In computer terminology, a device driver is a set of files that tell a piece of hardware how to operate by communicating with a computer’s operating system. In this post we discuss what is a chipset driver and how to update chipset drivers on Windows 11 or Windows 10 system.
All hardware components require a driver, from your computer’s internal components, such as your graphics card, to your external devices, such as a printer. In all versions of Windows, drivers are stored in the C:WINDOWSinf and C:WindowsSystem32 folder in subfolders Drivers, DriverStore and if your installation has one, the DRV STORE phone book. These folders contain all the hardware drivers for your operating system. In the folder location, VS represents the drive where you installed Windows, it may be a different letter on your system.
What is a chipset driver?
In Device Manager, you will find the chipset device drivers under the System devices section.
Chipset drivers are software instructions that tell Windows how to communicate and work properly with your motherboard and the small subsystems on it, and are based on the family of processors you may be using on that motherboard. Chipset drivers have a significant impact and play an important role in controlling communication between various components including hard drives, system memory, etc.
How to update chipset drivers?
Outdated chipset drivers in your Windows 11/10 computer will slow down your system performance. To improve the performance of your system, it is necessary to update the chipset drivers timely. You can update or download chipset drivers in the following ways:
1]Update chipset drivers via manufacturer’s website
Before installing/updating chipset drivers, you can check your motherboard manual for motherboard model and serial number. Then you can visit your motherboard manufacturer’s official website to download the drivers for chipsets and MOBOs that support your Windows operating system. Alternatively, PC manufacturers have special driver download software for their brands that you can use.
2]Update chipset drivers via optional Windows update
Microsoft has introduced a new. an intuitive and easier way for PC users to discover available Windows 11/10 feature updates, monthly quality non-security updates, and driver updates. You can get chipset driver updates (if available) from the Optional Updates section of Windows Update.
3]Update chipset drivers via command prompt
Microsoft offers a built-in utility PnPUtil.exe which allows an administrator to add a driver package, install or update and remove a driver package from the driver store. The utility also allows PC users to view the list of driver packages currently installed in the driver store.
You can update the chipset drivers through the command prompt. With this method, you will first need to download the package from the OEM website or copy it from a USB drive or storage media, and copy it to the computer. then run the utility to update the driver.
4]Update chipset drivers using driver update software
Another option available to you is to update your chipset drivers automatically using one of the free driver update software for Windows 11/10 PC. These third-party software allow you to easily update device drivers and are especially convenient for PC users who don’t want to visit the manufacturer’s website to download the driver.
However, one should be careful while using such software and create a system restore point before using it.
5]Update chipset drivers using INF file in Device Manager
You can manually update the chipset drivers via Device Manager if you have already downloaded the .inf or .sys file for the driver. An INF file or Installation Information File is a plain text file used by Microsoft Windows for installing software and drivers. INF files are most commonly used to install device drivers for hardware components. A SYS file often contains device drivers or hardware configurations for the system. .sys files are real-mode device drivers and are not the same as .inf files.
I hope this article is informative enough for you.
Similar item: Missing PCI device driver; Where can I download it?
Do I need to update the chipset drivers?
You probably don’t need to update the chipset drivers. If something critical was needed, it would probably show up through Windows Update, if you haven’t disabled driver updates.
Why is the chipset important?
An electronic chipset manages the flow of data between components on a motherboard. It is the traffic controller between CPU, GPU, RAM, storage and peripherals. Experts have called it the “glue” of the motherboard.
What is the difference between chipset and processor?
In a nutshell, the CPU is the main processor of the computer that does all the calculations, while the chipset is the bits that connect the CPU to the rest of the computer. The chipset is also the bit that can dictate which processor the motherboard can support.
Is the chipset the same as the SoC?
Chipsets typically consist of one to four chips and feature controllers for commonly used peripherals, such as keyboard, mouse, or monitor. A system on a chip (SoC) integrates almost all of these components (chipset characteristics) into a single silicon chip.
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