Driver Updates are Appalling

There is a critical lack of information for recommended driver updates from
the Windows Update site. Currently, a SoftRaid 5 driver update for my SI3114
RAID controller is recommended , for which I can locate absolutely no
technical data from either Microsoft, ASUS, or Silicon Image. Similar
issues exist for my Gb Ethernet and C-Media controllers, for which
conflicting software versions reside on the OEM and motherboard hardware
integrator websites.

I have downloaded previously-recommended drivers blindly from Windows
Update, only to have them blow up areas of my system because they were either
for Unix or Windows 64-bit O.S's...so now I do not trust the MS download site
for any driver updates without thorough research...which most often leads to
the discovery of little or nothing beyond frustration.

If MS is going to re-earn my trust in this realm of system maintenance,
someone is going to have to assimilate not only "what" but "why" the driver
upgrades are suggested...as well provide a decent link to additional
technical support data.
--
Thanks! Mikey

Mikey wrote:

> There is a critical lack of information for recommended driver updates from
> the Windows Update site. Currently, a SoftRaid 5 driver update for my SI3114
> RAID controller is recommended , for which I can locate absolutely no
> technical data from either Microsoft, ASUS, or Silicon Image. Similar
> issues exist for my Gb Ethernet and C-Media controllers, for which
> conflicting software versions reside on the OEM and motherboard hardware
> integrator websites.
>
> I have downloaded previously-recommended drivers blindly from Windows
> Update, only to have them blow up areas of my system because they were either
> for Unix or Windows 64-bit O.S's...so now I do not trust the MS download site
> for any driver updates without thorough research...which most often leads to
> the discovery of little or nothing beyond frustration.
>
> If MS is going to re-earn my trust in this realm of system maintenance,
> someone is going to have to assimilate not only "what" but "why" the driver
> upgrades are suggested...as well provide a decent link to additional
> technical support data.

Take note that Microsoft, itself, does not write drivers
for peripheral devices. These are done by the device makers
themselves. Driver updates in Windows Updates is a courtesy
for the device makers and a convenience for Windows users.
And all the standard caveats are involved. For the serious
computer user, the source for driver files, current and/or
archived, is directly from the sites of the device maker,
where all of the documentation is available. And in the
case of the OEM, it is better to rely on the OEM since a
specific, proprietary version of the device (versus the
"retail" model) might be involved. System maintenance is
the end user's responsibility...not Microsoft's.

Mikey wrote:
> There is a critical lack of information for recommended driver
> updates from the Windows Update site. Currently, a SoftRaid 5 driver
> update for my SI3114 RAID controller is recommended , for which I can
> locate absolutely no technical data from either Microsoft, ASUS, or
> Silicon Image. Similar issues exist for my Gb Ethernet and C-Media
> controllers, for which conflicting software versions reside on the
> OEM and motherboard hardware integrator websites.
>
> I have downloaded previously-recommended drivers blindly from Windows
> Update, only to have them blow up areas of my system because they
> were either for Unix or Windows 64-bit O.S's...so now I do not trust
> the MS download site for any driver updates without thorough
> research...which most often leads to the discovery of little or
> nothing beyond frustration.
>
> If MS is going to re-earn my trust in this realm of system
> maintenance, someone is going to have to assimilate not only "what"
> but "why" the driver upgrades are suggested...as well provide a
> decent link to additional technical support data.

Search the newsgroups.. whenever "Hardware Drivers" are mentioned in the
terminology of the Windows Update site - 99% of the time the poster
recommends NOT getting them from there - but directly from the hardware
manufacturer's web site..

The reasoning is simple.. The drivers Microsoft usually puts up on the
Windows Update site are older than the latest available straight from those
who made and understand fully the product. Yes - the drivers for the
product are made (in both cases) by the same people - those who made the
hardware product - but the ones on the Microsoft site took time to pass some
testing/be accepted through the red tape of Microsoft. In that time, the
hardware manufacturer may have found the hundreds of unique cases where they
could improve and have released dozens of improved versions. Which would
you choose?

Short of it - go with the manufacturer of each component to know what is
best for your system - not with Microsoft.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Interesting..... I think I, too, will be doing more research on drivers
before installation. You know, the Device Manager in Administrative Tools
will give you the abllity to roll back drivers that "fail". I back up my
entire harddrive on the first of every month. It's the only way of knowing
how to protect my stuff. That's all I got.
--
Do or do not. There is no try.
Yoda, ''The Empire Strikes Back''






"Mistoffolees" wrote:

