Chipset Drivers

In essence, the chipset is the motherboard. In a PC the chipset is basically the connection between the processor and everything else. For this reason the chipset controls the connections between the processor and everything else. As a result the chipset determines which type of processor you have, how fast the processor will run, how fast the buses will run, the type, speed, and amount of memory, etc. The chipset driver is the kernel level programming that tells the chipset how to handle these functions and how to communicate with the processor.

Specifically the chipset driver for a Windows operating system installs .inf files to the Windows target system. These files tell the operating system exactly how to configure the chipset components so several features and functions operate properly. The chipset driver configures the chipset for some, all, or even more of the following features depending on the operating system and the manufacturer: 1) Identification of the chipset components in the Device Manager; 2) Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express or Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) support; 3) Core PCI and ISANP services; 4)Integrated Drive Electronics/ Advanced Technology Advancement (IDE/ATA) storage support; 4) Universal Serial Bus (USB) support; and, 5) Serial ATA (SATA) Storage support.

These drivers are almost always provided by the maker of the chipset. In addition, the drivers may differ between operating systems for the same chipset. In order to use the proper chipset drivers you must know the type of chipset that is used on the motherboard. You can do this several ways. You can open up the computer and look at the chipset (the name is often printed on the chipset) or you can use a system resources program (there are plenty available share-ware types) that can identify the chipset for you.

Common Problems with Chipset Drivers

1) Corrupt or improper chipset driver files

2) Incorrect driver files for the specific chipset and/or operating system being used

3) Outdated Chipset drivers that cause system instability, freezes, or crashes.

Troubleshooting the Chipset Driver

You should always have the latest chipset driver issued by the manufacturer. Check at least once every 6 months to see if your driver has been issued an update. Of course, as mentioned above, be certain that you are using the correct driver for the chipset. Sometimes chipsets only differ by a number or letter, so it is easy to download the incorrect chipset driver.

Chipset driver problems can occur if the files are corrupt or outdated. This usually results in a variety of symptoms that range from slow performance to “blue screen” crashes. Occasionally, individual functions (recently updated ones for example) supported by the chipset may not work but other processes do. The best remedy is to reinstall the original chipset driver files, or to install the latest driver issued from the manufacturer.