# Solved: What is "Intel USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller Driver"



## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

*Recently Upgraded:* Running Windows 7, 64-bit on MSI Z97 ATX board with Intel Core i7-4790K processor. I installed the drivers from the CD that came with the board from MSI.

My usage is strictly internet, e-mail and office applications. Occasional other usage is to connect additional hard disk via internal SATA and scanning for viruses and malicious programs. I do not overclock or play games.

I am trying to determine whether there is any real benefit to keeping the following:


"*Intel USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller Driver*". I thought USB3 drivers were already in W7 so why do I need this driver from Intel? I've read this; but, it never gets into whether it is an essential program or what functionality might be lost if I uninstall it.
"*MSI Super Charger*". I've read this; but, I can't see any real benefit, The only thing I charge from this computer is my phone and I am very well satisfied with its charging time.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

I cannot think of any win7 systems with usb3 that I have not had to install a driver; both amd systems and intel systems. 

Do you have any yellow marks in device mgr?


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## CoolBurn (Dec 5, 2013)

crjdriver is right, Windows 7 never came with USB 3.0 xHCI drivers in-box. Windows 8 and higher does. 


MSI Super Charger just gives the ability to charge devices through USB port even when the computer is off.


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## TonyB25 (Jan 1, 1970)

You should get a Chromebook.


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

Okay, I just _assumed_ the USB 3.0 drivers were already in there.

Thanks for the info.

As for the Charger thingy, I'll flush it.

Yellow marks in Device Manager --Yes. See attached images. I think the marks on drives H, I, J and K are normal in my situation as I use USBDLM that hides those drive letters unless flash memory is plugged into one of those slots.

I don't use RAID so I didn't load that driver.

I think the "Unknown device" is an Adaptec 1220SA SATA controller for which I have not been able to find W7 64-bit drivers.


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

Alex Ethridge said:


> I think the "Unknown device" is an Adaptec 1220SA SATA controller for which I have not been able to find W7 64-bit drivers.


Did you go to this site and select Motherboard, Download and Manuals?
http://us.msi.com/support

And I see you disregarded everyone's advice on not buying a high end gaming motherboard when you don't need it.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

> I think the "Unknown device" is an Adaptec 1220SA SATA


I checked the specs on your mb and the only way you would have an adaptec card is if you installed it. In that case, you would get the driver from adaptec and not from the msi site. 
Here is the link for win7 64bit drivers for an adaptec card like what you list;
http://www.adaptec.com/en-us/downlo...ar-1220sa&dn=adaptec+sata+ii+raid+1220sa.html


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

Just for future reference, when you do a windows install with a new board, do so in the following order;
1 Install the os
2 Update to the latest service pack. For win7, sp1 [not necessary if your install disk has sp1 already]
3 Install chipset/mb driver. Note intel often calls this an inf driver
4 Install sound, nic/lan, raid driver
5 Install video driver
6 If all is well, activate windows then make a backup image of the system drive. If something goes wrong or you need a clean install, it takes all of 5min to restore the image. Clean install done.
7 Now go to windows update and install ALL critical updates. Repeat until there are no more critical updates.

Failure to install in the above order will result in drivers not config correctly.



> I installed the drivers from the CD that came with the board from MSI.


While not terrible, it is almost always better to go to the support page for your mb. Download the latest drivers from the support page. The CD/DVD that ships with the board is almost always out of date in regard to drivers. It [the support disk] can be useful for getting online if you did not previously download your drivers. It addition with some mb, it will allow you to recover the bios if it becomes corrupted.


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

> And I see you disregarded everyone's advice on not buying a high end gaming motherboard when you don't need it.


No, I didn't need the gaming board or the i7 processor; but, my selection was based mostly on a lack of knowledge of matching boards to compatible processors. Many years ago, I purchased a mismatched board and processor and it was an expensive lesson. I wanted to be sure I had a powerful system and I bought what assured me of that in a combination board-and-processor bundle.

Also, the bundles offered for non-gaming systems seemed to have slower processors.

So, in a nutshell, that selection was made because I could rely on compatibility between processor and board.


> I checked the specs on your mb and the only way you would have an adaptec card is if you installed it.


Yes, it was a carry-over from the old system and has no W7 64-bit drivers.


> Just for future reference, when you do a windows install with a new board, do so in the following order;
> 1 Install the os
> 2 Update to the latest service pack. For win7, sp1 [not necessary if your install disk has sp1 already]
> 3 Install chipset/mb driver. Note intel often calls this an inf driver
> ...


The OS and SP1 was done before installing the drivers. The driver CD has its own system/order of doing the drivers. It required me to go through a menu selection of the things I wanted to install. There was a lot of bloatware and frills I didn't need in that list. The things I wasn't sure about, I installed on the side of caution. Once the process is started, the CD installed everything in its own pre-programmed order, choosing its own points at which to reboot from time to time.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

> Yes, it was a carry-over from the old system and has no W7 64-bit drivers.


Did you check the link I posted? The drivers you need are right there.


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

Yes and thanks, I downloaded the drivers from that page AND got the 32-bit, also, as I may use that controller in another system at some point.

Those _look_ like the same drivers on the CD that was in the box with the adapter that also I could not get to install. I kept getting a message from Windows that location didn't contain a compatible driver.

I'll figure that out later, though, as this board has enough 6-Gig SATA connectors for now (another reason I selected it) while the 1220SA is 3-Gig.


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

Matching the motherboard and processor is all about the socket. The motherboard specs should tell you what cpu socket it was made with and when you buy the cpu it too should reference that.


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

> Matching the motherboard and processor is all about the socket.


I'm not an expert by any means; but, I do know from past experience that just because a board has a certain socket does not mean it will run every CPU that will fit that socket. I find it hard to believe that it is "all about the socket".


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

You are correct; fortunately the mb mfg has a support page that lists cpu support. You _always_ have to check the support page to be sure your board supports a given processor.


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

I once had a used board that needed a processor and I looked at Intel's support page (I think it was Intel.) and they listed twenty or so processors that would work on that board. There was one processor that had a model number ending with an "n". (Anyway, I think it was an "n"). There was another processor with the same model number but no trailing "n". The board, according to Intel, would support only the processor with the trailing "n".

All other specs were the same -- bus speed, megahertz and all.

So, with my present upgrade and the state of my ignorance and lack of confidence, I figured, "So what if I spend a little more than I should; at least I won't end up undoing the mess if I guess and miss on the processor."

Again, thanks to everyone here. It's been fun.


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

Yes, I explained in your thread you posted a month ago about other limitations on cpu support and gave you some ideas on how to verify the cpu would work with the motherboard.

But as far as an expensive lesson, I have never had Newegg or Fry's not accept a return based on stupidity. We all have probably done it at one time or another in our lifetime. Is it hard to keep up with the changes in hardware specs.


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