Why 4in1's?

[Zebo]

Are they REALLY nessasary? Planning on MSI KT3 Ultra2 should I install them?

 

[Boonesmi]

they are the drivers for your motherboard... so yeah install them, especially if you use win98 or ME

if you use winxp you could probably get by without them, but still its not a good idea


just install the OS, then install the 4in1 then install everything else

 

[randomboy]

I just did a full format/reinstall of Win2k on an Asus a7v333 w/ XP 1500+, and havent bothered installing the VIA 4in1's yet and everything runs just peachy........ I'm putting them in later tonite anyways though

Jeff

 

[Buz2b]

If you are using XP, you really don't need them. However, if you want to squeeze out the last bits of performance from your system, you might want to install them.

As for Win98/WinME, you definitely need them; no doubt about that. Download the latest and install them as soon as you get your system up and running.

 

[Insane3D]

If you are using XP, you really don't need them.

I disagree. Will WinXP work without them...sure. The version that is included in WinXP is very outdated IIRC, like 4.28 or so. Via has released newer chipsets that really should have the latest Via drivers installed. For instance, on a KT400 board or a KT333 board with the 8235 Southbridge, WinXP will just recognize the USB ports as regular 1.1 ports. Want to use AGP 8X...you need them. The 4.28's were released around the time of the original KT266A...there have been two new North Bridges released, as well as a couple of new South Bridges....the latest drivers are needed for this new hardware to work at it's potential...

Do you think the AGP driver that came with WinXP will work properly on a KT400 chipset? It might, and it might not...


I will never, ever, ever understand why people make such a big deal about the 4-in-1's. Do you install a new video card, or sound card, and just go with the default Windows drivers? I mean it takes like a minute...at most. Download, install, reboot..where is the hassle? People go nuts over the weekly Nvidia driver releases...but when it comes to 4-in-1's, it's a big deal...

BTW..not picking on you Buzz...just a general thing that bugs me...

 

[First]

Yeah, I agree Insane3D. A lot of users like to make out the VIA 4in1 drivers to be the devil. But just like any other SiS, AMD, NVIDIA, Intel, or ALi chipset drivers, it's not a big deal. Download, install, and reboot and you're done. Only once have I encountered any issues installing VIA 4in1 drivers in the last year, and I've probably installed and tested 75 VIA boards in that timeframe (most here at AnandTech).

 

[Buz2b]

I disagree. Will WinXP work without them...sure. The version that is included in WinXP is very outdated IIRC, like 4.28 or so

No big deal Insane one, but if you re-read my answer, you will see that what I said was it wasn't necessary, which it isn't but the second part of my answer suggested (in a shorter version than yours) that for better performance he should install them. Quote--"However, if you want to squeeze out the last bits of performance from your system, you might want to install them". Not picking on you Insane, but don't get stuck on the first part of an answer before you read the rest of it.

 

[Mem]

I would recommend you install the latest VIA 4 in 1 drivers (current version is 4.43),I`ve installed every official version from 4.34 to 4.43 without any problems in my WinXP ,they are updated pretty often for a reason,nobody likes to have old drivers in their PC when newer drivers can improve performance/stability/fix bugs etc.

Yes XP has built-in VIA support but as already pointed out the ones in XP are outdated.It`s a real simple install process so no brains needed to install them .

 

[Eagle17]

I just installed a asus a7v333 wich after the horrors of trying to get corsair mem work with my a7s333 I decided to give asus one more try... anyway

I installed it and had horrible results until I loaded the newest 4n1 drivers... mind you I was using XP ... I think there are udates in the 4n1 drivers directly for the kt333 and kt400 and I would highly recomend them...


the version of the 4n1s included with XP (nonsp1) probably do not support all of the features of the newer via chipsets...

 

[DAPUNISHER]

4in1's smore-in-ones, Mmmmmmmmm smores

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

If you are using XP, you really don't need them.

I disagree. Will WinXP work without them...sure. The version that is included in WinXP is very outdated IIRC, like 4.28 or so. Via has released newer chipsets that really should have the latest Via drivers installed. For instance, on a KT400 board or a KT333 board with the 8235 Southbridge, WinXP will just recognize the USB ports as regular 1.1 ports. Want to use AGP 8X...you need them. The 4.28's were released around the time of the original KT266A...there have been two new North Bridges released, as well as a couple of new South Bridges....the latest drivers are needed for this new hardware to work at it's potential...

Do you think the AGP driver that came with WinXP will work properly on a KT400 chipset? It might, and it might not...


I will never, ever, ever understand why people make such a big deal about the 4-in-1's. Do you install a new video card, or sound card, and just go with the default Windows drivers? I mean it takes like a minute...at most. Download, install, reboot..where is the hassle? People go nuts over the weekly Nvidia driver releases...but when it comes to 4-in-1's, it's a big deal...

BTW..not picking on you Buzz...just a general thing that bugs me...

So what do they do exactly? It's not a big deal to do I just wanted to know what they do.

 

[Insane3D]

So what do they do exactly? It's not a big deal to do I just wanted to know what they do.

