[German]Intel doesn't always have luck when it comes to graphics drivers for Windows. There has been many issues with Intel drivers within the past. Now Intel has announced the 'Modern Windows Drivers' model (MWD) for Windows 10.
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The announcement can be found in the article Introduction of Windows Modern Drivers for Intel Products. The background is that Microsoft has changed the way hardware drivers work on the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) for Windows® 10 (and above), and Microsoft Windows* Server 2019 (and above). Hardware that runs on these operating systems can use Windows Modern Drivers (also known as Universal Windows Drivers – UWDs).
Modern Windows Drivers (MWD) from Nov. 2018
From November 2018, all driver updates for Intel products for Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019 will be available as Windows Modern Drivers. If a system has been updated to a Windows Modern Driver, it is possible (if you have problems, however) to use an older driver.
However, Intel does not recommend a rollback, because it is a complex process that can cause system instability. This system instability is particularly relevant for graphics drivers..
Note that Microsoft requires the use of Windows Modern Drivers for Windows® 10 1809 (RS5) and later.
How do I get MWDs?
You can use the Intel® Driver and Support Assistant (IDSA) to download the latest Intel® driver updates. This offers the following advantages:
- Detecting the machine configuration
- Identify the latest Intel® drivers
- Notification which drivers are to be updated
- Provides the ability to update these drivers
Please note, however, that the IDSA tool does not yet work with Windows* Server. Users of this platform must identify the drivers themselves and download them from the Download Center. Intel specifies the following Intel® Graphics Controllers to be updated to Modern Windows Drivers:
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- Intel® UHD Graphics 620/630 (formerly codenamed Coffee Lake)
- Intel® Iris™ Plus Graphics 655 (formerly codenamed Coffee Lake)
- Intel® UHD Graphics 600/605 (formerly codenamed Gemini Lake)
- Intel® HD Graphics 620/630 (formerly codenamed Kaby Lake)
- Intel® Iris® Plus Graphics 640/650 (formerly codenamed Kaby Lake)
- Intel® HD Graphics 610/615 (formerly codenamed Gemini Lake)
- Intel® HD Graphics 500/505 (formerly codenamed Apollo Lake)
- Intel® HD Graphics 510/515/520/530 (formerly codenamed Skylake)
- Intel® Iris™ Pro Graphics 580 (formerly codenamed Skylake)
- Intel® Iris™ Graphics 540 (formerly codenamed Skylake)
More information on this topic can be found in this Intel FAQ. There you will find the note that the new drivers (MWDs) come as .exe files with installer. The installation via .inf file doesn't work anymore – which raises the question, if the quality of the Intel drivers will improve and the hardware will be supported longer, or if there will be more trouble. In April 2018, Microsoft also published detailed information on modern Windows drivers on this page. (via)
