Device Manager-Exclamation Mark question.

Hi Delboy777,

Normally the chipset driver is the first driver installed since it allows the OS to recognize the rest of the hardware. Then the integrated drivers will be installed. That seems to be the case for your desktop.

The exclamation point is normally a driver error, while the question mark is for unidentified devices.

Can I ask you about the Intel Management Engine Interface (AMT HECI) drivers. Is it crucial that they are installed first along with the Intel chipset drivers? Im getting mixed feedback at best from telephone support. All the driver installation help guides on here say that Intel AMT HECI drivers should be installed towards the end of the drivers installation order. The other day though a Technician told me he installs them straight away with the other Intel Chipset drivers!!

I did a clean Windows 8 installation last week and my HECI drivers were installed after several other drivers listed for my service tag. I thought it was only crucial that the main Intel Chipsets were done first not the HECI drivers. Will this cause me future problems?

Thanks for your help

See here:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/downloading-drivers-checking-hardware-ids-and-downloading-and-installing-dell-system-drivers-in-the-correct-order/driver-installation/

The driver installation order is less important for Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 then it is for the older versions (XP commonly had audio issues). I usually install Intel Management Engine Interface immediately after Intel Chipset Device Software.

If you have errors provide the hardware IDs:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/downloading-drivers-checking-hardware-ids-and-downloading-and-installing-dell-system-drivers-in-the-correct-order/checking-hardware-ids-in-the-device-manager/

Thanks Natakuc4..very useful links you've provided. You have said driver installation order is not as important now on Windows 8. I definitely installed the Main Intel Chipset drivers first so do you think it was OK that I didn't install the Intel Management Engine Interface immediately afterwards. It was installed later on after some other drivers. I just want to be sure that this wont cause me future problems. I've looked in Device Manager and there are no question marks, exclamation marks etc...so is that all that matters?

Thanks for your help

It should run fine, now that you have no errors in the device manager. I wouldn't worry about the exact time you installed the Management Engine Interface in particular if you are happy with the way the systems performing.

1.Yes like I said there are no errors at all in Device Manager now. I have done a few clean installations on this PC..no changes of hardware etc. I don't understand why I have slight variances in the results in Device Manager. I look in Device Manager straight after each installation before I do anything at all on the system. Out of six reinstalls I have three with no errors and three with one exclamation mark in Device Manager, One was listed under other devices called Media. In properties it said Internal High Definition Audio Bus. On another installation it was in the System Devices column-Xeon processor PCI express root port-0151. Its almost as if Windows is missing an occasional driver sometimes when it is getting devices ready during setup and then on another reinstall its perfect. With both of those errors..an hour later when I had installed the Intel chipset from the Dell site the errors went away.

2a Could I ask a technical question on how Windows 8 setup works re:the chipsets. I cant install from a factory image as mine was corrupted on delivery of the PC. So I install from Windows 8 DVD every time. When it is installed and I look in Device Manager under Universal Bus Controllers the Intel chipsets aren't there. Where are they..they must have been used to set up the system?

2b Then when I look in Device Manager under System Devices I see  the Intel Management Engine Interface is listed before Ive installed anything or touched the system in anyway..i.e no windows updates or drivers installed. Does that mean that Windows 8 installs the AMT HECI drivers but not the main Intel Chipset software during setup?

Thanks for your patience on this Im just trying to get a better understanding of how Windows 8 installation works on my system.

In my Windows 7 install the Chipset Device(s) are listed under System Devices.

There may also be the USB devices:

As you can see from my image(s) there are many devices and as the Intel Chipset Device Software usually takes care of them all, I never bothered writing about them regarding hardware IDs as it would probably confuse all the users reading my guides.

Windows 8.0/8.1 has many inbuilt drivers much more so than any other version of Windows... Its possible it has the necessary drivers inbuilt or older versions of them. Sometimes it has generic drivers which may not work as optimally as the actual drivers. It will also download drivers automatically from Windows Update.

For older hardware (but not ancient hardware) Windows 8.0/8.1 will contain almost if not all the drivers inbuilt. Therefore if the Intel AMT HECI hasn't been upgraded or changed much in several models which is likely the case, Windows 8.0/8.1 will actually have a driver inbuilt to handle the Intel AMT HECI. This may be an older driver but it will work and recognise it. Of course enhancements/improvements may be found by installing the newer driver on the Dell or Intel website. The chipset on the other hand may be very new, newer than your Windows 8.1 installation disc and hence Windows 8/0/8.1 won't have a driver inbuilt, it will assign something generic if it can but it won't perform optimally and it may give the error warning on the device manager.