Windows native NVME drivers out now!

[kimsix]

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com...25-ushering-in-a-new-era-of-storage-p/4477353

With Native NVMe in Windows Server 2025, the storage stack is purpose-built for modern hardware—eliminating translation layers and legacy constraints. Here’s what that means for you:

• Massive IOPS Gains: Direct, multi-queue access to NVMe devices means you can finally reach the true limits of your hardware.
• Lower Latency: Traditional SCSI-based stacks rely on shared locks and synchronization mechanisms in the kernel I/O path to manage resources. Native NVMe enables streamlined, lock-free I/O paths that slash round-trip times for every operation.
• CPU Efficiency: A leaner, optimized stack frees up compute for your workloads instead of storage overhead.
• Future-Ready Features: Native support for advanced NVMe capabilities like multi-queue and direct submission ensures you’re ready for next-gen storage innovation.

After update, should see new Storage Disks in device manager like so, it works for Windows 11 Pro too.

To change this new native NVME drivers

Update W11 to 25H2,
Create a restore point, just in case.
Run as admin > powershell
Copy, paste, enter the 3 lines one after another into powershell :

reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Policies\Microsoft\FeatureManagement\Overrides /v 1853569164 /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Policies\Microsoft\FeatureManagement\Overrides /v 156965516 /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Policies\Microsoft\FeatureManagement\Overrides /v 735209102 /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Download, run the .msi policy file
https://download.microsoft.com/down...25 KB5066835 251014_21251 Feature Preview.msi
Reboot PC, go to local policy and set to enable

 

[kimsix]

Got some drawbacks, mainly SSD firmware updates may not work since most vendor software still use old SCSI drivers.


https://www.tomshardware.com/softwa...nlocked-for-consumer-pcs-but-at-your-own-risk

Microsoft has just announced that Windows Server 2025 will natively support NVMe drives, some 14 years after the technology launched. Given that Windows 11 shares the same architecture as Windows 10, it stands to reason that enterprising users can also enable native NVMe support using the same procedure. Computer Base [machine translated] reports that some users who enabled the feature experienced lower latencies and higher transfer speeds, resulting in an improvement of about 10% to 15%.

This feature will allow users to maximize read and write speeds on their NVMe drives while reducing processor load. It will also limit instances in which one or more applications performing many storage-intensive tasks would cause the entire system to freeze. Despite this, a few users said they didn’t see any change in performance after tweaking their registry.

However, this feature is not without its drawbacks. Given that Windows treats all storage devices as SCSI, most drives and software are tuned for this operation, where NVMe commands are translated into SCSI commands that it can recognize. Because of this, some storage management tools either no longer recognize NVMe drives or detect them twice as two different drives. The registry tweak can also change the disk ID, making it difficult for some apps, such as backup tools, to detect the drive.

 

[fkchon]

no way to get this with older version Windows such as 23H2 right?

 

[kimsix]

no way to get this with older version Windows such as 23H2 right?

dont think so, it needs KB5066835, which is 24H2 at least.

 

[uselessbum]

If have to do regedit, chances are that it still hasn't been optimised for consumer load yet, only enterprise. From what I saw from others (tpu forum) attempting it, they say that the results are negligible, within margin of error. Either that or like you pointed out, consumer windows backend is still scsi based, thus nullifying any gains to be had.

 

[kimsix]

A bit faster for CDM9 using Gen4 nvme drive, use test settings -> nvme ssd

 

[86technie]

These are for enterprise SSDs not consumer.
Anyway FYI with each Windows build/version the build in NVME/AHCI driver
does get updated.

You won't see a major difference only more compatible with newer PC hardware.
Last time manufacturer like Samsung does provide NVME driver for it's drives.
But that was for WIndows 10 period.

 

[soreloser]

A bit faster for CDM9 using Gen4 nvme drive, use test settings -> nvme ssd

Seems like a solid improvement, 20% improvement in random read.
5% improvement for the average apps in Q1T1.

Are you able to monitor the CPU usage while running the tests? How much lower usage after using the native drivers?

 

[wwenze]

Windows managed to make NVME disappear, I'm not trusting them with even more low-level control.

