another name) and choose the options "Properties" > "Driver" > "Driver details".

 

[Carfax83]

Then what do you think could cause such a problem? I recently installed the 14.8 version after installing the 14.5 version right after my Windows 10 installation and it works fine now.

On my old install with the 10.0.28 INF, 14.8 simply would not work properly. It would fail to start up, and the AHCI drivers wouldn't be installed..

The only other factor that I can remember that is different between my old install and this fresh one, is that the older one used Windows media creator to install the OS on a USB pen drive.

With the fresh install, I used the tech bench version instead and put the OS on the USB pen drive myself..

 

[Coup27]

Things can get messed up when installing/uninstalling/reinstalling/updating drivers using the driver package, which in the case of the chipset and RST, neither are actually needed.

Firstly, the chipset "drivers" as some people call them are not even drivers. They are just a series of text files (.INF files) which tell the device manager that the chipset on the motherboard is an Intel one and that no driver is necessary. If you expand the system devices tab in device manager and double click (on mine it's) "Intel 8 Series/C220 series SMBus Controller - 8C22" and then click on driver details it will say no driver files have been loaded. If you don't install the chipset drivers on a fresh install your device manager will show an "SMBus Controller" with a yellow flag. The INF files rename this device to it's correct name and tells Windows it doesn't need a driver. Windows 10 will also download the INF file from Windows update for you.

As the chipset software package just extracts a load of INF files and puts them on your computer, you can actually find the extracted files and much more on the chipset here - http://www.win-raid.com/t895f42-Intel-Chipset-Device-quot-Drivers-quot-INF-files.html

Form that link you'll see with X99 you're actually better off using chipset version v10.1.2.10 WHQL not 10.0.28 which is found on the Intel website. Intel doesn't appear to have updated the chipset software beyond 10.0.28 despite newer ones being out there.

With RST, Intel offers it primarily in 2 forms, an "f6 floppy" driver and the full package. If you don't use RAID, then you don't need the package. If you download the F6 form you just get the pure driver files. These can be installed in 2 ways, either during Windows installation by using the load driver module or post-installation by updating the MSAHCI driver directly within device manager and pointing it to the f6 floppy drivers.

Not all drivers can be managed purely through device manager but these two can and by doing so you remove unnecessary clutter from your PC and reduce the chance of problems elsewhere.

On a new install I will load the f6 Intel RST driver during installation of Windows and then post install I will manually update the "SMBus Controller" in device manager and point it to the pre-extracted INF files which I downloaded from the above link. It's a much cleaner end result and should eliminate the conflict you have had.

 

[Fernando 1]

Then what do you think could cause such a problem?

According to my knowledge the X99 Chipset mainboards have 2 independently working Intel SATA Controllers (contrary to the X79 and other Intel Chipset ones). So you may need other Intel RST/RSTe drivers, if your system drive is connected to different Intel SATA ports. For details please look into >this< post.

The only other factor that I can remember that is different between my old install and this fresh one, is that the older one used Windows media creator to install the OS on a USB pen drive.
With the fresh install, I used the tech bench version instead and put the OS on the USB pen drive myself..

The ISO file you get by using the Windows Media Creator is a "castrated" one, because it contains an especially compressed and encrypted install.esd file (to save space), whereas the Tech Bench ISO version contains the uncompressed install.wim file.

 

[Carfax83]

Sage advice guys. :thumbsup:

I was aware that the X99 had two types of SATA controllers, after reading the mobo manual. I knew that one of them supported RAID, and the other didn't and that was it. I had no idea they might require different IRST versions.

One thing I did on my current installation, is load the AHCI drivers during the Windows install, and it worked fine..

@ Coup27, it's strange that Intel doesn't list the newer INF files on their website. And for that matter, the motherboard manufacturers don't either. Asus has the 10.0.27 INF files on their website, just like Intel..

 

[Coup27]

And for that matter, the motherboard manufacturers don't either. Asus has the 10.0.27 INF files on their website, just like Intel..

This doesn't seem to be true for every motherboard. I have an Asus H87I-PLUS and if you go to the downloads section for Win10 x64 and click on chipset you'll see 10.1.1.7 available for download. I use 10.1.1.13 instead from Fernando's extracted INF files.

It's possible Intel aren't updating their chipset downloads on the main site because for modern systems they're not needed as Win update takes care of it.