If Windows Server 2022 or Windows Server 2025 installs normally on a ZimaBoard 2 but the Intel I226-V Ethernet controller has no usable driver, repeatedly downloading Intel's “complete” or Windows Server driver package may not solve it. The September 2025 IceWhale Community thread eventually identified the reason: the package contains I225/I226 driver files, but Intel's support matrix does not officially support the I226-V variant on Windows Server 2022 or 2025.
That distinction explains why the installer could run yet Device Manager would not offer I226-V as a compatible adapter. Intel's current 2026 operating-system support table still lists Windows client support for I226-V while showing no Windows Server 2022 or Server 2025 support for the -V variant. I226-LM and I226-IT are different variants and do have server support. The community later linked an unsupported INF/signature workaround, and another Windows Server 2022 user confirmed that workaround worked for them.
Why the Intel Server Driver Package Does Not Install I226-V
The original user tested two ZimaBoard 2 systems with official Microsoft Windows Server 2022 and Server 2025 images. They tried Intel's complete Ethernet package, the Windows Server 2022 package, the normal installer, Device Manager, Have Disk with the server INF, and Windows' built-in driver set.
In each normal path, I226-V did not appear as a supported device. This was not simply one corrupt Windows image: the user reproduced the behavior across two ZimaBoard 2 units and official Microsoft Server media.
Intel's Current Support Matrix Confirms the -V Limitation
Intel's current supported operating systems table distinguishes the I226 variants:
| Controller | Windows 10/11 | Windows Server 2022 | Windows Server 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| I226-LM | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| I226-V | Supported | Not officially supported | Not officially supported |
| I226-IT | Supported | Supported | Supported |
This is the key answer in the thread. Intel can publish a package named “Network Adapter Driver for Windows Server 2022” that contains the I225/I226 driver family while still excluding the I226-V hardware ID from the Server-compatible section of the INF.
Why This Matters on ZimaBoard 2
The thread concerns Windows installed directly on ZimaBoard 2 rather than the normal ZimaOS environment. The current product path is the ZimaBoard 2 single-board server.
When installing an alternative operating system, driver support is determined by both the hardware component and the operating-system vendor's supported-device matrix. A NIC working under Linux or Windows 11 does not guarantee that the same controller variant is officially supported under Windows Server.
Still Test the Current Intel Package Before Using a Workaround
Before modifying driver files, download the current Intel Ethernet package directly from Intel and test the unmodified installer. Use the Intel I226-V downloads page.
Keep the extracted package directory intact. One IceWhale reply noticed that the user's extracted folder structure differed from the official package and recommended downloading the package again, extracting it without rearranging files, and running the top-level installer. This is a reasonable integrity check even though it cannot change Intel's official Windows Server support status for I226-V.
Confirm the Hardware ID in Device Manager
- Open Device Manager.
- Find the unknown Ethernet controller.
- Open Properties > Details.
- Select Hardware Ids.
- Confirm the Intel vendor/device values correspond to I226-V.
The Thomas-Krenn workaround linked by the IceWhale team identifies I226-V using PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_125C. If your hardware ID is different, do not force the I226-V instructions onto another device.
Do Not Treat the I226-IT Driver as the Correct Permanent Driver
The original poster temporarily got connectivity by disabling signature enforcement and forcing an I226-IT driver. They explicitly described this as a stop-gap because I226-IT is not the same controller variant.
A forced driver match can appear to work while still using unsupported hardware identification or behavior. Once the thread established the actual -V server-support limitation, the more defensible workaround was to adapt the I226-V INF entry rather than pretending the device was I226-IT.
The Community Workaround: Add I226-V to the Server INF
Zima-Jerry linked a Thomas-Krenn guide that modifies Intel's e2f.inf file so Windows Server 2022 recognizes the I225-V/I226-V hardware IDs. The guide explicitly states that this is a workaround because Intel does not officially support those -V variants on Server 2022.
The guide adds the I226-V device ID to the Windows Server-compatible section of the INF, then installs the modified driver while Windows driver-signature enforcement is temporarily relaxed.
See the Thomas-Krenn I226-V Windows Server 2022 workaround.
Secure Boot and Driver Signature Warning
Editing an Intel INF invalidates the original signed-driver trust chain for that package. The workaround therefore requires Windows test-signing/integrity changes during installation. The original ZimaBoard 2 user found that the required BCD change was blocked while Secure Boot remained enabled.
- The resulting driver is not an Intel-supported I226-V Windows Server configuration.
- Disabling Secure Boot reduces boot-chain protections while it is disabled.
- Test-signing or integrity-check changes should not be left enabled accidentally.
- Future Windows or Intel driver updates may replace or reject the modified package.
- You should have local console access and a recovery plan before changing boot-security settings.
Do not use this method on a production server merely because the normal Intel installer says no compatible adapter. First decide whether running an officially supported OS or using a supported NIC is a better long-term design.
What the Community Actually Confirmed
The original author reached the conclusion that I226-V was not officially supported on Windows Server 2022 and planned to disable Secure Boot to investigate the workaround. They did not post a final success confirmation afterward.
However, a second user replied on October 29, 2025 that they followed the Thomas-Krenn process and it worked on the first try on Windows Server 2022. That gives the thread a confirmed community success case, but it remains an unsupported workaround rather than a new Intel support statement.
What About Windows Server 2025?
The original author also reproduced the normal driver-installation failure on Windows Server 2025. Intel's current support matrix likewise shows no official Windows Server 2025 support for I226-V. The Thomas-Krenn article linked in the thread is specifically written for Windows Server 2022.
Do not assume that modifying the Server 2022 INF is a supported or verified Server 2025 procedure. If Server 2025 is mandatory, prefer a supported network adapter or explicit vendor support rather than extending a Server 2022 workaround without validation.
Safer Alternatives to a Modified Driver
- Use an operating system that Intel officially supports for I226-V, such as a supported Windows client release or Linux.
- Use another Ethernet adapter whose controller is officially supported by the Windows Server version you need.
- Use the unsupported INF workaround only for a lab/test system where you accept the driver and Secure Boot tradeoffs.
I226-V on ZimaBoard 2 Windows Server Checklist
- Verify the adapter hardware ID in Device Manager.
- Download the current Intel package directly from Intel.
- Keep the extracted package structure intact.
- Test the unmodified Intel installer and Have Disk method first.
- Check Intel's current OS support matrix for the exact controller variant.
- If the device is I226-V on Windows Server, understand that official support is absent.
- Do not substitute the I226-IT driver as a permanent “correct” driver.
- If using the community workaround, back up the system and understand the Secure Boot/signature implications.
- Restore any security setting that the documented workaround tells you to re-enable after installation.
- Test link speed, stability, reboot behavior, and Windows updates before trusting the system with production traffic.
Intel I226-V Windows Server FAQ
Why does Intel's Server 2022 package exist if I226-V is unsupported?
The package supports multiple Intel Ethernet controllers and multiple I226 variants. Intel's current support table lists I226-LM and I226-IT for Windows Server but not I226-V.
Does I226-V work on Windows 11?
Intel's current support table lists Windows client support for I226-V. The limitation discussed in this thread is specifically Windows Server support.
Do I have to disable Secure Boot?
Not for a normal supported driver install. The unsupported INF-modification workaround changes driver-signature trust, and the original user reported that its BCD changes were blocked by Secure Boot.
Is the workaround confirmed on Windows Server 2025?
No. The source thread confirms a successful community result on Windows Server 2022, not Server 2025.
What is the best long-term solution?
For a production server, an officially supported operating system/controller combination is the lowest-risk choice.
