INTEL RAID/AHCI Drivers & Storage Console v8.2.3.1001

Intel has released a new version of their RAID & AHCI (SATA) controller drivers for all 32bit and 64bit versions and all flavours of Windows XP, Server 2003 and VISTA. There's a lot of confusion about this product (even amongst technicians), so here's a quick summary of it's features.

This is also known as the Intel Matrix Storage Manager:

QUOTE

This product name has evolved over time. Intel Application Accelerator RAID Edition, Intel® Application Accelerator 4.x, Intel Matrix Storage Technology software, and Intel Matrix Storage Manager all refer to different versions of the same product. Intel® Matrix Storage Manager is the name of the current version.

On specific desktop and mobile platforms (listed below) the Intel Matrix Storage Manager provides software support for high-performance Serial ATA RAID 0 arrays, fault-tolerant Serial ATA RAID 1 arrays, Intel Rapid Recover Technology (spare disk), AHCI Native Command Queuing for increased performance, matrix RAID for two RAID volumes on a single array, and an improved user interface for enhanced usability.
Intel Matrix Storage Manager is the software that enables Intel Matrix Storage Technology.
High capacity and fault-tolerant Serial ATA RAID 5 arrays and high performance and fault-tolerant Serial ATA RAID 10 arrays are supported on specific desktop platforms only.

The Intel Matrix Storage Manager supports the following Intel chipsets:

CODE

Intel® X38 Express Chipset
Intel® Q33 Express Chipset
Intel® Q35 Express Chipset
Intel® G31 Express Chipset
Intel® G33 Express Chipset
Intel® G35 Express Chipset
Intel® P31 Express Chipset
Intel® P35 Express Chipset
Mobile Intel® GM965 Express Chipset
Mobile Intel® PM965 Express Chipset
Intel® G965 Express Chipset
Intel® P965 Express Chipset
Intel® Q963 Express Chipset
Intel® Q965 Express Chipset
Intel® 5000P Chipset
Intel® 5000V Chipset
Intel® 5000X Chipset
Intel® 975X Express Chipset
Intel® 955X Express Chipset
Intel® 945 Express Chipset family
Mobile Intel® 945 Express Chipset family
Intel® E7230 Chipset
Mobile Intel® 915 Express Chipset family
Mobile Intel® 910GML Express Chipset

These chipsets must provide the following I/O controller hubs in order for the driver and software to work:

QUOTE

Intel® 82801IR/IO controller hub (ICH9R/DO) - RAID and AHCI
Intel® 82801HEM I/O controller hub (ICH8M-E) - RAID and AHCI
Intel® 82801HBM I/O controller hub (ICH8M) - AHCI only
Intel® 82801HR/HH/HO I/O controller hub (ICH8R/DH/DO) - RAID and AHCI
Intel® 631xESB/632xESB I/O controller hub - RAID and AHCI
Intel® 82801GHM I/O controller hub (ICH7MDH) - RAID only
Intel® 82801GBM I/O controller hub (ICH7M) - AHCI only
Intel® 82801GR/GH I/O controller hub (ICH7R/DH) - RAID and AHCI
Intel® 82801FBM I/O controller hub (ICH6M) - AHCI only

The old version v8.2.0.1001 had a heap of known issues listed in the release notes. They might have been fixed with the updated version, but unfortunately INTEL hasn't released a changelog yet.


DOWNLOAD
Direct download of the ~22MB MultiLanguage installer is HERE.

For those in need of the F6 Floppy/USB driver installation package (for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Home Server) head over HERE.