Server 2022 Driver Update

Question

Server 2022 Driver Update

GC617289 20

My 40-ish devices ___domain has 2 identical Domain Controllers; same hardware, same software, same cases! After I updated both to Server 2022 Standard, and installed the mobo manufacturer's drivers, only one unknown device was shown in Device Manager: ACPI\INTC1085. Unfortunately, its an important one: Intel Serial IO Host Controller.

For the Unknown Device, I ran Update Driver in Device Manager and went down the "Browse my computer ..." and "Let me pick from a list of ..." route. Under Intel Corporation I found Intel Serial IO GPIO Host Controller - INTC1084. It installed immediately. Device Manager is now error free.

That was on the non-PDC Server.

On the PDC that driver does not exist in the driver store. In fact, no INTC drivers exist.

Why is the driver store on one DC not identical to the driver store on the other? How do I find and install the GPIO INTC1084/5 driver?

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Answer 1

Hi GC617289,

Resolving Privilege Issues on Domain Controllers

Domain Controllers (DCs) enforce strict security policies, which often block driver installations even for Domain Admins. Here's how to gain the necessary privileges:

1. Required Privileges & Context

Minimum Role: Domain Admin or Enterprise Admin
Critical Permissions:
- File Ownership: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore
- System-Level Access: NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM or TrustedInstaller
- Driver Installation Rights: Bypass Group Policy restrictions
Why Standard Admin Fails:
- DCs strip local admin rights—all permissions derive from AD roles.
- DriverStore is protected by TrustedInstaller (higher than SYSTEM).

2. Step-by-Step Solutions

A. Take Ownership of DriverStore (Permanent Fix)

Open PowerShell as Domain Admin on the PDC:


   # Take ownership of DriverStore

   takeown /f C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore /r /d y

   # Grant Domain Admins full control

   icacls "C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore" /grant "DOMAIN\Domain Admins:(F)" /t /c

Replace DOMAIN with your ___domain name (e.g., contoso).

Copy drivers from the non-PDC:


   # Replace <folder> with the driver folder name from the non-PDC

   robocopy "\\non-pdc\C$\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\<driver_folder>" "C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\<driver_folder>" /mir /copyall

B. Install Drivers as SYSTEM (Immediate Fix)

Download PsExec.

Run as Domain Admin:


   # Launch PowerShell as SYSTEM

   psexec -i -s powershell.exe

   # Now run Device Manager as SYSTEM

   Start-Process devmgmt.msc

Install the driver via Device Manager → No restrictions.

C. Force Driver Injection via DISM


# Mount driver from network/USB (run as Domain Admin)

dism /Online /Add-Driver /Driver:"\\path\to\driver.inf" /ForceUnsigned

3. Bypassing Group Policy Restrictions

DCs block driver installations by default. Temporarily override:

Open Group Policy Management:
- Edit Default Domain Controllers Policy.
Navigate to: Computer Configuration → Policies → Administrative Templates → System → Driver Installation → Enable: "Allow administrators to override device installation policies".
Run on PDC:
```
   gpupdate /force
```

4. Verification & Cleanup

Check driver:


   pnputil /enum-drivers | findstr "INTC1084"

Revert permissions (security best practice):


   icacls "C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore" /reset /t /c

Why This Happened on PDC Only

PDC Emulator Master: Enforces stricter security policies by default.
Windows Update Behavior: PDC may defer updates during FSMO role activity.
Driver Cache Isolation: DCs don’t sync driver stores—each maintains its own cache.

Critical: Never leave DriverStore permissions modified long-term. Revert immediately after installation to maintain security compliance.

Best regards,

BblytheX

Answer 2

Hi GC617289,

When dealing with inconsistent driver stores on identical Domain Controllers, several factors could cause the discrepancy, and there are structured steps to resolve the driver issue on the PDC. Here's a detailed analysis and solution:

Why Are the Driver Stores Different?

Update Path Discrepancies:

The non-PDC might have installed drivers via Windows Update, a manual download, or the motherboard manufacturer's installer, while the PDC might have missed these steps (e.g., if updates were paused, or the manual install was only done on one server).
Windows Update can sometimes deliver drivers selectively based on temporary metadata or network issues, leading to inconsistencies.

Group Policy or Security Settings:

The PDC might have stricter driver installation policies (e.g., signed driver requirements) or group policies that block automatic driver installation, whereas the non-PDC had looser settings during the update.

Driver Cache Corruption or Incomplete Installation:

The PDC might have experienced a failed driver installation during the Server 2022 update, causing the driver to not be stored correctly.

