How to update Intel hardware drivers
Intel Driver Update Utility is a free program for Microsoft Windows devices to search for, download, and install Intel driver updates.
It is usually a good idea to keep drivers up to date, especially if newer drivers improve the old or add new features that you may be interested in.
While there is certainly something to "never change a running system" as well, driver updates may improve a component's performance, stability or other parameters such as temperature.
If you want to update Intel hardware, you can head over to the Intel website to download the latest driver versions from there manually. This works, but requires work on your part. You need to identify the hardware and installed driver version first, and then find the right driver that is provided for it.
Note: The program is quite heavy when it comes to the installation of services, tasks and such on the system. We have added information and uninstallation instructions at the bottom of this article.
Intel Driver Update Utility
Intel's Driver Update Utility streamlines the process. It allows you to scan the PC for Intel hardware, and driver updates for those components, download them afterwards to install them in the end.
It supports the following components currently:
- Graphics drivers
- Audio drivers for Intel Desktop Board
- Wireless Networking drivers
- Wired Networking drivers
- Chipset INF
- Intel NUC drivers
- Intel Compute Stick drivers
- Intel Desktop Boards drivers
The program is really easy to use. It displays an intro screen on start. You may click on the settings button there to change download directories, the maximum number of concurrent downloads, the log level, and the language of the application.
A click on start scan runs the scan. It should not take longer than a couple of seconds to complete. The results screen that opens list the operating system that the Intel Driver Update Utility detected, as well as new driver versions for hardware of the device.
It may list multiple drivers for a device, but only one is selected. This is usually the latest driver, but you are free to download other drivers that the tool displays on the screen.
You may even switch to the "older drivers" tab to download select older versions of drivers for the hardware, or generic drivers.
The program displays the driver name, installed and latest version of the driver, as well as a description and compatibility information.
You may change the download directory manually there as well before you hit the download button to download the selected Intel drivers to the local system.
Downloads are saved to an IntelComponents directory. You may install downloaded drivers directly from the Intel Driver Update Utility, or by executing the driver files directly from the download directory instead.
A restart is usually required before the process completes.
Other features
Intel Driver Update Utility has a couple of other features of interest. First, you may open the history to check on any driver that you downloaded using it in the past, and check whether it was installed or not. Driver updates can be removed from the history, but they are kept on the local system.
The second option allows you to search for Intel drivers manually. This is a bit complicated, as you cannot just key in the components name, or part of it. You need to select the product line, operating system, and the actual product name from a list of suggestions.
Drivers are only provided for Intel desktop boards, Intel NUC boards, and the Intel Compute Stick. This means that it is usually better to head over to the Intel Download Center site directly to search for and download drivers this way.
Intel Driver Update Utility uninstallation
Intel's program installs several services, scheduled tasks, and a driver during installation. Some are clearly marked as Telemetry, others seem to monitor the system and supposedly help system performance.
You don't get a say in what gets installed, and what does not. While you can opt out of the customer improvement program, scheduled telemetry tasks are still run.
Services:
- Energy Server Service queencreek -- Intel(r) Energy Checker SDK. ESRV Service queencreek
- Intel(R) System Usage Report Service SystemUsageReportSvc_QUEENCREEK -- Intel(R) System Usage Report Service SystemUsageReportSvc_QUEENCREEK
- eUser Energy Server Service quencreek -- Intel(r) Energy Checker SDK. ESRV Service queencreek
Tasks:
- USER_ESRV_SVC_QUEENCREEK -- no description
- Intel\Intel Telemetry 2 -- Uploader for the Intel(R) Product Improvement Program.
The program creates folders on the system on top of that:
- Program Files\Intel\SUR\QUEENCREEK
- Program Files\Intel\Telemetry 2.0
- Program Files\Intel Driver Update Utility
- Program Files (x86)\Intel Driver Update Utility
Last but not least, it installs a new driver semav6msr64.
Not all items may be removed when you uninstall the program. I suggest you check Services, Scheduled Tasks, and the folders listed above manually to make sure everything was removed. If not, delete those manually.
To remove the driver, do the following:
- Tap on the Windows-key, type cmd.exe, hold down the Shift-key and the Ctrl-key, and hit the Enter-key. This launches an elevated command prompt.
- Confirm the UAC prompt.
- Type sc delete semav6msr64 and hit the Enter-key.
- type
Now You: Do you update drivers?
What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277
I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tank you for your help