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Gigabit CT drivers for Windows 8.1

AHort1
Beginner
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I recently updated to Windows 8.1 and the original Windows 8 drivers for my Gigabit CT NIC have been replaced with the default Windows 8.1 drivers which are terrible and have done nothing but annoy me (stuttering audio in streams, high CPU usage in downloading etc). I notice updates for Windows 8 are still regularly provided but there's absolutely nothing for Windows 8.1. Is possible to reinstall the Windows 8 drivers by such methods as making changes to the .inf file of the accompanying driver?

Thanks in advance!

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AHort1
Beginner
1,329 Views

bump

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DGalb
Beginner
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Had the same issue. Windows updated my network card drivers and then I didn't have the nice descriptions of each setting in the advanced network adapter settings. I tried reinstalling the Intel software, rolling back the MS garbage, completely removing the adapter from the motherboard, restore my driver backups, nothing would let this intel software install! I wanted that original interface, end of story. But this Intel driver software no longer recognized it's own network card.

I then noticed a new update for Windows 8.1 regarding this card. I installed that. Still the same interface. So then I ran the Intel Driver installer again and THIS time it not only recognized the card but installed everything normally. I now have those cool help descriptions back!

BTW I read tons of reviews on this adapter and had such high hopes. But my download speeds are a 1/10th of my other 2 (really old) computers with built-in realtek and broadcom ethernet adapters. What gives?

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AHort1
Beginner
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I think the drivers were written to shift all of the networking workload onto the CPU, giving the illusion that the card is working but it is infact doing nothing but redirecting traffic to the main processor (hence the high CPU usage). I'm also getting capped at about 1/3 my original download speed.

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DGalb
Beginner
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I'm experimenting with the settings right now. I have a really fast 8 core system, albeit I'm only running 4 cores to save on heat. Interrupt Moderation Rate has so many options. Just to see if it would utilize my CPU I tried Disabled and Extreme and the speed was just as slow either way. Trying high next. If that fails, I'll go back to adaptive and mess with another setting. Maybe I need to go look at my other computers settings and match them, but this card may not behave the same way.

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JMore7
Novice
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I just got this card hoping to use it with the Intel nic that's already on my motherboard and now find out I can't.

At least not with Windows 8.1 which is what I'm running

If you look at the chart here carefully you'll see that Windows 8.1 is not supported by the drivers you download from Intel.

The table lists all retail boxed versions of Intel® Ethernet Adapters and the type of driver support they have for Windows 8.1*.

http://www.intel.com/support/network/sb/CS-034443.htm http://www.intel.com/support/network/sb/CS-034443.htm

They are only supported by the ones that are included with Windows which means no teaming support among other things!

Took me a while messing around in Windows 8.1 trying to get it work!

Hopefully, they plan on released updated Intel software/drivers to fully support Windows 8.1 soon because if they support an work with every prior version of windows 8,7,etc. but not 8.1!

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AHort1
Beginner
1,329 Views

According to the latest estimates are:

Windows 7: 49%

Windows XP: 26% (falling quickly)

Windows 8/8.1: 12%

Windows Vista: 3%

They shouldn't drop support for Windows 7, it's still a perfectly capable OS and not going anywhere soon, but everything prior to that including Windows 8 (not 8.1) should be dropped.

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DGalb
Beginner
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Regarding my download speeds, having tested both my built-in ethernet on my M5a99FX r2.0 board side by side with the Intel card I was shocked to discover that the download speed was equally slow. I get around 19Mbytes per second in Windows 7 vs less than 3Mbytes in Windows 8 on the same system, even though my Windows 8 OS tests very well on speedtest.net http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3510996969 http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3510996969 It was looking like Windows 8 was clogging up my speed. Well, after going thru settings, restoring registry settings, trying to duplicate registry entries from my Window 7 system I finally decid to try turning Windows autotuning back on. I opened an administrative cmd prompt and typed netsh int cp set global autotuninglevel=normal. Download speed is back! (No need to reboot BTW)

Anyway, as for the drivers, Windows 8's latest driver didn't allow me to install the Intel stuff, but the latest driver from Windows 8.1 is compatible and I was able to get everything back by installing the Intel drivers afterward, including the teaming option helpful descriptions! Looks like Microsoft is ignoring everyone who doesn't want to upgrade to 8.1 when it comes to their drivers, though 8.1 also botched up my Realtek sound, as well.

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