Ok, I maybe wrong, didn't test but If you uninstall watchdog timer and the ICC stuff XTU won't work. I would think it be better to just uninstall XTU, it should remove those things I think, but you can always clean things up afterward. I don't even have those last bits in device manager (Intel Dynamic Platform and Thermal Framework). Guess my Z77 is too old. On MEI, you just need to check what versions each one supports ( don't think it will install if MB is too old). I know I have updated it few times, some came with XTU install. I also did firmware, standalone. I am on ver 11.0.0.1176 for MEI and Watchdog timer version 10.0 39, I know they're up to 12.xx or something now for MEI. AgentA01 where did you set drivers to manual, that sounds more like service thing? Anyway, games I run are smooth for the most part.
11.0.11.1193 is what I'm using. mid-2016 for release date. (EDIT: Installer will prompt if the system is incompatible such as if using 11.1.x or later.)
Well I do have this intel inbox driver v15.44.0.1010 (dated 7.2.2018) I use latest available irst 14.8.. I use to have 12.9.4 for a long time, but I don't see any difference now. I had to have this old 12.9.4 or it would cause my old Samsung F3 spinpoint to sporadically go to sleep.. I don't use this HDD anymore so its ok now. I don't have this generic Intel Dynamic Platform and Thermal Framework. Intel watch dog is on LPC controller, driver v11.0.0.1007 (20.9.2015); LPC controller driver is v10.1.1.44 (11.11.2017) And yeah I don't really have any stutters. ah right, gotcha. I see its exactly what devicemanager reads @ LPC controller https://s6.**********/sn66a8kj1/intel.png
11.011x is for 5MB ME systems. That means systems based on corporate hardware come with extra features consumer variants don't use. That driver isn't a driver; it's just a placeholder in device manager to remove bang ! and it removes the need for the software that comes with regular driver installer.
As for RST drivers and RST firmware they should match only for RAID mode. In AHCI mode RST UEFI module(s) are not used at all. (According to Fernando.)
I think most people don't need to worry about this. I find the suggestion to download drivers from 'softpedia' to be revolting. I'll pass on this, thanks.
Noticed that once i unchecked the watchdog driver with autoruns, then reboot, now in device manager it let me fully disable it. So i guess then, i don't have to actually remove it? As for the other things, my Intel ME was already on the right series by windows install (v1803) and i don't have that Intel Dynamic Platform thing.
I knew someone would think that , but there is no 8.3 version on windows update and the windows download version 8.2 which is older. and Softpedia is legit download files , if you don't trust it you won't trust almost 90% of the sites . I said XTU needs the WatchDog drivers or it won't work , I said it on the WatchDog section it's part of it. About the IMEI , I myself am using version 9.5 just because I don't have stutterings or crashes with this drivers and everything works just fine. everytime I installed 10 or 11 I always had issue. my laptop firmware is 8 or something so there is no reason to installed newer driver, it gives nothing. the Thermal Framework thing is only for chipset Intel Cpu 5xxx or 6xxxx series and above, so you won't see it for any other motherboards. Again , I've been using the IMEI 11.7.0.x version , with the WatchDog driver installed + XTU software and I had stuttering non stop in any game, I've been like that for 1-2 weeks checking everything. as soon I uninstalled the XTU + Watchdog and replace the IMEI to 9.5 the stuttering stopped 100% . if you don't have stuttering then I can't tell you why , because I checked my system for full time, I didn't check your computer so it might work differently , but if you read the internet the are many people without proper explanation to the stuttering they have, it's like Multiplayer LAG that happens inside your computer, and I've read about the Watchdog and what it does and like I said, if you don't have the Bios Enabled/Disable option then you shouldn't have it installed, because it only causing issues. I fixed my issue 100% also for my Desktop computer which was Z77P8-V the same way. now I have AMD 1950x so I don't have to deal with this issue or drivers. but I still have my laptop which doesn't have the Thermal Framework drivers , and I had the Stuttering for a whole week or two and I've been trying everything else, but this 2 things fixed my issue instantly after a uninstall and a restart. I will just ask this, would you really need me to video this so you believe ? And yes I also had the problem with the Samsung F3 with the drivers 13.x till 14 arrived , but it could be fix with using Disable LPM in the registry which I've found out later. So you can see the drivers effect everyone the same way with the same hardware, so with different hardware you might don't notice stuttering but it might be there, because it is always effect even if you say it doesn't. if you don't see it doesn't mean it doesn't , that what you can learn in computer a lot of times. And Win-Raid Frenando says for the IRST do not use higher version for older chipset , so it does mean for other drivers also , why would 1 driver is fine and the other is not. you can still install IRST for AHCI mode, which installs the same driver, I'm using now the 14.8 driver at this moment on my laptop with AHCI mode and not RAID in the bios.
