Intel RST data at risk warning - how to resolve? (SSD with Intel Optane memory) - Aspire 5 A515-51G

I have an Acer Aspire 5 (A515-51G). (Specs: i5-8250u; 4gb DDR and 16gb Intel Optane memory). I replaced the mechanical HDD with a 240gb Sandisk SSD and did a fresh install of Windows 10 home.

I updated the drivers from the Acer website, and after it installed the Intel RST (Rapid Storage Technology) I got a ‘warning’ that data may be at risk.

Is this a genuine error?

It shows the SATA SSD as ok, however the PCIe NVMe SSD (13gb) Controller 3, Port 0 is ‘’offline’’. This also has an option to ‘’clear metadata’’.

I noticed in my Device Manger that under ‘’Other Devices” PCI Memory Controller and SM Bus Controller both have a yellow triangle with ! mark.

(images attached)

I googled this an found there is an Acer hotfix IRST (Intel® Rapid Storage Technology) Driver Hot Fix 16.7.8.1024

Any idea how to resolve this? I am assuming this PCIe NVMe SSD (13gb) has something to do with Intel Optane.

1) should I uninstall RST and replace it with an Optane driver?

2) remove RST altogether?

3) install driver hotfix?

4) setting in BIOS?

5) clean Win10 install?

Any other suggestions appreciated.

Thanks

Accepted answers

JackE

You won't know if additional drivers will be needed until you check Device Manager for any red or yellow driver warnings or you find some peripheral like a trackpad or port doesn't work. Jack E/NJ

All comments

JackE

>>>Sandisk SSD and did a fresh install of Windows 10 home. >>>

Did you remove the optane card and set the SATA mode to AHCI (preferrably) when BEFORE you fresh installed Windows on the 2.5" sandisk? Jack E/NJ

larrens

JackE said:

>>>Sandisk SSD and did a fresh install of Windows 10 home. >>>

Did you remove the optane card and set the SATA mode to AHCI (preferrably) when BEFORE you fresh installed Windows on the 2.5" sandisk? Jack E/NJ

Hi @JackE

Thanks for your reply.

No, I did not remove the Optane card. I inserted the SSD and installed Windows.
I will follow your suggestion and reinstall a fresh copy. I assume its fairly easy to remove the Optane card?

So I understand correctly are you saying I must do the following steps:

Remove Optane card
Set BIOS SATA mode to AHCI
Install Windows on SSD drive.
Shut down, reinstall Optane card
Change BIOS SATA mode back to RST with Optane

Other questions:
- Do I need to install any drivers for the Optane memory, and if so, must I do that before or after I change the SATA mode to RST with Optane (I see in the Windows Store they suggest "Intel Optane Memory and Storage Management")
- Should I clear the metadata if asked?
- I assume I must not install the RST driver / software from Intel update are they are end of life

Thanks again for your help

JackE

4. Shut down, reinstall Optane card

5. Change BIOS SATA mode back to RST with Optane

No. The optane card is absolutely useless or worse with an 2.5" SSD installed. It's not even that great with today's 2.5" mechanical HDDs. Remove it completely. It does not help at all. Optane memory was another one of Intel's not-so-good ideas for speeding up really cheap mechanical HDDs with little or no solid state cache. Even today's 1TB HDDs have half-way decent caches for under $50 that don't benefit much from optane memory.

Simply install Win10 on the 2.5" SSD in AHCI sata BIOS mode and leave it that way. Once the optane card is removed, its m.2 socket is then free to add a normal m.2 SSD card if you want.

Jack E/NJ

larrens

JackE said:

Simply install Win10 on the 2.5" SSD in AHCI sata BIOS mode and leave it that way. Once the optane card is removed, its m.2 socket is then free to add a normal m.2 SSD card if you want.

Jack E/NJ

Thanks will do - and once BIOS is SATA / AHCI do I need any additonal drivers, or just let Windows update do its thing?

JackE

You won't know if additional drivers will be needed until you check Device Manager for any red or yellow driver warnings or you find some peripheral like a trackpad or port doesn't work. Jack E/NJ