Windows Update: AMD SMBus

I got this update on my laptop today after doing a clean install of W7, it was one of the first offered so I think it's just an update.

I retract my W10 theory/guess.

Jesse Williams said:

heffeque said:

After the Windows Update.

I went to what you went to heffeque, and unfortunately it says no drivers are installed for this device under device status.

I see the same thing for "No Drivers installed" on the General tab (default tab) !
Click on the Driver tab, and see what it shows for you.

I just installed this update and here is what i see on the Driver tab:

Yeah, this was an interesting post about that driver over on EF,

KYHI said:

If you look at the driver INF file it is a null driver

Code:

; ************************************************************
; ************************************************************
; **  Filename: Chipset_SMBus.inf                           **
; **  Abstract: Assigns the null driver to SMBus            **
; **            devices for yellow-bang removal.            **
; ************************************************************
; ************************************************************

[Version]
Signature="$WINDOWS NT$"
Class=System
ClassGUID={4D36E97D-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
Provider=%INTEL%
CatalogFile=Chipset.cat
DriverVer=02/25/2014, 10.0.13
[SourceDisksNames]
[SourceDisksFiles]
[ControlFlags]
ExcludeFromSelect=*
[PackageInfo]
Name=Chipset
[Manufacturer]
%INTEL%=INTEL,NT,NTamd64
[INTEL.NT]
;9.1.9.1004 5000XZVP.inf
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_269B
;9.4.3.1008 AvotSMB.inf
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1F15
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1F3C
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1F3D
;9.3.1.xxxx CentSMB.inf
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0C59
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0C5A
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0C5B
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0C5C
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0C5D
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0C5E
;9.2.0.1034 cougsmb.inf
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1C22
;9.2.2.1038 DH89xxCC-smb.inf
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2330
;9.1.9.1004 ibexsmb.inf
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_283E
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2930
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_3A30
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_3A60

derekimo said:

Yeah, this was an interesting post about that driver over on EF,

KYHI said:

If you look at the driver INF file it is a null driver

Code:

; ************************************************************
; ************************************************************
; **  Filename: Chipset_SMBus.inf                           **
; **  Abstract: Assigns the null driver to SMBus            **
; **            devices for yellow-bang removal.            **
; ************************************************************
; ************************************************************

[Version]
Signature="$WINDOWS NT$"
Class=System
ClassGUID={4D36E97D-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
Provider=%INTEL%
CatalogFile=Chipset.cat
DriverVer=02/25/2014, 10.0.13
[SourceDisksNames]
[SourceDisksFiles]
[ControlFlags]
ExcludeFromSelect=*
[PackageInfo]
Name=Chipset
[Manufacturer]
%INTEL%=INTEL,NT,NTamd64
[INTEL.NT]
;9.1.9.1004 5000XZVP.inf
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_269B
;9.4.3.1008 AvotSMB.inf
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1F15
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1F3C
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1F3D
;9.3.1.xxxx CentSMB.inf
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0C59
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0C5A
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0C5B
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0C5C
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0C5D
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0C5E
;9.2.0.1034 cougsmb.inf
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1C22
;9.2.2.1038 DH89xxCC-smb.inf
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2330
;9.1.9.1004 ibexsmb.inf
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_283E
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2930
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_3A30
%IntelDeviceDesc%=Needs_NO_DRV, , PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_3A60

What does that mean?

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/lib...or=-2147217396

You might install a "null driver" (that is, nonexistent driver) for a device if the device is not used on the machine and should not be started. Such devices do not typically exist on a machine, but if they do, you can install a null driver. Additionally, the system installs null drivers for devices that do not have a function driver, if they are capable of executing in raw mode.

Basically, a blank placeholder, if I understand the above correctly.

Which would also fit with the small size of it. (30kb)

Here is a screenshot of notes from a 2011 version of the driver (13-9?)

Am I to understand that this is a "null" driver? If so, then what benefit is it to my machine? it's listed as an "optional" update as well.

At the most basic level, the "benefit" it provides is that Windows device manager knows what that device is, knows its device ID info, and it won't show the little "unknown device" warning icon. It won't spend any resources looking for that driver or wondering about what it should do about the situation.