Some would love to see recorded something, some would not. If you say you fixed problems that`s enough for me. It`s just no one of posted here has stuttering (as I take it), and not all have devices you mention. So we can`t check all that. Do not transfer experience of one family of drivers to completely unrelated another family. Newer SATA drivers do not support older controllers natively. More specifically their inf-files just do not contain entries for older devices. When Fernando talks about modding the drivers he just means adding missing entries to those inf-files. And of course newer drivers could implement newer features (SATA or RAID), but could miss some old features as well. So most of times there are no benefits to use modded newer drivers on older SATA controllers. But the situation with MEI can be completely different from SATA ones. We don`t have enough information to make assumptions (about MEI) based on situation with SATA drivers..
Yea IMEI firmware is risky, Z87/z97 chipset is ok up to 9.1.xxx, latest added Broadwell support, newer might not be compatible at all and brick your bios. And yeah when I looked more irst oroms are just for raid, I wanted to flash mine to be inline with irst 14.8, but in the end its just if I used raid (I don't), normal Ahci isn't affected. I did mod my bios to support pcie nvme drives, that can be done if you want it. https://www.win-raid.com/t871f50-Gu...rt-for-all-Systems-with-an-AMI-UEFI-BIOS.html
I understand your point, but even sometimes if the newest drivers are installed it doesn't mean it's fine. for me when older drivers works fine and also that's what Asus have on the support page means it should be the most compatible , it might be different , but from what I've checked it doesn't give anything to use the newest IMEI drivers, that's all. Installing the Modified IRST drivers could cause issues also . All I'm saying there could be issues , if you really want to check , you could just use older version and see if it really does something . it's easy check . The Intel WDT is the main culprit in all the thread here , but I've added all the details incase some outsiders people might search in google and have another solution that no one posted. There is not a single thread about this . And almost no one check if this device is installed nore even know about it, and sometimes windows installed it without you knowing , also it can even install it again after you uninstalled it, so those are the things that matters. I'm going through for the direct fastest solution without any chance of differences. the most compatible with no other effect , what should work as it should. if it works fine with the newest version then no problem . You are ok then , some chipset just doesn't have this . you just need to update it when you do have it , that's all. Well, again it depends on what windows detect on your drivers and if you installed the XTU software. for some people Intel WDT won't be installed so you won't notice the issue .
I have been using XTU since 2012, the early versions would install the watchdog timer as a separate entry in App programs along with MEI and XTU. Later versions hid the watchdog timer. I know if you uninstall XTU some versions would remove all but MEI, haven't checked lately. I guess some users install it and maybe it leaves watchdog behind, not sure what other app would use/need it. Last time I checked I didn't get any hits on it other than XTU. Anyway, I don't BM XTU, I use it to OC a tiny more than what I have in bios, I could do all in bios but this is an easy way. I know some have had issues but for me, I don't the CPU time on watchdog/ICCproxy is one of lowest on the system, basically idles there. Also maybe modern HW it is needed, I am using old stuff here, there not to much info on WDT. Edit: So for kicks, I run XTU and then check PE, I can't find were watchdog timer is even loaded/used. But I do remember one or two versions of XTU didn't install watchdog properly. The side effect was XTU BM worked fine, OC even worked fine but XTU would not save settings on next boot. So I guess it gets triggered right after boot, then not really accessed, at least on my system with software I have. It is a kernel driver and is running/loaded at all times.
I also think for me APM was also a reason for stuttering , I had some micro stuttering till I disable the APM on my Hard Disk .
Sorry I missed this. Drivers are services. You must go into regedit Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\XXXXX X= Driver name. Set the driver to manual setup by setting Start = 3.
Ok, there just using hidden services, I did look into it a bit and noticed System Information does list drivers start mode. I never noticed this before, then again I don't use system info much either. Thanks for the reply. PS: My watchdog is set to manual too.
If you take a look over Fernando's Win-Raid forum, using specific firmware and drivers for specific chipsets is what it is about, besides providing the drivers without all the additional bloat. Has been posted here on Guru3D more than once, you probably just didn't see it. Sorry to say so, but you only rediscovered an issue.