VIA HYPERION DRIVER GUIDE/FAQ
Note: The 4.50 Hyperions are reported to cause Delayed Write Failure (hard drive corruption) when installed. It is strongly recommended that you do not install these drivers. VIA has released a new version 4.51 which is supposed to fix this problem.
[Updated for Hyperion 4.51. Much of the following information is sourced from: The Official VIA Hyperion Driver Installation Guide]
What Are The VIA Hyperion Drivers? - The VIA Hyperions were introduced on 6th December 2002. Before that time, VIA developed a driver package named the "VIA 4in1 drivers" which was essentially the same package of drivers. The VIA Hyperion 4in1 drivers continue that tradition, and have retained the version naming sequence, starting at version 4.45. Gradually the "4in1" part is being dropped and they are now simply referred to as the "Hyperions".
Which Drivers Are In The Hyperion Package? - Just like the 4in1 driver package, the Hyperion includes four system drivers to improve the performance and stability of systems using VIA chipsets - especially the latest PT800 and KT600 VIA chipsets.
What Do The VIA Hyperion Drivers Each Do? - The Hyperion package automatically detects your operating system and will install only what is necessary. The four drivers have the following function:
VIA Registry (INF) Driver - Enables the VIA Power Management function. Installed on Win98/ME, Win2K, WinXP.
VIA AGP Vxd Driver - Provides service routines to your VGA driver and interface directly to hardware, providing fast graphical access. Installed on Win98/ME, Win2K, WinXP.
VIA IDE Filter driver - Enables the performance enhancing bus mastering functions on ATA-capable Hard Disk Drives and ensures IDE device compatibility. (Also known as the ATAPI Vendor Support Driver). Installed on Win98/ME, Win2K, WinXP.
VIA PCI IRQ Miniport Driver - Sets the system's PCI IRQ routing sequence for Win98 only.
VIA IDE Bus Master Driver - Enables performance enhancing bus mastering functions for WinNT only.
Do I Have To Install The Latest Version of The VIA Hyperions? - The short answer is no, you don't have to install the latest Hyperion drivers (4.51 4in1s) unless you have a very recent VIA chipset (like the PT800, KT600 or newer) - in which case yes you should definitely upgrade, both for added performance and greater stability. If you're using Windows XP, it already has the 4.35 version of the old 4in1 drivers built in and will install them when it detects your VIA motherboard. This XP default version should work just fine with all but the latest VIA motherboards. However each newer version of the Hyperion drivers may contain fixes for particular applications and games, so if you're having problems running a program with older 4in1s then it may be necessary to update your VIA drivers.
Note: that VIA themselves recommend that since Win95/98/98SE are now relatively old operating systems, the Hyperions are no longer optimized for those operating systems. They recommend that users of VIA chipsets who run Win95/98/98SE use an older version of the 4in1s, such as version 4.35.
How Do I Install The Hyperions Correctly? - This is incredibly simple. Download the driver package into an empty folder. Run the executable and follow the prompts. For most users select "Quick install" and it will not prompt you for which drivers to install/uninstall - it will simply install the correct drivers for your system. For advanced users select "Normal Install" and manually choose which drivers you want to install/uninstall. Once the drivers are installed, reboot your machine as requested and the drivers are now updated.
That's it. There's no trickery required. It is very important that you don't run the Hyperion package in Win2K Compatibility Mode or in Safe Mode, as this can result in the wrong drivers being installed for your system.
If you get an error like "Windows can't run 16bit program" when trying to run the driver package then don't panic. Simply reboot your machine and the package should run fine the next time you try. This is not a compatibility problem, just a problem with the temp files when the package first unzips itself.
The Hyperions should be the only VIA drivers you need to install.
How Do I Check The VIA Driver Versions On My System? - If you want to check whether the components of the Hyperion package have installed correctly, whether you have the latest driver versions, or if you just want to manually update individual devices, do the following:
Hyperion/4in1 Version:
To check which version of the Hyperions/4in1s you have installed, go to Start>Run and type "Regedit" (without quotes). Expand the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key (click the + next to it). Expand the SOFTWARE Key and scroll down to the Via4in1Driver folder and click on it. You should see an entry called "4in1 Version" with the version number next to it (e.g. 4.51 for the Hyperions). The Viamach entry refers to the INF Driver version (2.00 is the latest).
Individual Device Checking/Updating
To check and/or update individual devices, go into Control Panel>System>Hardware>Device Manager. Then check the following devices by right clicking on each, selecting Properties>Driver. Versions shown below are for the latest Hyperions under WinXP with SP1:
Provider for all: VIA Technologies, Inc.
IDE Filter Driver
IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers> VIA Bus Master IDE Controller
Version: 5.1.2600.120 (<--- Version 1.20a)
AGP Driver
System Devices> VIA CPU to AGP Controller
Version: 5.1.0.3442 (<--- Version 4.42)
INF Driver
System Devices> VIA Standard CPU to PCI Bridge
Version: 5.1.0.200 (<--- Version 2.00)
Note: You may see slightly different version numbers. You should only really take note of the last few digits of the driver to see the driver's version.
