I’m hoping one of the intelligent people here can help me. I am currently running a RAID-1 Mirror with Intel RST 14.5.0.1081 driver with Option ROM 13.1.0.2126 on Intel 9 Series Chipset (z97) with Windows 1803, and performance has been good, but now Microsoft is pushing 1903. Apparently only Intel RST versions 15.5.2.1054 or later are compatible, according to this MS article - https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help…tain-versions-o
The release notes for Intel versions 15+ show that my Intel 9 Series Chipset is not supported. So I am in a difficult situation. I cannot upgrade to any 15+ versions like MS recommends, yet they force the 1903 upgrade without support for the RST 14.5 that I am running. Is there anything I can do to get around this limitation?
I apologize if this topic has already been covered, I could not find any information.
Thank-you.
EDIT by Fernando: The title has been customized by me (was too long).
@Reterect :
Welcome to the Win-RAID Forum!
According to the MS article only Intel RST v15 platform drivers between v15.1.0.1002 and v15.5.2.1053 are affected from the related Win10 update issue. So you should be able to update to Win10 v1903 without any problem, because you are currently running an Intel RST RAID driver, which belongs to the v14 platform.
By the way: The latest Intel RST platform, whose drivers natively do fully support Intel 9-Series Chipset systems, is the v14 one (the RAID drivers may be installable due to the external DeviceID of the Controller, but may not work properly).
My advice: Uninstall the currently installed Intel RST Software from within the Control Panel, reboot and install either the Intel RST Drivers & Software Set v13.2.8.1002 (matches much better the Intel RAID ROM v13.1.0.2126) or v14.8.18.1066.
Regards
Dieter (alias Fernando)
I appreciate the quick reply.
My further research indicated that "iaStorA.sys" is the culprit behind the failed 1903 upgrades. Apparently this file causes system stability issues in 1903, and newer versions of RST (above 15.5.2.1053) no longer use this file. Is that correct? If so it, it would mean that any versions below 15 will either not upgrade, or not be stable, including the 14.8.18.1066 which you suggest. My understanding is that the only reason drivers between v15.1.0.1002 and v15.5.2.1053 are affected, is specifically because they use "IaStorA.sys", and further versions do not.
Also, I would love to use v13.2.8.1002, but all of the Intel official documentation I can find for versions 13xxxx, does not support windows 10. Or rather, Windows 10 is specifically omitted from the documentation for 13xxxx versions.
My lack of knowledge is showing here, but I wanted to get some more clarification.
Thanks.
- It is not generally the driver named iaStorA.sys, which makes the problem, but only specific Intel RST drivers with that name from the v15 platform up to v15.5.2.1053.
Proof: The Intel RST driver v15.5.2.1054, which Microsoft recommends to use, contains an iaStorA.sys file as well (as all Intel RST drivers from the v12, v13 and v14 platform). - The fact, that Intel has not mentioned Win10 as being supported by the v13 platform RST drivers is caused by the date of their release (Win10 was not yet available at that time). All Intel RST drivers definitively do support the OS Windows 10 (up to v1903).
Thanks again.
The specific wording in the Microsoft article “The inbox storage driver iastora.sys doesn’t work on these systems and causes stability problems on Windows.” led me to the conclusion that it was the iaStorA.sys file “in general”. I assumed that the 15.5.2.1054 which Microsoft recommends, as well as further versions in the 15 family all include that file, but the software does not actually use it. There were many reports of Windows upgrade assistant simply scanning for that file, and halting the upgrade. I wasn’t sure that the Assistant was scanning for more than just filename, but indeed the version of that filename. And the reason I say this, is because there were users upgrading all the way up to 17, yet the assistant still halted until iaStorA.sys was manually deleted.
It sounds like your advice to install v13.2.8.1002 is my best solution, and then run windows upgrade assistant. I really appreciate your help.
BTW, is it possible to remove Intel RST altogether, and yet still have the RAID-1 Mirror running stable, however having no ability to manage or verify it from a User Interface?
@Reterect :
Intel RAID users have to use an Intel RST driver, whereas the related Intel RST Software is not really required.
Nevertheless I recommend Intel RAID users to install the complete Intel RST Drivers & Software Set.
@Reterect :
To make it easier for other users with a similar problem, I have moved this thread into the better matching Sub-Forum about the Intel AHCI and RAID drivers. Furthermore I have shortened the thread title.
I hope, that both actions are ok for you.
Reading about those problems reminds me on my own serious issues installing Windows10 v1903 on an outdated Asus Mobo using ICH10 running in RAID1. The In-Place installation started but it never ran stable. Either it didn’t come to an end or the completed installation didn’t run stable (freezers, corrupt system files etc etc.)
I found out that the delivered Standard Driver on MS installation software is Intel 15.44.0.1010 02/07/2018 x64. And this driver causes the problems with Intel Chip ICH10 in RAID1 mode. Therefore, I deleted this driver and added a new one on the windows installation media, in my case the best modded RST driver v11.2.0.1006 from this great forum, using NT-Lite software. The new In-Place-Installation went absolutely fine and the system now is running with all actual updates (Updates for the Intel drivers is excluded by me) error free.
OK, my case is a little different. But my proposal for @Reterect is: Why not find out what driver for your Intel chip is the best in Raid1 mode and doing the same I did? That means creating with NT-Lite a new installation .iso file without the MS delivered Standard driver and add the best one for your chip, even it would be an older one. Fernando made a very good description about the required procedure for the modding of such .iso file.
