Intel RST ( Rapid Storage Technology ) and Time

Intel has not been kind to people with older hardware running the latest version of Windows (Windows 11 at the time of this writing). Specifically, the RAID technology Intel produces (which isn't true hardware RAID, but not relevant here).

Yes, Intel makes drivers available through Microsoft and they are fairly recent. But there are issues. First and foremost is the absence of the Intel Rapid Storage Technology GUI / User Interface ( AKA IAStorUI ). That's what this article is about.

Intel Rapid Storage Technology GUI / User Interface ( AKA IAStorUI)

All of this is possible because of the nice person (Fernando) who created and maintains this website: https://winraid.level1techs.com/t/intel-rst-rste-drivers-latest-v17-11-2-1004-whql-v8-0-0-3300/13801

Please note, his native language is not English, so it might be a bit difficult to understand some of what is written. That's not a derogatory comment towards him at all. He can speak and write more languages than me, so that makes him a very smart person. Anyway, here's the gist of what to do.

OR

  • Install the Certificate from the "Fernando" Drivers file following these instructions: https://winraid.level1techs.com/t/tips-discussion-usage-of-mod-signed-drivers/31158#msg15574
  • Install the "Fernando" drivers: Don't just run the program from the "official" Intel Drivers package, unzip / unRAR it and manually install the drivers located in the Drivers Folder
  • Install the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Software GUI / User Interface ( AKA IAStorUI ): Don't just run the "modified" setup.exe file. Instead open a command prompt (in Admin Mode) and run this command: setup -nodrv (installs the Intel Rapid Storage Technology GUI / User Interface ( AKA IAStorUI ), without installing the drivers)

*NOTE: I do not have an explanation for why there are different (IE later version) driver versions on different pages for "Official Intel Driver" Packages. That's a question for Fernado. Possibly due to him differentiating between RST, RSTE (Intel Enterprise RAID), and RST(e) (Fernando's term).

NOTE2: Fernando uses a term, RST(e), which is what he designates as RST drivers version 11.5 and up. It is not the same as RSTe (Enterprise Version) that Intel uses to designate their "Enterprise" level RAID drivers for Enterprise RAID.

Alternate Solution

If one chooses to stay within the same version series of drivers (IE, matching the RST BIOS version and Driver version series), then don't worry about installing the "Fernando Certificate and Modified Drivers". Just install the stock Intel versions of the driver, then the RST GUI.

BIG HINT: Do not run the SetupRST.exe file and let Intel have it's way. Unpackage everything, install the driver manually and then install the RST GUI with the command: SetupRST.exe -nodrv Doing that will install the driver and the GUI only without the OptaneDowngradeGuard and RstDowngradeGuard (read about it in the below "Hole" Section)

Example: Dell Precision M4500

See WARNING section below before actually doing any of the below steps;