If you've installed the Hyperion Drivers as advised and your versions don't appear to be updated for your OS (e.g. the provider is listed as Microsoft or the last 3 numbers are different) then you can update each device manually by doing the following:
1. Manually unzip the Hyperion Driver package. Even if the package is an .exe file, you can extract the contents using Winzip. Simply run Winzip, choose Open and point it to the Hyperion .exe file, and extract the contents to an empty folder.
2. Go to the relevant device in Device Manager (see above) then choose Update Driver>"Install from a list or specific location">"Don't search, I will choose the driver to install">Have Disk and manually point Windows to the folder where you unzipped the package. You may have to find a subfolder with the correct driver .inf file (e.g. the IDEWinXP Folder).
3. Reboot as requested and check the driver version. It should be updated now.
Note: The latest Official VIA drivers can be downloaded from VIA Arena the Official VIA Support Site
Older (and beta) versions of the 4in1s are available at Guru3D.
What About Other VIA Drivers - Do I Need Them? - You should only need to install the Hyperions. However if your system is still having problems, try the following advice:
- Don't install the 3014 Miniport drivers. They are not necessary for most systems. If your system identifies your IDE drives as SCSI, or you have a long black screen on loadup, then you've installed these drivers. Go into Add/Remove programs and remove them.
- Don't install the AGP Drivers separately, as the latest version of these is contained in the new Hyperion package and is installed as part of that package. Don't try to install older versions of the AGP Driver over the newer Hyperions.
- If you're experiencing problems with audio crackling or poor performance, try the Latency Patch v0.19 or beta version 0.20. You can download this directly from the patch author George E Breese's Site. George also has a Creative SoundBlaster/Audigy soundcard patch which should reduce any audio crackling with these cards on a VIA chipset. Check it out here.
- If you're running Windows XP (Home or Pro), it is highly recommended that you check out my comprehensive WinXP Tweak Guides at TweakTown - WinXP Tweaking: From Reformat to Relax and WinXP Tweaking: From Relax to Righteous. Also check my System Optimization Guide, because in almost every case I've seen, what people think are problems caused by VIA Drivers are actually general system optimization issues, so make sure you follow the tweak guides first before blaming the drivers.
Keep coming back as I update this guide.
- Koroush Ghazi
Note: The 4.50 Hyperions are reported to cause Delayed Write Failure (hard drive corruption) when installed. It is strongly recommended that you do not install these drivers. VIA has released a new version 4.51 which is supposed to fix this problem.
[Updated for Hyperion 4.51. Much of the following information is sourced from: The Official VIA Hyperion Driver Installation Guide]
What Are The VIA Hyperion Drivers? - The VIA Hyperions were introduced on 6th December 2002. Before that time, VIA developed a driver package named the "VIA 4in1 drivers" which was essentially the same package of drivers. The VIA Hyperion 4in1 drivers continue that tradition, and have retained the version naming sequence, starting at version 4.45. Gradually the "4in1" part is being dropped and they are now simply referred to as the "Hyperions".
Which Drivers Are In The Hyperion Package? - Just like the 4in1 driver package, the Hyperion includes four system drivers to improve the performance and stability of systems using VIA chipsets - especially the latest PT800 and KT600 VIA chipsets.
What Do The VIA Hyperion Drivers Each Do? - The Hyperion package automatically detects your operating system and will install only what is necessary. The four drivers have the following function:
VIA Registry (INF) Driver - Enables the VIA Power Management function. Installed on Win98/ME, Win2K, WinXP.
VIA AGP Vxd Driver - Provides service routines to your VGA driver and interface directly to hardware, providing fast graphical access. Installed on Win98/ME, Win2K, WinXP.
VIA IDE Filter driver - Enables the performance enhancing bus mastering functions on ATA-capable Hard Disk Drives and ensures IDE device compatibility. (Also known as the ATAPI Vendor Support Driver). Installed on Win98/ME, Win2K, WinXP.
VIA PCI IRQ Miniport Driver - Sets the system's PCI IRQ routing sequence for Win98 only.
VIA IDE Bus Master Driver - Enables performance enhancing bus mastering functions for WinNT only.
Do I Have To Install The Latest Version of The VIA Hyperions? - The short answer is no, you don't have to install the latest Hyperion drivers (4.51 4in1s) unless you have a very recent VIA chipset (like the PT800, KT600 or newer) - in which case yes you should definitely upgrade, both for added performance and greater stability. If you're using Windows XP, it already has the 4.35 version of the old 4in1 drivers built in and will install them when it detects your VIA motherboard. This XP default version should work just fine with all but the latest VIA motherboards. However each newer version of the Hyperion drivers may contain fixes for particular applications and games, so if you're having problems running a program with older 4in1s then it may be necessary to update your VIA drivers.
