nVIDIA vs ASUS drivers for GeForce 980M

[pokerface]

I know from the past the mods here always recommend sticking to the ASUS Drivers vs the nVIDIA ones.

My laptop has the ASUS Driver 344.00, would the latest nVIDIA ones be better in terms of performance or better stick to my driver?

[Boaz_Beatz]

not using an optimus bro i asked about the intel chipset haha

[hmscott]

Boaz Beatz wrote:
Scot couls you post a guide on how to update the intel ones as you cant just run the setup cus it wont install anything reported by many users

Boaz Beatz wrote:
not using an optimus bro i asked about the intel chipset haha

Boaz Beatz, for the Intel Chipset drivers you can go here, from my long list of places to find drivers, posted above:

Asus stopped updating their Intel INFUpdate support area, so go directly to Intel to get the latest - currently 10.0.24
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&FamilyId=42&ProductID=816&ProdId=816

I recommend installing the latest 9.x.x.x INF package first, then follow up with the latest 10.x.x - some new laptops may make use of something from the 10.x.x series.

The latest inf files for the HM87 chipset in the G750/G751 is the 9.4.0.1026 version. I have 9.4.1023 showing for most devices from the 1026 installer, but also show 10.0.24 as the current version installed, so I did an OVERWRITE install of 1026 and then installed 10.0.24.

You can first install the 9.4.0.1026 version, I got mine from outside Intel - Lenovo, HP, DELL, etc have it (google), but you use different command line options for the 9.x installer.

http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/downloads/ds040289

https://www.google.com/search?q=hm87+chipset+driver+9.4.0.1026+download&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

After unpacking the vendor installer, run from an Administrator cmd window:

Setup.exe -OVERIDE -OVERALL -OVERWRITE

Then after rebooting, do the 10.0.24 install as follows.

To make sure everything that can be installed does get installed, the latest version from the new download, use the SetupChipset.exe and start as Adminstrator a CMD shell Window, cd to the directory with the SetupChipset.exe, and run with this command line:

SetupChipset.exe -overall <== Will overwrite existing drivers with new ones as applicable, for 10.x.x drivers and above.





Then each device should have the latest version driver available for it. For me the 10.x.x INF package only showed up for 1 device, so it's up to you to decide if it is worth it to do both 9.x.x.x and 10.x.x installs 🙂

[Boaz_Beatz]

Is it rly needed to install the latest when we got drivers from asus support? Seems like an hasle to update them all. Also do you recommend installing intel rapid storage or use the driver from intel chipset?

[pokerface]

Boaz Beatz wrote:
Is it rly needed to install the latest when we got drivers from asus support? Seems like an hasle to update them all. Also do you recommend installing intel rapid storage or use the driver from intel chipset?

Install IRST driver, even when not using RAID, it is also a SATA Controller driver which is far superior to the MSAHCI default driver. The MSAHCI default driver hasn't been updated since 2006!

[hmscott]

Boaz Beatz wrote:
Is it rly needed to install the latest when we got drivers from asus support? Seems like an hasle to update them all. Also do you recommend installing intel rapid storage or use the driver from intel chipset?

Boaz Beatz, what laptop do you have? The only laptops that need the Intel Rapid Storage Technology drivers have RAID drives, the G750JH/JZ are the only ones that come that way.

Update: It looks like the G751JY M.2 PCIe port can benefit from the IRST package, can someone confirm whether the Asus OS Build for the G751JY comes with the IRST package installed?

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/architecture-and-technology/rapid-storage-technology.html?wap...

Asus doesn't update the drivers of products after release, BIOS's get updated, but for drivers you need to look for them in the support areas of the most recently released products with the same hardware.

For the Intel/Nvidia drivers you can get drivers directly from Intel/Nvidia.

It is up to you, but it only took me 10 minutes to find, download, read the docs and do the install the first time. And, I put it all in a posting for you, should take you all of 5 minutes.

