Windows automatically selects the correct .inf when browsing. Do not manually pick one unless you see errors.
Your NVMe or SATA drive(s) will now appear. Proceed with partitioning and installation as normal.
: Go back to your hardware specifications. If your BIOS has VMD turned on, the non-vmd version of the driver will fail to register the storage device. You must download the matching F6flpy-x64-vmd.zip driver instead.
It provides the system with the necessary instructions to manage RAID volumes or enhanced SATA/NVMe performance before the full OS is installed. 3. Why You Need It Rapid Intel Storage Technology F6flpy-x64-non-vmd.zip
A non-VMD system is one where either the CPU does not support VMD (typically 10th generation Intel processors and older) or the feature has been explicitly disabled in the BIOS/UEFI. In this configuration, the operating system communicates directly with the storage devices through standard protocols like AHCI or NVMe. The Intel RST driver may still provide performance and reliability enhancements, but the underlying architecture does not involve the VMD abstraction layer.
The is a driver package for Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) designed to be used during the initial stages of a Windows operating system installation . It specifically targets systems where Volume Management Device (VMD) technology is either not present or has been disabled in the BIOS/UEFI settings. Purpose and Functionality
Once this process is complete, the customized installation media will automatically recognize the storage controller without requiring any manual intervention. This approach is widely used in enterprise environments using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) or System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM). Windows automatically selects the correct
Intel’s technology abstracts NVMe drives from the OS for hot-plug and RAID capabilities. When VMD is enabled , you need the standard f6flpy-x64-vmd.zip . When VMD is disabled , you need the non-VMD version.
This method ensures every installation sees the drives without the manual “Load Driver” step.
For hardware-specific versions, it is highly recommended to download these drivers directly from your laptop or motherboard manufacturer's support site, such as Dell Support or Lenovo Support, to ensure compatibility with your specific chipset. Proceed with partitioning and installation as normal
From the list of drivers, choose the appropriate controller. For VMD-enabled systems, select "RST VMD Controller." For older systems, select "Intel Chipset SATA/PCIe RST Premium Controller" or "Intel Chipset SATA RAID Controller".
When installing Windows 10 or Windows 11 on a modern PC, you might encounter a frustrating problem: the installer displays a blank screen and states, "We couldn't find any drives. To get a storage driver, click Load driver."
Given the controversy surrounding Intel's removal of the ZIP files, some community members have taken it upon themselves to archive and share the drivers. GitHub repositories and technical forums contain extracted driver packages that users have shared for the benefit of others. One example is the IRST-VMD-Drivers repository on GitHub , which provides extracted drivers organized by Intel processor generation, covering 8th through 15th generation platforms.