 

[naked123]

add this 2 keys in powershell to prevent BSOD when going to safe mode

reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Network\{75416E63-5912-4DFA-AE8F-3EFACCAFFB14}" /ve /d "Storage disks" /f
reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\{75416E63-5912-4DFA-AE8F-3EFACCAFFB14}" /ve /d "Storage disks" /f

to addon

the .msi policy file is not needed.
registry is all that's needed to enable the native nvme driver

it also doesn't work if your nvme ssd has its own driver

to disable native nvme driver
in registry editor
go here

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Policies\Microsoft\FeatureManagement\Overrides

double click each DWORD and set value to 0
reboot

 

[Goodshot]

no way to get this with older version Windows such as 23H2 right?

Can ah, download from other unofficial site there is plenty

 

[ragnarok95]

If you need to do so many steps for it to work, then it means it's not ready for consumer yet.

 

[Goodshot]

For enterprise SSDs...

 

[ragnarok95]

For enterprise SSDs...

That's why what.

 

[fkchon]

I tried this earlier in the year with Windows Server 2025, the most important changes were 4K random read/writes which is what most everyday apps use. It can be noticeable but I stopped using Windows Server due to compatibility issues with other consumer stuff.

This is from wccftech

 

[uncle_josh]

• DO NOT DO THE TRICK if you have a VMD controller or proprietary driver from another manufacturer such as Intel, AMD, Samsung, etc. IT ONLY WORKS IF IT IS the standard NVMe Express controller, the standard Microsoft driver used for NVMe, if the BIOS is in AHCI mode.
• DO NOT TRY THIS TRICK if you have BitLocker enabled on your system!
• This trick BREAKS WINDOWS SAFE MODE!!! After activating the native NVMe driver, Safe Mode STOPS WORKING because it still cannot access the Windows partition with this driver, so it generates the INACCISSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE black screen error.
• Proprietary SSD monitoring software from manufacturers stops recognizing NVMe because they are not yet prepared to handle this native driver, so it's not a bug or error!
• The trick works on the final version of Windows 11 (Pro/Home) because it shares a large part of the codebase with Windows Server 2025, which natively received this feature and the native driver for NVMe in the last update.

 

[86technie]

• DO NOT DO THE TRICK if you have a VMD controller or proprietary driver from another manufacturer such as Intel, AMD, Samsung, etc. IT ONLY WORKS IF IT IS the standard NVMe Express controller, the standard Microsoft driver used for NVMe, if the BIOS is in AHCI mode.
• DO NOT TRY THIS TRICK if you have BitLocker enabled on your system!
• This trick BREAKS WINDOWS SAFE MODE!!! After activating the native NVMe driver, Safe Mode STOPS WORKING because it still cannot access the Windows partition with this driver, so it generates the INACCISSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE black screen error.
• Proprietary SSD monitoring software from manufacturers stops recognizing NVMe because they are not yet prepared to handle this native driver, so it's not a bug or error!
• The trick works on the final version of Windows 11 (Pro/Home) because it shares a large part of the codebase with Windows Server 2025, which natively received this feature and the native driver for NVMe in the last update.

I bet some users won't understand what you just share.
Especially Intel VMD which is Intel RAID for Intel 10th gen and beyond.
Put it short and simple don't do the trick else the Windows/Drive gets corrupted.

If you want to speed up Windows you can try less risk free tweaks.
Like turn off Encryption/Bitlocker some PC have this turn on by default.

Encryption/Bitlocker will slowdown the SSD since every data written have to be encrypted.

Check under Windows security setting whether is this enabled.

 

[uncle_josh]

I bet some users won't understand what you just share.
Especially Intel VMD which is Intel RAID for Intel 10th gen and beyond.
Put it short and simple don't do the trick else the Windows/Drive gets corrupted.

If you want to speed up Windows you can try less risk free tweaks.
Like turn off Encryption/Bitlocker some PC have this turn on by default.

Encryption/Bitlocker will slowdown the SSD since every data written have to be encrypted.

Check under Windows security setting whether is this enabled.

In other words , dont try blindly.

 

[kimsix]

Being using it for a week in my gaming pc so far so good, load vpn sandbox for japan documentaries quite snappy

 

[naked123]

Being using it for a week in my gaming pc so far so good, load vpn sandbox for japan documentaries quite snappy

Same also 1 week+

Everything works as per normal even safe mode too but after applying the 2 extra registry keys.