Fix Base System Device driver
Base System Device is a catch-all name for built-in parts Windows cannot identify, often a memory card reader or an Intel chipset function. Read the hardware ID, then install the card reader or chipset driver from your PC maker. Intel's Chipset INF Utility covers Intel chipset parts.
Checked October 30, 2026 against the manufacturer's own pages.
Driver downloads
| Driver | Version | Released | Size | Windows | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Chipset INF Utility | 10.1.20658.8883 | January 8, 2026 | 98.1 MB | Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit | Download from intel.com |
Values copied from the manufacturer's page on October 30, 2026. The file always downloads from the manufacturer, never from this site.
Hardware IDs on this page
| Hardware ID | Device name |
|---|---|
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5227 | RTS5227 PCI Express Card Reader |
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_522A | RTS522A PCI Express Card Reader |
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_525A | RTS525A PCI Express Card Reader |
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5260 | RTS5260 PCI Express Card Reader |
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5264 | RTS5264 PCIe SD UHS-II & SD Express Card Reader controller |
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_A0FC | 500 Series Chipset Family On-Package Integrated Sensor Hub |
Match the first line of Hardware Ids in Device Manager (Properties, Details) against this list. Names come from the public PCI ID Repository.
The short version
What to install and where it comes from. Every link goes to the manufacturer or Microsoft, never to a copy.
Official files only, nothing bundled
Step by step
Get the hardware ID
Right-click the entry, choose Properties, Details, Hardware Ids, and note the VEN and DEV codes.
Look it up
Match the codes in the table, or search them in the PCI ID Repository. VEN_10EC is Realtek, VEN_8086 is Intel.
Realtek card reader: use the PC maker
Search your model on the maker's site and install the Card Reader driver from the Storage or Chipset section. Restart afterwards.
Intel part: run the chipset utility
Download Intel's Chipset INF Utility, run SetupChipset.exe, and restart. It gives Windows the names for chipset parts.
Check Windows Update
Open Settings, Windows Update, Advanced options, Optional updates and install anything listed for system devices.
Rescan and test
Use Action, Scan for hardware changes. For a card reader, insert an SD card to test it.
One name, many chips
Windows does not know what a chip does until a driver tells it. It falls back on the class code the chip reports. Parts in the generic system peripheral class end up as Base System Device. Two groups account for most cases on laptops and desktops: memory card readers and small functions inside the Intel chipset.
Card readers
Many laptops use a Realtek RTS series reader. The table lists several chips from the public PCI list. Realtek publishes reader drivers on its own downloads site, but the laptop maker usually hosts the version matched to the model, and that copy is the safer pick. If the PC has no SD slot, the same chip family may still be present for another reason, so go by the ID and not by the slot.
Chipset functions
Intel says its Chipset INF Utility installs INF files so Windows can display the proper product name of chipset hardware. A sensor hub entry from a 500 series chipset is one example in the table. A name change may be all that happens, and that is fine: the yellow mark leaves.
When the ID is neither
Search the vendor and device codes in the PCI ID Repository, then visit that maker or your PC maker. We have not confirmed a driver for every ID, so we only point to the two families above.
Questions
Why does the name say nothing useful?
Windows picks the name from the chip's class code when no driver matches. Base System Device is the label for the generic system peripheral class, so the hardware ID is the only reliable clue.
My laptop has an SD slot that does nothing.
That fits a card reader without its driver. Install the card reader driver from your laptop maker, not a random Realtek file, because the maker tunes the package to the board.
Can the same name appear twice?
Yes. Each unknown part gets its own line, and several chipset functions can show as Base System Device on one PC. Fix each by its own ID.
Is it safe to leave it?
Yes, nothing breaks. You lose the function behind the entry, such as the card slot, until a driver is installed.