The 4 - in - 1 drivers from Via basically are the drivers for your chipset and it's related hardware. They tell the OS how to properly use the various parts of the chipset like the IDE controllers, COM, LPT, and USB ports, AGP port, PCI slots etc. For instance, the new KT400 chipset's northbridge is capable of AGP 8X. However, unless you install the latest 4 - in - 1's from Via, which include the latest AGP driver, your OS will not know how to use the AGP port properly since the OS'es driver database was compiled way before the KT400 was ever released.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

So what do they do exactly? It's not a big deal to do I just wanted to know what they do.

The 4 - in - 1 drivers from Via basically are the drivers for your chipset and it's related hardware. They tell the OS how to properly use the various parts of the chipset like the IDE controllers, COM, LPT, and USB ports, AGP port, PCI slots etc. For instance, the new KT400 chipset's northbridge is capable of AGP 8X. However, unless you install the latest 4 - in - 1's from Via, which include the latest AGP driver, your OS will not know how to use the AGP port properly since the OS'es driver database was compiled way before the KT400 was ever released.

Or alternativley, the 4-in-1 drivers are a collection of periodically updated drivers that provide enhanced VIA chipset support under Microsoft Windows. All VIA chipset users should install the 4-in-1 drivers to improve performance, fix issues, and minimize any incompatibilities.



[Valley Girl Voice]Whatever...[/Valley Girl Voice]

 

[Toxic]

I've been avoiding them, personally.

Maybe something else going on, but after trashing my XP box a few times with them, I'd have
to vote NO, dont install them.

Did SP1 upgrade the Via stuff? Anyone know?

 

[Boonesmi]

Toxic why in the world would you avoid them???

i think somewhere you got the wrong idea about what they are... for hardware to work correctly it needs drivers, winxp is the only OS with via drivers, but they are very old and were written before the current chipsets were even designed.

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: Carbonyl

Originally posted by: Insane3D

So what do they do exactly? It's not a big deal to do I just wanted to know what they do.

The 4 - in - 1 drivers from Via basically are the drivers for your chipset and it's related hardware. They tell the OS how to properly use the various parts of the chipset like the IDE controllers, COM, LPT, and USB ports, AGP port, PCI slots etc. For instance, the new KT400 chipset's northbridge is capable of AGP 8X. However, unless you install the latest 4 - in - 1's from Via, which include the latest AGP driver, your OS will not know how to use the AGP port properly since the OS'es driver database was compiled way before the KT400 was ever released.

Or alternativley, the 4-in-1 drivers are a collection of periodically updated drivers that provide enhanced VIA chipset support under Microsoft Windows. All VIA chipset users should install the 4-in-1 drivers to improve performance, fix issues, and minimize any incompatibilities.



[Valley Girl Voice]Whatever...[/Valley Girl Voice]

No offense man, but if you knew what they were WTF did you ask? :disgust:

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: Carbonyl

Originally posted by: Insane3D

So what do they do exactly? It's not a big deal to do I just wanted to know what they do.

The 4 - in - 1 drivers from Via basically are the drivers for your chipset and it's related hardware. They tell the OS how to properly use the various parts of the chipset like the IDE controllers, COM, LPT, and USB ports, AGP port, PCI slots etc. For instance, the new KT400 chipset's northbridge is capable of AGP 8X. However, unless you install the latest 4 - in - 1's from Via, which include the latest AGP driver, your OS will not know how to use the AGP port properly since the OS'es driver database was compiled way before the KT400 was ever released.

Or alternativley, the 4-in-1 drivers are a collection of periodically updated drivers that provide enhanced VIA chipset support under Microsoft Windows. All VIA chipset users should install the 4-in-1 drivers to improve performance, fix issues, and minimize any incompatibilities.



[Valley Girl Voice]Whatever...[/Valley Girl Voice]

No offense man, but if you knew what they were WTF did you ask? :disgust:

You know what that readme statement means but it's certainly left out details and was'nt clear to me until reading your post which is why i asked..... Improve performance how? What issues? how does it minimize incombatabliies? You gave a great detail why they should be installed and what exactly to go and fix. I Big grined you as a thank you , you know your sh1t, I understand now. Then proceeded to quote the lame generic read me statement that any driver SHOULD do and cpould say..Which is why i said whatever, they might as well not say anything ..Also the 4in1 is the only driver where you see no visable changes. No "?" in device manager, no something working that did'nt before installing them so I never was able to see what they did.

 

[Insane3D]

You know what that readme statement means but it's certainly left out details and was'nt clear to me until reading your post which is why i asked..... Improve performance how? What issues? how does it minimize incombatabliies? You gave a great detail why they should be installed and what exactly to go and fix. I Big grined you as a thank you , you know your sh1t, I understand now. Then proceeded to quote the lame generic read me statement that any driver SHOULD do and cpould say..Which is why i said whatever, they might as well not say anything ..Also the 4in1 is the only driver where you see no visable changes. No "?" in device manager, no something working that did'nt before installing them so I never was able to see what they did.

Ohh...I'm sorry. I wasn't in the best of moods last night, and I misunderstood your reply.. Glad I could help..

 

[Zebo]

Np problem my writting style is'nt very succint so I confuse a alot of poeple when I post. Thanks again.