Another 'which drivers!?' topic! ;)

[hellogoodbye]

The coming week I will receive my new PC with the Asrock Z97 Extreme6 motherboard. Part of the preparation is to download all needed drivers. Now instead of posting everything here and asking 'what do I need?!?' I searched this forum and the internet to see how far that would get me and I have to say it got me pretty far. There are however a few questions remaining so I decided to post a complete list of all the drivers there are on the Asrock site for this particular motherboard and then also post why I think I need or don't need them and if I have no clue, I will make that clear too. This list may also help others to figure out what they need because there clearly is a lot of confusion about all this!

First of all my new (relevant) specs: i7 4790K, two Crucial MX100 512 GB SSD's (so NO regular hard disks! I do however have an external USB HD for backups), Asus GTX780 6GB. I will be using Windows 8.1 64 bit. The rest doesn't matter, I think.
Btw here is the link to the drivers for my motherboard and system: http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z97%20Extreme6/?cat=Download&os=Win8a64

Ok, here we go. I will post everything in the order of the Asrock site.

Realtek high definition audio driver ver:7004 Need!
I always and only work with a simple stereo headphone so the drivers that Windows provide should be good enough, but I will install these anyway for possible extra features.

INF driver ver:10.0.13 Need!
This is the Intel chipsetdriver and it will be the FIRST thing I will install! However, I think I will download the very latest version from the Intel site instead of from the Asrock site.

Intel Management Engine driver ver:10.0.0.1204 Don't need...?
There seems to be a lot of confusion about this one... As it is now I tend to believe those who say this one is needed for remote access to your computer (which would mean I won't install it) or it does some funky things in the background between the BIOS and the OS (which means I might install it). Any idea's...?

Intel Rapid Start driver ver:4.0.0.1068 Don't need!
Since I only use SSD's I don't really need this one. Read about possible problems with it too.

Intel Smart Connect driver ver:5.0.10.2808 Don't need!
Don't need to be online and connected constantly so I won't install this one.

Realtek Lan driver ver:8025 (Support ASRock Cloud) Don't need!
Since this motherboard also has an Intel LAN port, I will be using that one so I won't need this driver.

Lan driver ver:19.0.27.0 Need!
This is the Intel driver so I will need this one.

AppCharger ver:1.0.6 Don't need!
A driver that speeds up the charging of connected portable devices. No need for that.

SATA Floppy Image ver:13.1.0.1058 Don't need!
Don't have a floppy drive so I don't need this. Probably didn't need this one even if I had a floppy drive.

ASMedia SATA3 Driver ver:2.0.8.0 Maybe need!
I do have two SSD's and one dvd-drive so I will have to check of the ASMedia ports are actually used: afaik there are also Intel ports and if everything is connected to those, I don't need separate drivers.

Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver and utility ver:13.1.0.1058 Don't need...?
Only needed with HHD afaik...? Since I only have SSD's and an external USB HD I don't think I need this.

ASMedia USB 3.0 driver ver:1.16.15.0 Maybe need!
I would have to check if I also have none ASMedia USB ports in use.

VGA driver ver:15.33.18.64.3469 Dont' need!
I have an ASUS GTX780 so don't need this one.

Well, what do you think? Am I right in all this or did I miss something important?

The thing that REALLY surprises me is that it seems I maybe actually only need 3 of the 13 drivers...?!?!?

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

Chipset Driver - I only use the one that's on the motherboard manufacturer's website.
Same goes for all the other motherboard drivers.

 

[hellogoodbye]

Ok, so that's just to be sure all motherboard specific stuff is in there? I usually read the advice to install the very latest drivers from Intel itself!

While I am at it: is the A-Tuning utility any good to keep the drivers updated or is it better to keep on checking for updates manually on the Asrock site?

No other comments? So most of my findings are correct?

 

[supasieu]

If any devices in Device Manager with "Yellow Exclamation Point", install them with latest drivers. Manufacture motherboard utilities are optional and I think they're just not need, maybe except the latest Motherboard OC utility?

 

[hellogoodbye]

If any devices in Device Manager with "Yellow Exclamation Point", install them with latest drivers. Manufacture motherboard utilities are optional and I think they're just not need, maybe except the latest Motherboard OC utility?

I am hearing more and more that installing drivers from the motherboard company isn't needed anymore and that Window will do the job just fine. I always thought installing everything manually, using the latest drivers from the motherboard's company, was the way to go, but on another forum (the Dutch Hardwareinfo) people all seem to say 'Just install Windows and you should be fine'. That's new to me.... You seem to say the same!

 

[supasieu]

^^ What I meant by utilities is the manufacture software.
Windows won't pick up ALL drivers from manufacture motherboards. I always manually install the drivers from their ws first thing after Windows installation is complete, usually the Chipset then the Network controller drivers.