What version is currently installed? You can find out by looking at the driver version for one of the HM87 system devices, like this:



As with any device, newer versions fix problems found in older versions. Most problems with Wifi/BT/etc drivers can be solved with updated drivers.

I update them, it isn't tough, it doesn't take long, and if you do it on a regular basis it doesn't seem like a big deal to do it.

[Boaz_Beatz]

hmscott wrote:
Boaz Beatz, what laptop do you have? The only laptops that need the Intel Rapid Storage Technology drivers have RAID drives, the G750JH/JZ are the only ones that come that way.

It is up to you, but it only took me 10 minutes to find, download, read the docs and do the install the first time. And, I put it all in a posting for you, should take you all of 5 minutes.

What version is currently installed? You can find out by looking at the driver version for one of the HM87 system devices, like this:



As with any device, newer versions fix problems found in older versions. Most problems with Wifi/BT/etc drivers can be solved with updated drivers.

I update them, it isn't tough, it doesn't take long, and if you do it on a regular basis it doesn't seem like a big deal to do it.

g751jy could you post a full thread with all the latest drivers in a nice simple way to understand i know you posted some before but they are from asus

[hmscott]

Boaz Beatz wrote:
g751jy could you post a full thread with all the latest drivers in a nice simple way to understand i know you posted some before but they are from asus

Boaz Beatz, I listed all the places to find the latest drivers here:

http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?57948-nVIDIA-vs-ASUS-drivers-for-GeForce-980M&p=477402&view...

I make a post like that from time to time and add/remove locations for searching.

I don't make a list of the exact versions because there are different requirements for each G750/G751, each has different components - I can't make a list of every single driver for every single device - and keep them up to date 🙂

It doesn't take long to do it for yourself. Look at the installed drivers via Programs and Features. Then use the names / versions to compare against the ones you find online at Asus, and download the newer ones and install them.

After you have done it once, you can pick that point in time to use for looking for future updates - just look for drivers uploaded after today's date, for example. Always check the version number too - sometimes Asus uploads older drivers again... look down the list of versions available and go by the version number and not the date.

The problem with making a list, even limited to one model of ROG laptop, it changes over time. I only check every month or two, and if there are updates in between I won't see them until I look, those updates wouldn't be put in the list quick enough to catch new releases for everyone.

When you look on your own, you will find what you need at that time. It isn't really a big deal, you can do it while you have idle time in between other things, and it won't be a hassle 🙂

[pokerface]

hmscott wrote:
Boaz Beatz, what laptop do you have? The only laptops that need the Intel Rapid Storage Technology drivers have RAID drives, the G750JH/JZ are the only ones that come that way.

Asus doesn't update the drivers of products after release, BIOS's get updated, but for drivers you need to look for them in the support areas of the most recently released products with the same hardware.

For the Intel/Nvidia drivers you can get drivers directly from Intel/Nvidia.

It is up to you, but it only took me 10 minutes to find, download, read the docs and do the install the first time. And, I put it all in a posting for you, should take you all of 5 minutes.

What version is currently installed? You can find out by looking at the driver version for one of the HM87 system devices, like this:



As with any device, newer versions fix problems found in older versions. Most problems with Wifi/BT/etc drivers can be solved with updated drivers.

I update them, it isn't tough, it doesn't take long, and if you do it on a regular basis it doesn't seem like a big deal to do it.

No bro, the IRST Driver even if not used for RAID has a better SATA/AHCI controller driver, that's why it is installed by default on almost any laptop you buy, heck I even bought a cheap ACER laptop for $299 USD that has a slow HDD but also had the IRST Driver.

