Proper Drivers for NVME SSD - Storage Controller

MoKiChU · Feb 1, 2023

Hi,

I however specified on my post that this is only for DIY/Motherboards users, but i will answer you anyway :

glasskuter said:
It is my understanding that beginning with Intel 11th generation and forward CPUs, IRST has to be enabled whether one uses raid or not. It is a requirement of the CPU.

It's not IRST that needs to be enabled (which is disabled by default), it's VMD that needs to be enabled (which is enabled by default, as I said in my previous post and I even explain why).

For information :

DIY/Motherboards PC : VMD since Intel 6xx series chipsets (so 12th Gen CPU).
Notebooks/Laptops/Desktops/AiO PC : VMD since Intel 5xx series chipsets (so 11th Gen CPU).

glasskuter said:
I know for a fact that when doing a clean install of windows the drives will not be detected during install until the user inserts the pre-installation IRST driver(formerly called F6 driver) into as part of the install process.
See readme file here Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Driver Installation Software with Intel® Optane™ Memory (11th up to 13th Gen Platforms)

These "Intel RST" drivers, are actually Intel VMD drivers that will be needed/used whether in AHCI-NVMe mode or in RAID mode (please reread my previous post).

glasskuter said:
see Dell instructions here Intel 11th and 12th Generation Processors, No Drives Can Be Found During Windows 10 and Windows 11 Installation | Dell Antigua and Barbuda

confirmed by HP instructions here HP PCs - No drives can be found during Windows 11 or Windows 10 installation (Intel 11th Generation processors) | HP® Customer Support
All other manufacturers have similar articles in their knowledge base.

As a side note, some OEM computers with even earlier CPUs require the IRST driver as well during install before any drives will be recognized. As an example my 10th gen i9 Optiplex does.

I think your misunderstanding and confusion lies in the fact that Intel calls Intel RST its drivers & software packages for storage controllers, but that has nothing to do with whether Intel Rapid Storage Technology enabled or not in your BIOS.

- For Dell & HP case that you quote : Intel RST drivers = Intel VMD drivers
- For your Dell Optiplex Desktop PC (so before Intel 5xx series chipsets, 11th Gen CPU) : Intel RST drivers = Intel AHCI drivers (if Intel Rapid Storage Technology is disabled in your BIOS) + Intel RAID drivers (if Intel Rapid Storage Technology is enabled in your BIOS)

stormy13 · Feb 1, 2023

ArchangelRenzo said:
The lamest part about seeing Microsoft's default Standard NVM express controller is that the driver date is 2006. The driver version is 10.0.22621.755

I didn't even know they had SSD's back then.

Why are all Windows drivers dated June 21, 2006? Don't you ever update drivers? - The Old New Thing

Are you just a bunch of slackers?

devblogs.microsoft.com

karlosmarinho · Jul 30, 2023

mccnavy said:
I just upgraded from a Samsung M.2 SATA to WD SN770 on an older computer. After failure to boot...new drive after cloning likely didn't have proper driver, Windows Repair added the "Standard NVME Express Driver" in addition to the previous Intel Chipset SATA/PCIE RST Premium Controller. I assume the Intel controller is required for the 2.5" SATA drive I still have installed for storage. Anyways, is there a better driver than the Standard NVME? I know Samsung made one specifically for their drives, but WD doesn't seem to have one...at least not listed on their support page(s). What are optimum and required drivers for these two drives...or is the existing configuration (Intel, Standard NVME, and Microsoft Storage Spaces) correct? Thanks.

Drive 1: WD SN770
Drive 2: Crucial MX200 SATA

im facing the same problem

glasskuter · Jul 30, 2023

Some Basic Information about Intel Rapid Storage Technology - MiniTool

What is Intel rapid storage technology and what features it has? You will learn some basics about Intel rapid storage technology Windows 10 from this post.

www.minitool.com

Read part that says What Does Intel Rapid Storage Technology Do
Do not confuse the nvme driver with the storage controller driver. They are 2 different things.

bobkn · Jul 30, 2023

karlosmarinho said:
im facing the same problem

You have no problem, if the Microsoft drivers are present.

The WD drive uses the default Windows NVME drivers. I have an SN850, which does the same.

Samsung offered a driver for their older drives (970 series and before), but the newer ones use the Microsoft drivers.

SIW2 · Jul 30, 2023

WD nvme drivers x64

Flashorn · Jul 30, 2023

mccnavy said:
I just upgraded from a Samsung M.2 SATA to WD SN770 on an older computer. After failure to boot...new drive after cloning likely didn't have proper driver, Windows Repair added the "Standard NVME Express Driver" in addition to the previous Intel Chipset SATA/PCIE RST Premium Controller. I assume the Intel controller is required for the 2.5" SATA drive I still have installed for storage. Anyways, is there a better driver than the Standard NVME? I know Samsung made one specifically for their drives, but WD doesn't seem to have one...at least not listed on their support page(s). What are optimum and required drivers for these two drives...or is the existing configuration (Intel, Standard NVME, and Microsoft Storage Spaces) correct? Thanks.

Drive 1: WD SN770
Drive 2: Crucial MX200 SATA

I have a MSI Raider from 2022 with the MS driver and it is working just fine as it is.

bobkn · Jul 30, 2023

SIW2 said:
WD nvme drivers x64

Thanks.

I wonder if they'd install with an SN770?

I could try them on my SN850. Or not.

karlosmarinho · Jul 31, 2023

Actually my WD is a SN350 240GB, it doesnt works properly with microsoft generic drivers, so i tested the Phison NVMe 1.2 storport miniport driver and, well... works, but not the way id like it to be. Windows recognizes my SSD as an HDD and gives me the removable option, like an SD card. I wonder if theres any driver the works properly for my device or whether one of these ones (from WD ) works

bobkn · Jul 31, 2023

karlosmarinho said:
Actually my WD is a SN350 240GB, it doesnt works properly with microsoft generic drivers, so i tested the Phison NVMe 1.2 storport miniport driver and, well... works, but not the way id like it to be. Windows recognizes my SSD as an HDD and gives me the removable option, like an SD card. I wonder if theres any driver the works properly for my device or whether one of these ones (from WD ) works

Seems odd that the drive would want proprietary drivers, but WD doesn't offer a download for them.

130rne · Oct 9, 2023

ArchangelRenzo said:
The lamest part about seeing Microsoft's default Standard NVM express controller is that the driver date is 2006. The driver version is 10.0.22621.755

I didn't even know they had SSD's back then.

They didn't, not like they do now. Any MS drivers that have a date of 2006 just means they're built into the base OS version. It's not meaningful, the date is assigned to stable drivers (some kind of code base reason I assume) and is not changed unless the driver is updated. For fully stable stuff like a generic NVME driver there's often not a reason to update if the driver works for people across the board so the driver will retain the 2006 date. That date identifies stable drivers included with Windows which haven't or don't need to be updated, nothing more. (If I remember right it's from XP > Vista days, the code base shifted and the 2006 date stuck around)