Question about motherboard drivers.

[GeneralOreo]

I just built a PC with a Gigabyte P35-DS4 Rev 2.0 motherboard.

Now I had to format and re-install Vista like 3 times, but basically after the 3rd I thought why not get the latest drivers from Gigabyte's website instead of the CD? I just did that, however when I load the CD and it analyzes my PC, it still recommends to install the chipset drivers! And there isn't an 'installed' mark next to them like they did when I installed them from CD before.

What's going on? I don't know how to remove what I installed, there's one that's not in the 'uninstall programs' section in the control panel, and I do NOT want to format and install Vista again and copy all my data back and forth, I'm so sick of it. Please help.

Edit: I'm actually thinking of doing a format and going through it all over again. Except even then there was a problem, I got a pop-up from Vista saying I need to install ICH drivers or something, and I installed everything to do with the chipset from the CD. The website has one that's not on the CD too. Maybe I should change where I plug in my HDD's sata cable, there's a set controlled by the southbridge and another set of ports that's not. All of this really sucks. Edit 2: yeah it's decided, why the hell not, another format and another install. Not anytime this week though, I need a break.

 

[NoelS]

GeneralOreo,

Sounds like you're having a time of it...

I'm not sure I follow all of your comments, but here goes...

First, have you got the latest BIOS update from Gigabyte on your new mobo? That could make a difference with the install prcess.

Second, did you install the SATA drivers at the F6 prompt when you installed Windows (I assume you have to do that with Vista just like XP??) That could be the question Vista is asking about ICH drivers...

Third, one thing you HAVE to do is go into your BIOS BEFORE you install Windows and set the SATA to ACHI to get Windows to accept the ICH9R drivers. Set the SATA section in the BIOS to ACHI (or RAID if you're going to use RAID) and THEN install Windows, using the F6 prompt to start the driver install process. You could try to do a repair install to get those drivers loaded. That could work.

Last, if you do a re-install, go to your BIOS first and set the SATA to AHCI, then start the install and don't forget to upload the drivers starting a the F6 prompt. You get the drivers from your Gigabyte CD under SATA drivers...

Good luck this next time,

Noel

 

[de8212]

I just installed vista ultimate 64 on my ds4 rev 2. I didn't even load the gigabyte disc that came with the board. I installed vista and then went to device manager. only issue was SM Bus controller (or something like that, just going by memory). went to gigabytes site and downloaded chipset driver. installed them and sm bus was fine.
I do seem to remember it hung at the end of the install or something. I may have had to hit the reset button but when windows loaded everything was fine.

BTW, I did load the f7 bios right after I loaded vista. Used @bios.

However, unlike NoelS mentioned, I did not have to do anything in the bios related to ACHI to get Windows to accept the ICH9R drivers. In fact, I have no idea what that's even about. Not saying he's wrong, just saying I didn't do it and everything is fine.

 

[NoelS]

Originally posted by: de8212
I just installed vista ultimate 64 on my ds4 rev 2. I didn't even load the gigabyte disc that came with the board. I installed vista and then went to device manager. only issue was SM Bus controller (or something like that, just going by memory). went to gigabytes site and downloaded chipset driver. installed them and sm bus was fine.
I do seem to remember it hung at the end of the install or something. I may have had to hit the reset button but when windows loaded everything was fine.

BTW, I did load the f7 bios right after I loaded vista. Used @bios.

However, unlike NoelS mentioned, I did not have to do anything in the bios related to ACHI to get Windows to accept the ICH9R drivers. In fact, I have no idea what that's even about. Not saying he's wrong, just saying I didn't do it and everything is fine.

de8212,

I'm not sure how Vista treats the chipset driver installation because I don't use Vista, but in XP you have to load the SATA drivers for Intel chipsets like ICH6R, ICH7R, ICH8R and ICH9R when you install Windows (when it offers to add drivers at the F6 prompt)... If you don't install the drivers at this point, they just don't get installed. You can't install them while Windows XP is running, although it may look like they're being installed from the CD. The OS runs fine and everything looks normal, but it turns out that the HDDs are running in IDE mode rather than as SATAs, so you lose the high transfer rates offered by the SATA technology.

You can usually check in the BIOS by looking at the SATA mode settings and see if they are IDE, AHCI or RAID. I think you can also check it out in the device manager...

Noel

 

[de8212]

Thanks Noel.

I looked in BIOS and under SATA RAID/AHCI Mode. The choices are
Disabled
RAID
AHCI

Mine is disabled.

So, it's suppose to be AHCI or RAID and if not you think the sata drives are all running as IDE?

I was under the impression there was no longer a need in vista to F6 during install for 3rd party drivers. At least I read it somewhere.

Any other info on this is appreciated. I would hate to have to reinstall vista but I will to get better performance.


Sorry GeneralOreo, hope I didn't derail your thread but the info may be useful.

 

[NoelS]

de8212,

I wish I could give you a definitive answer about how Vista handles the chipset drivers, but I don't use Vista, have never loaded it and wouldn't want to mislead you. That said, it looks like your HDDs may be running in IDE and losing that performance gain... you could try a repair install and load the drivers at the F6 prompt and see where that takes you. I can understand your not wanting to have to re-install Vista.

Maybe you could go to the Software section of this forum and ask about Vista and the F6 prompt, IDE/SATA options, etc., see what responses you get there.

Noel

 

[de8212]

I may just post in the operating systems forum.

Where are "the drivers"???? I don't have a floppy and am not too worried about it but would like to know just in case. If it is a significant gain then I would be willing to do it.
How can I tell by looking at device manager?

 

[NoelS]

GeneralOreo,

About those chipset drivers... there is a program called Driver Cleaner Pro that might do what you want. I've used it whenever I wanted to change my video card drivers by going to F8 and using DC Pro, then emptying the recycle bin, followed by re-booting and installing the new drivers. Download it here: http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=745 It's free!!

Good luck,

Noel

 

[NoelS]

de8212,

At least on ASUS mobos, the "drivers" are included on the motherboard CD in the Utilities section or similar. You'll be given a choice to make a floppy and the drivers would be written to it. Then you use that floppy at the F6 prompt. If you don't have a floppy, you could probably put the drivers on a CD instead. And if your BIOS permits it, a flash drive.

Noel