  • Determine Chipset of Computer: QM57 Chipset with ICH8 (determining ICH8 was a bit difficult, so anticipate some research on your model)
  • Driver Version to install: 11.7.4.1001 (the last one that supports ICH10 and earlier)
  • Download and Install (see above instructions on Installing the Driver) the appropriate Intel "official" Driver from: https://winraid.level1techs.com/t/intel-rst-rste-drivers-latest-v17-11-2-1004-whql-v8-0-0-3300/13801 (Version 11.7.4.1001 in this example), Reboot Computer
  • Download and Install (see above instructions on Installing the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Software GUI / User Interface ( AKA IAStorUI ) ) RAR / ZIP File from: https://winraid.level1techs.com/t/modded-intel-ahci-and-raid-drivers-digitally-signed/19691 (Version 11.7.4.1001 in this example), Reboot Computer
  • ...and it blue screened. Easy fix on this Laptop, which has Windows 11 installed on it, just reboot, switch to AHCI mode in the BIOS settings, remove the offending driver, back to the 18.x version Windows 11 wants.
  • Hmmm, OK, Fernando's website says the v14.x drivers will work for older host controllers down to ICH7, so let's go. Rinse repeat using above steps for installing the drivers with the v14.x version.
  • And it worked. This laptop has ICH7R capability. The same above method (not detailed here) was successfully completed on a desktop system with and IHC10R based RST RAID controller using the 11.7.4.1001 drivers (which out-performed the 18.x drivers installed with Windows 11). Oh, and both computers were running cloned versions of Windows 11. So the lesson here is that you may need to try a couple driver versions.
    • WARNING: And one more thing to point out here. As noted, both test computers have / had the same cloned version of Windows 11. Before hand (for other reasons), this operating system has been booted with the SATA controller 'set' to RAID (Intel RST) and AHCI. Both work. The idea being that if something went 'pear shaped' (British term, look it up) with the RAID drivers, just switch the BIOS to AHCI, from RAID, reboot in safe mode. Booting into safe mode with Windows 11 when switching from RAID to AHCI or vice versa, seems to be a 'feature' of Windows 11 that eliminates the need to edit the Registry when doing this, so thanks Microsoft. Anyway, the warning is that you need to be prepared for the installation of RAID drivers that seem to go smoothly, but then cause a Blue Screen when rebooting. Preparing for that eventuality isn't covered here.
  • The next issue revolved around discovering a 'really cool feature' from Intel, two actually. RSTDowngradeGuard and OptaneDowngradeGuard. This occurred when attempting to install the IAStoreUI GUI. A warning popped up about not being able to install the software. The software noted above is installed by Intel and does NOT show up in the Windows Programs / Features Add / Remove Control Panel Applet. It was discovered using Window 11 Managers Smart Uninstaller. Once removed, installing the IAStoreGUI can proceed, sort of. If uninstalling these 'features' is not possible, deleting their registry keys can be a solution. The only solution found was this, but it didn't include the specific key, just the parent key, so you'll have to search for it. Don't blame me, thank Intel.
  • OK, now the RST_x64.msi package won't install. No error, just a progress meter that almost completes and then reverses itself. Solution? Run from a command prompt this way;
    • runas /user:WhatEverAdminstratorLevelUser "msiexec.exe /i "WhatEverPathToFile\RST_x64.msi", enter the password, and good to go, except for one final error writing a registry key value related to 'battery...' (only guess here is that at some point since Intel made the MSI package, Microsoft changed permissions on that key), the solution was to simply 'ignore'.
  • After that, everything was installed.
    • Final Situation: Windows 11, with RST driver 14.x, and IAStorUI GUI working perfectly. Plus performance with the 14.x drivers is slightly better than the 18.x drivers. Keep in mind this laptop only has SATA 2 / 3.0 GB/s capability, so the difference with the drivers isn't that much.

...and now the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Software GUI / User Interface ( AKA IAStorUI ) is installed

On a small side note, extracted the MSI file as part of the testing and found all the IAStorUI.exe and associated files. Ran the IAStorUI.exe file just to see what would happen, and it worked (without installing it).

HOLE!

 
The Intel Hole

Here's an interesting one from Intel (caused by me initially, but a "home run" by Intel afterwards);

I installed 18.x RST drivers on a motherboard whose Intel RAID BIOS was version 15.x. When attempting to 'downgrade' to the proper series of drivers, the Intel installer informs me that it cannot downgrade. OK, went into the installer EXE using a combination of UniExtract and 7-Zip and pulled out the x64 Drivers Folder that contains the .sys, .inf, .cat files, etc. I manually downgraded the drivers to 15.5.2.1054. Do you think the installer EXE will run then? Nope. See the picture for the proof on the impossible error claim by the installer. What a joke. Some brilliant engineer probably put in just a "greater than", rather than a "greater than or equal to" function. Oh, well.

...but wait! Maybe it's something else more sinister. Could it be that Intel installs software to prevent one from installing other versions of software? Maybe like the Optane Downgrade Guard ( OptaneDowngradeGuard ) and RST Downgrade Guard ( RstDowngradeGuard )? Something that doesn't show up in installed Program Files? Yup that's it. So a hole that I dug had Intel shoveling dirt and pouring cement on top of me, then putting a lock on everything and keeping it a secret was the issue. Yup!

Solution? Oddly, Microsoft to the rescue with this: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/fix-problems-that-block-programs-from-being-installed-or-removed-cca7d1b6-65a9-3d98-426b-e9f927e1eb4d Run it, Click Advanced and uncheck the automatically apply solution box, a couple more next(s) and waiting for it to "detect" stuff, look for the above mentioned OptaneDownloadGuard and RstDownloadGuard and get rid of them. The proceed with the RST GUI installation.

The hint came from this line in the Intel RST Installation Log ( C:\Users\BJLindholm\Intel\Logs\IntelRST.log ): 2022:12:14 09:34:22:577:     Type MSI: ID='{DBEC3A35-04A8-4A70-BD7B-F42654758956}', Installed version: 18.0.0.0, Extracted: Yes (But wait! I uninstalled version 18.x, why is some remnant of it left on my computer!?!?)

Why, Why, WHY!?

Why Intel? Why did you make it so hard. There is living proof that it works and works better and has more capability (in the form of a user interface within Windows) than the newer stuff you try and shovel on us. Why? The only speculation is that it is in the interests of Intel for you to buy new things. So making it more difficult to make older things work is what they do. That's just pure evil if it's true. Don't serve the customer, serve Intel and add 'to the customer's detriment' to that too.

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