Intel I225 LAN Driver Compatibility with Windows 10 LTSB 1607

Purpose

This document explains the compatibility limitations between the Intel® I225 Ethernet controller and Microsoft Windows 10 LTSB 1607, along with the required operating system update needed for proper LAN driver functionality.

Issue Summary

Question

I have Windows 10 LTSB 1607 and the LAN driver will not work for the Intel I225 Ethernet controller. How can I get the driver working?

Answer

Windows 10 LTSB 1607 does not include the required support for the Intel® I225 Ethernet controller driver.

To properly install and use the Intel I225 LAN driver, the operating system must be upgraded to:

Windows 10 version 1809 or later

After upgrading to Windows 10 1809 or newer, the Intel I225 LAN driver can be installed and used normally.

Affected Environment

Operating System

Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016
Version 1607

Hardware

Systems using the Intel® Ethernet Controller I225

Symptoms

Systems running Windows 10 LTSB 1607 may experience one or more of the following:

LAN driver installation failure
Ethernet adapter not detected
Network adapter appearing with warning icons in Device Manager
No wired network connectivity
Driver compatibility errors during installation

Root Cause

The Intel® I225 Ethernet controller requires operating system support that is not available in Windows 10 LTSB 1607.

Because of this limitation:

The driver cannot initialize properly
Required networking components are unavailable
Intel I225 driver packages will fail to install or function correctly

Resolution

Upgrade Windows Version

Upgrade the operating system to:

Windows 10 version 1809 or later

Recommended supported versions include:

Windows 10 LTSC 2019 (1809)
Newer supported Windows 10 releases
Supported Windows 11 versions (if applicable to the platform)

Upgrade Procedure Overview

Step 1 — Verify Current Windows Version

To check the installed Windows version:

Press Windows + R
Type:
```
 
```
```
winver
```
Press Enter

If the version displayed is:

Version 1607

the system must be upgraded.

Step 2 — Upgrade the Operating System

Install Windows 10 version 1809 or a later supported release using your organization’s approved deployment method.

Examples include:

Microsoft installation media
Windows Update
Enterprise deployment tools
SCCM / MECM
MDT deployment

Step 3 — Install the Intel I225 Driver

After the operating system upgrade:

Download the appropriate Intel I225 LAN driver package
Run the installer or install through Device Manager
Restart the system if prompted

Verification

After installation:

Open Device Manager
Expand Network adapters
Verify the Intel® I225 adapter appears without warning icons
Confirm wired network connectivity is operational

Additional Notes

Windows 10 LTSB 1607 is based on older networking components that do not support the Intel I225 controller.
Updating only the driver without upgrading the operating system will not resolve the issue.
Always verify OS compatibility before deploying newer hardware platforms.

Revision History

Version	Date	Description
1.0	May 13, 2026	Initial release