How to Install the Intel Serial IO Driver on the PDC

Method 1: Download from the Motherboard Manufacturer

Identify Your Motherboard Model:

Since both servers have identical hardware, check the motherboard model on the non-PDC (e.g., via System Information or the BIOS).
Visit the manufacturer’s website (e.g., Intel, ASUS, Dell, etc.) and search for drivers for your motherboard model compatible with Windows Server 2022.

Download Intel Serial IO Drivers:

Look for "Intel Serial IO" or "Intel Management Engine" drivers. Specifically, search for drivers that mention "GPIO Host Controller" or include the hardware ID INTC1084/1085 .
If the manufacturer’s site doesn’t list Server 2022 drivers, try drivers for Windows 10/11 Enterprise (Server 2022 is based on Windows 10 LTSC and often shares drivers).

Install the Driver Manually:

Extract the downloaded driver package.
Go to Device Manager on the PDC, right-click the unknown device ( ACPI\INTC1085 ), select Update Driver > Browse my computer for drivers > Let me pick from a list of available drivers.
Browse to the extracted driver folder and select the appropriate INF file (e.g., i2c_hci.inf or serialio.inf ).

Method 2: Copy Drivers from the Non-PDC

Locate Drivers on the Non-PDC:

On the non-PDC, the driver is likely stored in C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository .
To find the exact folder:
Open Device Manager, right-click the working Intel Serial IO device > Properties > Driver tab > Driver Details.
Note the path to the INF file (e.g., C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\serialio_inf_<hash>\serialio.inf ).

Copy Drivers to the PDC:

On the non-PDC, copy the entire driver folder (e.g., serialio_inf_<hash> ) to a USB drive or network share.
On the PDC, paste the folder into C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository (you may need administrative permissions).

Install via Device Manager:

Follow the same steps as above to update the driver, browsing to the copied folder on the PDC.

Method 3: Use Windows Update with Enhanced Scanning

Force a Windows Update Check:

On the PDC, open Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
If the driver doesn’t appear, click View optional updates > Driver updates and look for Intel Serial IO drivers.

Use DISM to Refresh Driver Store:

Run an elevated Command Prompt:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

sfc /scannow

These commands repair system files and refresh the driver store, which might help Windows detect the missing driver.

Method 4: Use PnPUtil (Advanced Tool)

Export Drivers from the Non-PDC:

On the non-PDC, run:

pnputil /export-driver * <path_to_export>

This exports all installed drivers to a folder.

Import Drivers on the PDC:

On the PDC, navigate to the exported folder and find the Intel Serial IO driver package (look for INF files with "Intel" or "Serial IO" in the name).
Run:

pnputil /add-driver <path_to_inf_file> /install /reboot

Troubleshooting Tips

Verify Hardware ID:

Ensure the PDC’s unknown device has the same hardware ID ( ACPI\INTC1085 ) as the non-PDC. Right-click the device > Properties > Details tab, select Hardware Ids from the dropdown.

Check Driver Signing:

Ensure the PDC allows unsigned drivers temporarily (if needed) by running bcdedit /set testsigning on (reboot required; remember to disable later with bcdedit /set testsigning off ).

Reinstall Motherboard Drivers:

If the manufacturer provides a driver pack for the motherboard, reinstall it on the PDC to ensure all components (including Serial IO) are properly addressed.

Preventing Future Inconsistencies

Use a unified driver deployment method (e.g., Group Policy, SCCM, or a driver package) for all ___domain controllers.
After updating one server, clone

Please feel free to let me know if you still have any questions.

Best regards,

BblytheX

GC617289 20 Reputation points

2025-06-12T14:48:49.3133333+00:00

What an excellent and thorough response. My only issue is ... as the post warns ... user privileges.

Cannot figure out which privilege, ___domain or otherwise, is needed.
GC617289 20 Reputation points

2025-06-14T14:14:45.78+00:00

Method 2 worked ... once I had my mind around the nitty-gritty detail required for the precise file in the repository.

Thanks again.

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Server 2022 Driver Update

Resolving Privilege Issues on Domain Controllers

1. Required Privileges & Context

2. Step-by-Step Solutions

A. Take Ownership of DriverStore (Permanent Fix)

B. Install Drivers as SYSTEM (Immediate Fix)

C. Force Driver Injection via DISM

3. Bypassing Group Policy Restrictions

4. Verification & Cleanup

Why This Happened on PDC Only

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Your answer