>
> Mikey wrote:
>
> > There is a critical lack of information for recommended driver updates from
> > the Windows Update site. Currently, a SoftRaid 5 driver update for my SI3114
> > RAID controller is recommended , for which I can locate absolutely no
> > technical data from either Microsoft, ASUS, or Silicon Image. Similar
> > issues exist for my Gb Ethernet and C-Media controllers, for which
> > conflicting software versions reside on the OEM and motherboard hardware
> > integrator websites.
> >
> > I have downloaded previously-recommended drivers blindly from Windows
> > Update, only to have them blow up areas of my system because they were either
> > for Unix or Windows 64-bit O.S's...so now I do not trust the MS download site
> > for any driver updates without thorough research...which most often leads to
> > the discovery of little or nothing beyond frustration.
> >
> > If MS is going to re-earn my trust in this realm of system maintenance,
> > someone is going to have to assimilate not only "what" but "why" the driver
> > upgrades are suggested...as well provide a decent link to additional
> > technical support data.
>
> Take note that Microsoft, itself, does not write drivers
> for peripheral devices. These are done by the device makers
> themselves. Driver updates in Windows Updates is a courtesy
> for the device makers and a convenience for Windows users.
> And all the standard caveats are involved. For the serious
> computer user, the source for driver files, current and/or
> archived, is directly from the sites of the device maker,
> where all of the documentation is available. And in the
> case of the OEM, it is better to rely on the OEM since a
> specific, proprietary version of the device (versus the
> "retail" model) might be involved. System maintenance is
> the end user's responsibility...not Microsoft's.
>
>

I appreciate that MS provides the service; however, I challenge you to find
any technical information on the correct version of C-Media's CMI9880 Azalea
codec for the Intel Application Accelerator chipset (925X) that is dependent
on the new UAA advanced audio paradigm from Microsoft. Microsoft provides
all of the information needed on the latter product for the end user except
what he needs (ie, the drivers themselves). C-Media has absolutley nothing
on their download site other than a codec download button and an original
product design document (they don't even offer a version number), and ASUS
provides a three-segment download of the codec that is an older version which
will not support an audio sampling frequency above 48Khz. The Microsoft
version screws up my system, the ASUS version works @ 48Khz, and the C-Media
version works up to 96Khz (although it will not allow a manual headphone
output option).

I reread my initial comments and was probably predispositioned to
criticizing Microsoft (still warranted to a degree) when this particular
instance is a three-way mess.

Another instance is in trying to figure out what the heck the SoftRAID 5
package does differently than the SataRAID driver/utility for Silicon Image's
SIL3114 RAID controller - it former is recommended for my system on the
Microsoft download site, but even isn't listed on the SilImage site
whatsoever. The last time I downloaded a RAID driver/utility package from
MS, it blew up and locked up, so I am not about to download this latest
recommendation without a thorough knowledge background.

I retroactively spread my criticism equally among all core component driver
providers!

This is a matter of information dissemination (or rather lack thereof) from
all parties, not just Microsoft!
--
Thanks! Mikey


"Mistoffolees" wrote:

>
> Mikey wrote:
>
> > There is a critical lack of information for recommended driver updates from
> > the Windows Update site. Currently, a SoftRaid 5 driver update for my SI3114
> > RAID controller is recommended , for which I can locate absolutely no
> > technical data from either Microsoft, ASUS, or Silicon Image. Similar
> > issues exist for my Gb Ethernet and C-Media controllers, for which
> > conflicting software versions reside on the OEM and motherboard hardware
> > integrator websites.
> >
> > I have downloaded previously-recommended drivers blindly from Windows
> > Update, only to have them blow up areas of my system because they were either
> > for Unix or Windows 64-bit O.S's...so now I do not trust the MS download site
> > for any driver updates without thorough research...which most often leads to
> > the discovery of little or nothing beyond frustration.
> >
> > If MS is going to re-earn my trust in this realm of system maintenance,
> > someone is going to have to assimilate not only "what" but "why" the driver
> > upgrades are suggested...as well provide a decent link to additional
> > technical support data.
>
> Take note that Microsoft, itself, does not write drivers
> for peripheral devices. These are done by the device makers
> themselves. Driver updates in Windows Updates is a courtesy
> for the device makers and a convenience for Windows users.
> And all the standard caveats are involved. For the serious
> computer user, the source for driver files, current and/or
> archived, is directly from the sites of the device maker,
> where all of the documentation is available. And in the
> case of the OEM, it is better to rely on the OEM since a
> specific, proprietary version of the device (versus the
> "retail" model) might be involved. System maintenance is
> the end user's responsibility...not Microsoft's.
>
>

Mikey wrote:
> I appreciate that MS provides the service; however, I challenge you to find
> any technical information on the correct version of C-Media's CMI9880 Azalea
> codec for the Intel Application Accelerator chipset (925X) that is dependent
> on the new UAA advanced audio paradigm from Microsoft. Microsoft provides
> all of the information needed on the latter product for the end user except
> what he needs (ie, the drivers themselves). C-Media has absolutley nothing
> on their download site other than a codec download button and an original
> product design document (they don't even offer a version number), and ASUS
> provides a three-segment download of the codec that is an older version which
> will not support an audio sampling frequency above 48Khz. The Microsoft
> version screws up my system, the ASUS version works @ 48Khz, and the C-Media
> version works up to 96Khz (although it will not allow a manual headphone
> output option).
>
> I reread my initial comments and was probably predispositioned to
> criticizing Microsoft (still warranted to a degree) when this particular
> instance is a three-way mess.
>
> Another instance is in trying to figure out what the heck the SoftRAID 5
> package does differently than the SataRAID driver/utility for Silicon Image's
> SIL3114 RAID controller - it former is recommended for my system on the
> Microsoft download site, but even isn't listed on the SilImage site
> whatsoever. The last time I downloaded a RAID driver/utility package from
> MS, it blew up and locked up, so I am not about to download this latest
> recommendation without a thorough knowledge background.
>
> I retroactively spread my criticism equally among all core component driver
> providers!
>
> This is a matter of information dissemination (or rather lack thereof) from
> all parties, not just Microsoft!