The upgrade went well on Fernando’s v14.8 suggestion, and I haven’t had any issues. I tried v14.5.xxx also as it was recommended by my MB manufacturer, it also ran great. I have no need to create new installation media at this time, but if I ever did, I would use the insert-driver key, either F6 or F2, I can’t remember, and insert my own driver during the install. I further assume that every single driver outside of Microsoft’s narrow-range in the v15 bulletin, will run well. At least well-enough to get into the operating system and manually change a driver. I also benefit from the fact that my Raid-1 is not a boot-drive or a system drive, so I’m confident enough that on a fresh install, I could still get my OS to load, even if it meant temporarily removing the Raid-1 cable connection.
So that is my list of excuses why I haven’t make a fresh install with an appropriate driver. I also don’t know how much longer I am keeping this MB. By the time I decide on a fresh OS install, I’ll likely be on a different board entirely.
@Reterect
Absolutely understandable and as I mentioned your case is not totally the same I’ve got, e.g I have the Raid1 SSDs as boot devices!
The only thing you’ve to realize is: At the moment the MS-Standard-Driver for your Chip will be 15.44.0.1010 during the installation. If everything is running fine and the installation is finished without any problems, so what. After that you can try ANY driver fitting to your ChipSet and giving you the best results for your Raid1 drives. If you plan to manage the Raid1 settings on OS level you have to install the software according to the drivers, too, not only the drivers. Intel changed the software not always to a nicer appearance.
Anyway, it seems you have a plan how to proceed. Good luck and all the best.
I will need some luck for sure, as I just recently discovered that I am unable to downgrade to 13.2.8.1002. I uninstall v14.xxxx from my control panel, restart the PC, then launch the 13.2.8.1002 installer and it gives me “Fatal Error During Installation” and quits prematurely. In the driver properties for my controller, v14.xxx still remains active. I can upgrade to v14.8.18.1060 perfectly fine, and the driver changes over to match that version. But it seems I cannot “downgrade”.
The reason for downgrading is because I’ve been having the occasional instability within general software, and I wanted to be sure that Intel RST was not the culprit. Fernando had mentioned that z97 9-Series may not work properly with any versions 14 plus.
@Reterect :
Thanks for your interesting report.
To be honest I don’t know the exact reason for your problems to get the complete Intel RST(e) Drivers & Software Set v13.2.8.1002 installed, but I suspect, that it is OS related. Modern Windows Operating Systems don’t like any “downgrade” of the in-use driver version/date.
Possible solution:
- Make sure, that the currently running Intel RST Software has been uninstalled from within the Control Panel and that you had rebooted thereafter.
- Expand the “Storage Controller” section of the Device Manager.
- Right-click onto the listed “Intel SATA RAID Controller” and choose the options “Update Driver” > “Browse my computer…” > “Let me pick…”.
- Hit the “Have Disk” button, navigate to the “pure” Intel RAID driver v13.2.8.1002 files, click onto the file named iaStorAC.inf and choose the listed device named “Intel(R) Desktop/Workstation/Server Express Chipset SATA RAID Controller”.
After the next reboot your on-board Intel SATA RAID Controller will use the Intel RST RAID driver v13.2.8.1002. - If everything is working fine (no error message within or outside the Device Manager), you can retry to run the Installer of the complete Intel RST Drivers & Software Set v13.2.8.1002 WHQL.
By the way question: Which version has the active Intel RAID BIOS module of your mainboard’s BIOS?
The version currently running successfully is 14.8.18.1060, both driver and matching software. The option ROM version is 13.1.0.2126 on Intel 9 Series Chipset z97 motherboard - Windows 1903. Hopefully this answers your question. I wasn’t totally sure of what you had asked. BTW, I have a question of my own. Where do I get the pure-driver of 13.2.8.1002 from? I will require access to the actual files, rather than just the all-in-one executable, if I am to manually insert or use the “have disk” function. I downloaded your version of 13.2.8.1002 from Mega, but there are no floppy disk directories within that archive. (example: f6flpy-x64)
I have since found the cause of my software instability, and it was not related to Intel’s software. Now that everything is running as expected, I may postpone the idea of manually inserting the driver through the “have disk” function. That process makes me nervous because if the system rejects my manual attempt to Insert Driver, I don’t know where I’ll end up.
However, I appreciate you listing out the instructions for me.
Similar issue here, update to 1903 failed so I have foolishly updated RST drivers from 15.x.x.x (complete Intel Drivers & Software Set) to 16.8.2.1002 (complete Intel Drivers & Software Set).
As I could not figure out if these drivers are OK for my system, so Google brought me here.
Spec is: e3-1225v3, c226, ROM 12.7.0.1936, running RAID 1 + non raid SSD on same control er
Latest RST drivers Dell provides 14.8.12.1059 (so older than my initial version). I have looked through BIOS updates change log and I far as I see there in no Raid ROM update from 12.7.0.1936. Has anyone got any idea what I should do? Should I try to downgrade driver to ver. 14.8.12.1059 or ver. 12.x.x.x, or leave it on 16.8.2.1002?
@Reterect :
Your currently in-use Intel RAID driver belongs to the Intel RST v14 platform and doesn’t match perfectly the Intel ROM v13.1.0.2126.
So I recommend to either update the Intel RAID ROM or to " downgrade" the Intel RAID driver version.
You will find the download links within the start post of >this< thread (look into the chapter I.B.)
@mirko :
Welcome to the Win-RAID Forum!
In my eyes it is not a good idea to install any Intel RST v16 or v17 platform RAID driver onto your Intel 8-Series chipset system.
Reasons:
1. The newest Intel RST drivers are designed for the newest Intel chipsets from 200-Series up.
2. Intel RST drivers, which belong to the v13 or v14 platform, are better performant for systems like yours than those, which belong to the v15 or v16 platform.
Regards
Dieter (alias Fernando)
Thank you!
Any tips/recommendations on downgrade procedure?
Would you go with Dell provided RST driver ver. 14.8.12.1059 or some other version?