Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility ??

[Synapse Syndrome]

Looking at the downloads for my motherboard (Asus P5W DH Deluxe) I found
this:

Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility

I remember installing it on the first XP OS installation I did with this
motherboard, but since then I have not bothered. There isn't a version for
Vista (which I am using) anyway, but what is this actually for?

Vista recognised nearly all the hardware on installation, including RAID
drivers. The only things that it didn't recognise was the onboard Realtek
wi-fi and the JMicron SATA RAID controller.

So do I need this Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility at all?

Cheers

ss.

 

[Barry Watzman]

It is the Intel chipset software. The description will list what
chipsets and what OS' are supported.

Every motherboard needs software for it's chipset installed. However,
Windows will come with chipset software for most chipsets that existed
before the version of Windows being installed was published (note, for
XP, that can mean (depending on your Windows CD) that only chipsets
which existed prior to 2001 are on the Windows CD).

However, even the latest chipset software that exists on ANY Windows XP
CD is now more than 2 years old (August 2004 ... or earlier, perhaps
much earlier). Thus, either because your Windows CD had old chipset
software, or because it had no chipset software (for your chipset), it's
not a bad idea to install the latest version of the Intel (or Via, or
whatever) chipset software that supports your chipset and the operating
system in question.

 

[Synapse Syndrome]

It is the Intel chipset software. The description will list what chipsets
and what OS' are supported.

Every motherboard needs software for it's chipset installed. However,
Windows will come with chipset software for most chipsets that existed
before the version of Windows being installed was published (note, for XP,
that can mean (depending on your Windows CD) that only chipsets which
existed prior to 2001 are on the Windows CD).

However, even the latest chipset software that exists on ANY Windows XP CD
is now more than 2 years old (August 2004 ... or earlier, perhaps much
earlier). Thus, either because your Windows CD had old chipset software,
or because it had no chipset software (for your chipset), it's not a bad
idea to install the latest version of the Intel (or Via, or whatever)
chipset software that supports your chipset and the operating system in
question.

Cheers, I think I catch your drift. However, I guess it will be a while
before there will be any need for Vista drivers in that case.

ss.

 

[Barry Watzman]

Not necessarily. Vista went Gold last week. If Intel {or Via or Ati or
NVidia or SiS or {etc}} introduces a new chipset in January (quite
possible ... quad-core processors are coming out), then motherboards
purchase as soon as early 2007 might need chipset software that is not
on the Vista DVD.

Note that Microsoft is not good at updating the chipset software on OS
distribution media. I'm not sure if the XP SP2 CD (2004) had chipset
updates from the original XP CD (2001), and I'm quite sure that from
2001 to 2004 there were no updates to shipping XP CDs being manufactured
by Microsoft.

 

[Fred]

Cheers, I think I catch your drift. However, I guess it will be a
while before there will be any need for Vista drivers in that case.

Don't forget that the Intel chipset software doesn't actually instal any
drivers.
It just instals some INF files to your system that inform your operating
system how to configure the chipset components.

Following is some selected text from the included txt file from the latest
version.

"The Intel(R) Chipset Software Installation Utility installs
Windows* INF files to the target system. These files outline
to the operating system how to configure the Intel(R) chipset
components in order to ensure that the following features
function properly:

- Core PCI and ISAPNP Services
- PCIe Support
- IDE/ATA33/ATA66/ATA100 Storage Support
- SATA Storage Support
- USB Support
- Identification of Intel(R) Chipset Components in
the Device Manager

One of the following operating systems must be
fully installed and running on the system
before installing this software:

Microsoft Windows Server 2003* with Service Pack 1
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition*
Microsoft Windows XP Professional* x64 Edition
Microsoft Windows XP* with Service Pack 2
Microsoft Windows 2000* with Service Pack 4
Microsoft Windows Vista* (Beta 2 version)

NOTE:
This software is designed for the latest service pack
releases of above operating systems. "