All I can add is this: Welcome to the real world! The real
problem with IBM-PC compatible machines along with all of the
peripheral devices, driver files and product documentation is
that there is no single controller or standard or whatever that
is needed to for good conformity. Each developer makes the best
effort possible. But, then, this is also why we are also not
pleading allegiance to Apple and Steve Jobs.

You can find what you need here at Intel....All of the items for your
motherboard using the 925x chipset can be downloaded from Intel. In order for
the sound driver you are talking about to work you need to make sure that the
microsoft UAA driver for High Definition Audio is loaded first. Then you can
install the intel Audio driver which will automatically add the codec you
require. If your motherboard is an intel board, you can download the board
drivers as well as the chipset drivers. Just to make sure you have chosen the
correct chipset drivers I would run the chipid utility first which will lead
you to the exact information you need to read first. As for the raid issue
you need to read what intel says in the setup readme files first. If you
didn't install the raid driver before the OS by hitting F6 at the prompt you
might have to start over fresh in order for the raid configuration to work...

http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scri...=1786&lang=eng

I only wish my PC problems were as simple to fix as yours, good luck.



"Mikey" wrote:

> I appreciate that MS provides the service; however, I challenge you to find
> any technical information on the correct version of C-Media's CMI9880 Azalea
> codec for the Intel Application Accelerator chipset (925X) that is dependent
> on the new UAA advanced audio paradigm from Microsoft. Microsoft provides
> all of the information needed on the latter product for the end user except
> what he needs (ie, the drivers themselves). C-Media has absolutley nothing
> on their download site other than a codec download button and an original
> product design document (they don't even offer a version number), and ASUS
> provides a three-segment download of the codec that is an older version which
> will not support an audio sampling frequency above 48Khz. The Microsoft
> version screws up my system, the ASUS version works @ 48Khz, and the C-Media
> version works up to 96Khz (although it will not allow a manual headphone
> output option).
>
> I reread my initial comments and was probably predispositioned to
> criticizing Microsoft (still warranted to a degree) when this particular
> instance is a three-way mess.
>
> Another instance is in trying to figure out what the heck the SoftRAID 5
> package does differently than the SataRAID driver/utility for Silicon Image's
> SIL3114 RAID controller - it former is recommended for my system on the
> Microsoft download site, but even isn't listed on the SilImage site
> whatsoever. The last time I downloaded a RAID driver/utility package from
> MS, it blew up and locked up, so I am not about to download this latest
> recommendation without a thorough knowledge background.
>
> I retroactively spread my criticism equally among all core component driver
> providers!
>
> This is a matter of information dissemination (or rather lack thereof) from
> all parties, not just Microsoft!
> --
> Thanks! Mikey
>
>
> "Mistoffolees" wrote:
>
> >
> > Mikey wrote:
> >
> > > There is a critical lack of information for recommended driver updates from
> > > the Windows Update site. Currently, a SoftRaid 5 driver update for my SI3114
> > > RAID controller is recommended , for which I can locate absolutely no
> > > technical data from either Microsoft, ASUS, or Silicon Image. Similar
> > > issues exist for my Gb Ethernet and C-Media controllers, for which
> > > conflicting software versions reside on the OEM and motherboard hardware
> > > integrator websites.
> > >
> > > I have downloaded previously-recommended drivers blindly from Windows
> > > Update, only to have them blow up areas of my system because they were either
> > > for Unix or Windows 64-bit O.S's...so now I do not trust the MS download site
> > > for any driver updates without thorough research...which most often leads to
> > > the discovery of little or nothing beyond frustration.
> > >
> > > If MS is going to re-earn my trust in this realm of system maintenance,
> > > someone is going to have to assimilate not only "what" but "why" the driver
> > > upgrades are suggested...as well provide a decent link to additional
> > > technical support data.
> >
> > Take note that Microsoft, itself, does not write drivers
> > for peripheral devices. These are done by the device makers
> > themselves. Driver updates in Windows Updates is a courtesy
> > for the device makers and a convenience for Windows users.
> > And all the standard caveats are involved. For the serious
> > computer user, the source for driver files, current and/or
> > archived, is directly from the sites of the device maker,
> > where all of the documentation is available. And in the
> > case of the OEM, it is better to rely on the OEM since a
> > specific, proprietary version of the device (versus the
> > "retail" model) might be involved. System maintenance is
> > the end user's responsibility...not Microsoft's.
> >
> >