I have a Lenovo T570 laptop running Windows 10 which yesterday appeared to unexpectedly install a new program.
Windows 7 – When using Windows 7 64-bit (32-bit systems are not supported), you will need to install a separate Fresco USB 3.0 Host Controller driver and an Intel Network Adapter driver. General Thunderbolt 3 Information. The TB Controller disappears for the Device Manager. The TB UI is shown in the attachment and the Dock is unplugged. The Dock has to be unplugged when updating the firmware since the controller is on the computer. There is a specific order to how you install drivers and firmware. After installing all this i installed the thunderbolt 3 controller driver (Intel-Thunderbolt-Controller-Driver_39G55_WIN_17.1.64.250_A04. Any help is appreciated. Cmake./Linux/-- Finding systemd and dbus -- SYSTEMD_SERVICES_INSTALL_DIR: /lib/systemd/system CMake Warning at CMakeLists.txt:137 (message.
Update the Thunderbolt driver on your computer (latest version as of 3/11/2016 > T hunderbolt software version 15.3.40.275 ). If the device is recognized at first but disconnecting and re-connecting fails, install the corresponding device driver for Windows.
The program appears in my start menu and has also added itself to my system services which commence at Startup. It is called 'Thunderbolt Software'.
Internet searches for this program show that there is legitimate software developed by Intel with this name. What concerns me is that it installed itself with no action from my side. I did not knowingly download or install anything, I did not plug any device in, and I was not even running a Windows Update. The software is running in the background.
On the other hand, it is making no attempt to hide itself, it appears in my programs list, it displays an icon in the system tray, and it is installed to the C:Program Files (x86)Intel folder.
Thunderbolt Controller Driver Windows 10
I have run malware scans on my PC and no problems have been found.
Has anyone else experienced this program installing itself, and is it safe?
Thunderbolt Controller Driver
3 Answers
Has anyone else experienced this program installing itself and is it safe?
This software was not installed by itself. It was included in a software package installed, you did install, which was either an Intel or Lenovo software package. This legitimate software can be safely removed if you are not using a Thunderbolt device.
Based on my research it was likely installed due to Thunderbolt™ Bus Driver for Intel or some equivalent previous version of the driver package.
I opened Lenovo 'System Update' and checked for updates.
System Update is a Lenovo software package that will install software packages released by Lenovo for your device. System Update can be safely removed to prevent this from happening again. System Update does not install Windows Updates, it only keeps Lenovo software packages updated, which all can be downloaded manually.
Since it installed Thunderbolt Firmware Update Utility for T-Series which install the compatible version of the Intel Thunderbolt Bus Drivers for your device. The Intel link was only used to indicate that, the Thunderbolt Software application, is due to the drivers being installed.
Thunderbolt 3 Controller Firmware Update Tool for Intel is the Intel equivalent of this tool that was pushed to you. If you need the firmware tool, you should install the one provided by Lenovo, the Intel links are being used as an illustration that the software is legitimate.
Has anyone else experienced this program installing itself, and is it safe?
First of all, yes this is a legitimate, hence safe, Intel software for a system that supports Thunderbolt. Since Lenovo T570 has 1 Thunderbolt port, you will need this software in order to use a Thunderbolt device, such as a Thunderbolt storage, external graphics, thunderbolt dock etc (https://thunderbolttechnology.net/tech). Without this software, you won't be able to use a Thunderbolt device. Thus, this 'required' software comes pre-installed.Even if you uninstall this software (from Program Uninstall or Uninstall right-clicking the app), windows update might install it again--this is not because the software is malicious, it is because windows update installs the drivers that are needed for the system to operate properly.
The software is legitimate software from Intel, and often re-packaged by different OEMs (Dell, Lenovo, HP, etc.)This software is packaged with the Thunderbolt driver which will be installed by Windows IF it hasn't been installed already, you should be able to safely remove the software, but you will not be able to use the Thunderbolt ports as Thunderbolt ports; they will be limited to the functionality of USB-C 3.1 (non PCIe and only 10 Gbps instead of 40 Gbps).
The problem I have with this software is that it requires admin rights for some odd reason, at least on our Thinkpad Carbon X1s, we set all of our devices and users for least access, which means only higher up IT staff get local admin, thus the people who use these Thunderbolt equipped devices, can't use Thunderbolt devices. No option seems to be given for 'install for all users' on either the Lenovo source, or the Intel source install media. Because it requires admin rights to run, and nearly all users do not have admin rights, we had to remove the software because of the constant prompts for admin UAC whenever a device was plugged into a TB3 port, at login, and periodically throughout the day.
TL;DR: as an institution we can't install this software or use any Thunderbolt devices at all because only we few IT have the admin rights required to run the software after install. Thankfully Thunderbolt 3 still works as USB-C without this software installed.