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1stChip
English
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  • Windows
  • Free
  • No install
  • No admin rights

Even without drivers, see what's inside

1stChip shows your CPU, mainboard, graphics card, multimedia, network card and other devices on one screen, with the version and date of the driver installed for each. Even on a fresh Windows install, devices that Device Manager can't name are listed with their manufacturer.

Free download User guide

Latest version 0.9.1 · Windows (64-bit)

1stChip
CPU
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 6-Core Processor10.0.26100.9278 04-21-2009
Mainboard
[ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. : PRIME B550M-A] AMD B55010.0.26100.1150 06-21-2006
Graphics card
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 306032.0.15.9186 01-20-2026
Multimedia
NVIDIA High Definition Audio1.4.5.7 01-20-2026
Realtek High Definition Audio6.0.9785.1 01-07-2025
Network card
Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller1.0.0.14 08-10-2017
Other devices
Samsung SSD 980 1TB (x2)10.0.26100.1 06-21-2006

CPU clock: 3693(100)MHz    Memory: 16.00GB

OS: Windows 11 Pro (25H2) 64bit

Hover over a ! mark. In the program, clicking ! opens that device's driver page.

The list is an example. The real list is filled with the devices of the PC you run it on.

Run it, and it's all on one screen

The list appears within a few seconds.
There is no settings window.
The display language follows your Windows settings.

Sorted into six categories

Devices are shown in the order CPU → Mainboard → Graphics card → Multimedia → Network card → Other devices, with the manufacturer's logo.

Driver version and date

The line under each device name shows the version and date of the installed driver.

Finds devices without drivers

Devices with no driver still appear in the list with their manufacturer, marked with !.

Checks for newer drivers

The list is compared with the 1stChip server. If a newer driver is known, a ! appears, and hovering over it shows the version.

One click to the driver page

Click ! to open that device's driver page in your browser.

System info line

The bottom of the window shows the CPU clock, memory size, and Windows edition and version.

Identical devices on one line

Several identical devices are grouped on one line, like (x2). Structural devices such as USB hubs are left out.

No install, no admin rights

It's a single executable, so you can carry it on a USB drive and run it on any PC.

How does it find devices without drivers?

Drivers are needed to run a device, not to find it.
The moment a device is plugged in, it tells Windows who made it and what kind of device it is.
1stChip uses that information to recognize it.

  1. 1Device Manager

    Without a driver, Device Manager shows only a generic name and a warning sign.

  2. 21stChip

    Even before a driver is installed, it works out who made the device and what kind it is, and shows it in the list.

CPU, motherboard and memory information is also read without any driver.

Program screens

One window holds the list and the system info line, and that's all.
Hover over a ! to see what it means.

The device list is an example.

What to do when…

You just installed Windows and don't know which drivers you need

Run 1stChip and look for devices marked !. If hovering shows “No driver is installed.”, that device is missing its driver. Click ! to go to the driver page and install it, then run 1stChip again to check that the ! is gone.

There's no internet because the network card driver is missing

The device list and installed driver details appear without internet. Use 1stChip to check the network card's manufacturer and model, then download the driver on another PC and bring it over to install.

Device Manager shows a device without a proper name

Device Manager shows only a generic name when there's no driver, but 1stChip finds the manufacturer and category without one. Find which category the device is in and click !.

You want to check whether your drivers are up to date

If a newer driver is known, a ! appears, and hovering shows “Version x.x.x is available.” No ! means it's up to date as far as is currently known.

You want a quick look at your PC specs

Read just the first line of each category to see the CPU, mainboard chipset, graphics card, sound and network card at a glance. The bottom line also shows memory size and Windows version. Handy when writing a for-sale listing or comparing with the recommended specs of a game or program.

You need to check several PCs

It needs no install and no admin rights, so keep it on a USB drive and run it on each PC.

You want to see the result after installing a driver

The list is read once at startup. Close 1stChip and run it again to see newly installed drivers. Only one copy runs at a time. Running it again brings the open window to the front.

Download

Installer Recommended

  • Starts right after installation.
  • Adds a Start menu entry.
  • Only checks for a new version when it starts.
Download installer

Portable (ZIP)

  • Unzip and run 1stChip.exe. That's it.
  • Runs straight from a USB drive.
  • Handy for checking several PCs.
Download portable
  • Windows 64-bit
  • Admin rights Not needed
  • Internet Used only to check for driver updates
  • License Freeware
Recent changes

Version 0.9.1

  • Fixed untranslated CPU clock, memory, and operating system information
  • Fixed an issue where invalid date information could close the app
  • Improved stability when loading PC information on some systems
  • Fixed missing guidance for devices experiencing problems

Version 0.9.0

  • First Release

1stChip does not update itself. New versions are released after testing and announced on the program page.

More free programs from Kilho.net

FAQ

Does it install drivers automatically?

No. It tells you which devices have no driver or have a newer one available, and points you to the driver page. You install the manufacturer's files yourself.

Can I use it without internet?

Yes. The hardware list and installed driver details appear without internet. Only the newer-driver marks and the driver page opened by clicking ! need internet.

What does it send to the server?

To match drivers, it sends this once at startup: the hardware ID, Windows device name, driver version, date and provider of each listed device, plus the CPU, mainboard, BIOS, memory size and Windows version. It does not send serial numbers, MAC addresses or files.

If there's no !, are my drivers up to date?

As far as the 1stChip server knows, yes. Devices the server doesn't know are not compared, so if it matters, check the manufacturer's page as well.

How is the display language chosen?

It follows the Windows display language. If the program doesn't have that language, it appears in English. The date format also follows the language.

Are there ads?

No. No ads and no pop-up windows.

Is it paid? Can I use it at work?

It's free (freeware). You can use it anywhere — at home, at work, at school or in government offices — and redistribute it freely in unmodified form.

How do I update it?

1stChip does not update itself. It only checks for a new version when it starts. Download the new version from this page and replace the old one.