The default MSAHCI Driver is very old dated back to 2006 and it's that way because it is known to be the most stable and most compatible. But for better performance, the IRST Driver is much better. I have tested both and this is just an example on my Samsung 850 PRO (pay attention to the 4K reads/writes those are the most important since thats what a normal user would be dealing in his daily workflow the small 4K reads/writes and is what determines the overall snapiness of a system:

MSAHCI Driver:



IRST Driver:

[hmscott]

pokerface wrote:
No bro, the IRST Driver even if not used for RAID has a better SATA/AHCI controller driver, that's why it is installed by default on almost any laptop you buy, heck I even bought a cheap ACER laptop for $299 USD that has a slow HDD but also had the IRST Driver.

The default MSAHCI Driver is very old dated back to 2006 and it's that way because it is known to be the most stable and most compatible. But for better performance, the IRST Driver is much better. I have tested both and this is just an example on my Samsung 850 PRO (pay attention to the 4K reads/writes those are the most important since thats what a normal user would be dealing in his daily workflow the small 4K reads/writes and is what determines the overall snapiness of a system:

MSAHCI Driver:



IRST Driver:

pokerface, those performance numbers are within the tolerance of multiple runs, it isn't a significant % difference. I have heard the IOPS can improve significantly, but for non-server applications like a gaming laptop I don't think it is worth getting everyone to install the IRST package

I usually install it myself, but then I usually have a RAID in my system. 🙂

It looks like for a PCIe single drive you will want to run the IRST driver for the new PCIe support, but for non-RAID SATA drives it isn't indicated.

I wonder if that is why when people get a G751JY without a M.2 PCIE x4 drive, and they try to add one, it doesn't work correctly - perhaps they need to install the IRST package to support the M.2 PCIE port?

Does the G751JY come with the Intel Rapid Storage Technology package installed?? Then I should add the G751JY to the list because it already comes with it, to support the PCIE SSD.

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/architecture-and-technology/rapid-storage-technology.html?wap...

But, if it makes you feel better to run the IRST driver, and it works better for you, why not...but for the casual user it wouldn't be part of my default recommendations.

The IRST systray app won't help you much either for single SATA drives, there are no settings for individual drives - except for setting it as a Spare for a RAID array...

[pokerface]

hmscott wrote:
pokerface, those performance numbers are within the tolerance of multiple runs, it isn't a significant % difference. I have heard the IOPS can improve significantly, but for non-server applications like a gaming laptop I don't think it is worth getting everyone to install the IRST package

I usually install it myself, but then I usually have a RAID in my system. 🙂

It looks like for a PCIe single drive you will want to run the IRST driver for the new PCIe support, but for non-RAID SATA drives it isn't indicated.

I wonder if that is why when people get a G751JY without a M.2 PCIE x4 drive, and they try to add one, it doesn't work correctly - perhaps they need to install the IRST package to support the M.2 PCIE port?

Does the G751JY come with the Intel Rapid Storage Technology package installed?? Then I should add the G751JY to the list because it already comes with it, to support the PCIE SSD.

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/architecture-and-technology/rapid-storage-technology.html?wap...

But, if it makes you feel better to run the IRST driver, and it works better for you, why not...but for the casual user it wouldn't be part of my default recommendations.

The IRST systray app won't help you much either for single SATA drives, there are no settings for individual drives - except for setting it as a Spare for a RAID array...

True, the difference isn't mind blowing but for me personally I try to squeeze every bit of performance out of my system.

Yes the IRST Driver wsa preinstalled on my G751JY when I got it. then when I did a clean install, the system ran fine initially through all the Windows updates and stuff on the default MSAHCI driver I installed the IRST Driver after first installing the Intel Chipset Software > Intel Collaborative Performance Driver > MEI > IRST > etc

on this G751JY or any other ASUS laptop for that matter there is no need to install the full IRST package / its app. I only found one thing useful in it when running in non RAID mode, that is, on my prevoius Alienware which had 2 SATA III bays and one mSATA slot, I had an 840 EVO 1TB in the mSATA slot, there is one setting in the IRST app that is crucial which is to disable link power management that puts the drives in a lower power state mode to preserve energy, not needed for me so that's the only thing I do with the IRST ap, again, on my previous laptop there is no need for it here.