Note: that VIA themselves recommend that since Win95/98/98SE are now relatively old operating systems, the Hyperions are no longer optimized for those operating systems. They recommend that users of VIA chipsets who run Win95/98/98SE use an older version of the 4in1s, such as version 4.35.
How Do I Install The Hyperions Correctly? - This is incredibly simple. Download the driver package into an empty folder. Run the executable and follow the prompts. For most users select "Quick install" and it will not prompt you for which drivers to install/uninstall - it will simply install the correct drivers for your system. For advanced users select "Normal Install" and manually choose which drivers you want to install/uninstall. Once the drivers are installed, reboot your machine as requested and the drivers are now updated.
That's it. There's no trickery required. It is very important that you don't run the Hyperion package in Win2K Compatibility Mode or in Safe Mode, as this can result in the wrong drivers being installed for your system.
If you get an error like "Windows can't run 16bit program" when trying to run the driver package then don't panic. Simply reboot your machine and the package should run fine the next time you try. This is not a compatibility problem, just a problem with the temp files when the package first unzips itself.
The Hyperions should be the only VIA drivers you need to install.
How Do I Check The VIA Driver Versions On My System? - If you want to check whether the components of the Hyperion package have installed correctly, whether you have the latest driver versions, or if you just want to manually update individual devices, do the following:
Hyperion/4in1 Version:
To check which version of the Hyperions/4in1s you have installed, go to Start>Run and type "Regedit" (without quotes). Expand the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key (click the + next to it). Expand the SOFTWARE Key and scroll down to the Via4in1Driver folder and click on it. You should see an entry called "4in1 Version" with the version number next to it (e.g. 4.51 for the Hyperions). The Viamach entry refers to the INF Driver version (2.00 is the latest).
Individual Device Checking/Updating
To check and/or update individual devices, go into Control Panel>System>Hardware>Device Manager. Then check the following devices by right clicking on each, selecting Properties>Driver. Versions shown below are for the latest Hyperions under WinXP with SP1:
Provider for all: VIA Technologies, Inc.
IDE Filter Driver
IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers> VIA Bus Master IDE Controller
Version: 5.1.2600.120 (<--- Version 1.20a)
AGP Driver
System Devices> VIA CPU to AGP Controller
Version: 5.1.0.3442 (<--- Version 4.42)
INF Driver
System Devices> VIA Standard CPU to PCI Bridge
Version: 5.1.0.200 (<--- Version 2.00)
Note: You may see slightly different version numbers. You should only really take note of the last few digits of the driver to see the driver's version.
If you've installed the Hyperion Drivers as advised and your versions don't appear to be updated for your OS (e.g. the provider is listed as Microsoft or the last 3 numbers are different) then you can update each device manually by doing the following:
1. Manually unzip the Hyperion Driver package. Even if the package is an .exe file, you can extract the contents using Winzip. Simply run Winzip, choose Open and point it to the Hyperion .exe file, and extract the contents to an empty folder.
2. Go to the relevant device in Device Manager (see above) then choose Update Driver>"Install from a list or specific location">"Don't search, I will choose the driver to install">Have Disk and manually point Windows to the folder where you unzipped the package. You may have to find a subfolder with the correct driver .inf file (e.g. the IDEWinXP Folder).
3. Reboot as requested and check the driver version. It should be updated now.
Note: The latest Official VIA drivers can be downloaded from VIA Arena the Official VIA Support Site
Older (and beta) versions of the 4in1s are available at Guru3D.
What About Other VIA Drivers - Do I Need Them? - You should only need to install the Hyperions. However if your system is still having problems, try the following advice:
- Don't install the 3014 Miniport drivers. They are not necessary for most systems. If your system identifies your IDE drives as SCSI, or you have a long black screen on loadup, then you've installed these drivers. Go into Add/Remove programs and remove them.
- Don't install the AGP Drivers separately, as the latest version of these is contained in the new Hyperion package and is installed as part of that package. Don't try to install older versions of the AGP Driver over the newer Hyperions.
- If you're experiencing problems with audio crackling or poor performance, try the Latency Patch v0.19 or beta version 0.20. You can download this directly from the patch author George E Breese's Site. George also has a Creative SoundBlaster/Audigy soundcard patch which should reduce any audio crackling with these cards on a VIA chipset. Check it out here.
- If you're running Windows XP (Home or Pro), it is highly recommended that you check out my comprehensive WinXP Tweak Guides at TweakTown - WinXP Tweaking: From Reformat to Relax and WinXP Tweaking: From Relax to Righteous. Also check my System Optimization Guide, because in almost every case I've seen, what people think are problems caused by VIA Drivers are actually general system optimization issues, so make sure you follow the tweak guides first before blaming the drivers.
Keep coming back as I update this guide.
- Koroush Ghazi
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