: Navigate to the folder where you extracted the driver files.
Due to the widespread need, community members have archived copies of the original drivers on platforms like Archive.org. While these work for many systems, users should be aware that a driver that works for one computer may not work for all.
The official driver can be downloaded from or Intel’s official support website under the Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) F6 Driver page. Always avoid third-party sources to prevent tampered or malicious files.
file directly. You must unzip it on a working computer first. Copy to USB : Move the extracted folder (containing the files) onto your Windows installation USB drive. Load Driver In the Windows Setup screen, click Load Driver at the bottom left. and navigate to the folder on your USB drive. Select the matching driver (often labeled Intel RST VMD Controller or similar) and click Install Windows Rapid Intel Storage Technology F6flpy-x64-non-vmd.zip
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.
Summary
Create your Windows installation USB using the official Media Creation Tool. : Navigate to the folder where you extracted
Supported OS and compatibility (general guidance)
Click and navigate to the USB drive containing your driver folder. Select the appropriate folder (for example, SetupRST_extracted or f6flpy-x64 ) and click OK . Windows Setup will scan the folder for compatible drivers.
Installation scenarios
Even today, the process remains very similar in spirit. When you begin installing Windows 10 or 11, the setup environment ( boot.wim ) loads a minimal set of generic drivers. It lacks the specialized Intel RST driver needed to "see" your NVMe SSD or RAID array. Without this driver, your storage device is invisible to the installer, leading to the infamous and panic-inducing error: "We couldn't find any drives. To get a storage driver, click Load driver."
This change has caused considerable frustration throughout the PC building and repair community. On Intel's own community forums, users have expressed sharp criticism, arguing that the removal of these ZIP files forces people to search for drivers on "sketchy websites" and that the community has "lost its mind over this change".