Disabling Optane memory stuck on step 3

[PavolM]

Hello,

I tried disable Optane memory from the Intel Memory Optane application, but it is several hours on step 3 and still not finished. I downloaded SSU tool and report is attached. Also I attached screenshot from Disks management. 

PC was not rebooted since disabling activity started. First step was disable it in optane software, second in BIOS, but I never hit step 2 because step 1 is still not finished.

Optane memory is supporting non system HDD drive (2TB Seagate Barracuda).

I would like to avoid of reinstalling windows. Could you help me please?

Best Regards

Pavol

[LeonWaksman]

Hi Pavol,

If you don't have yet backup of your DATA (D) drive, I would suggest to prepare it now all the time that this drive is accessible.   If the Optane disabling failed, your data drive will become inaccessible after restart.  Since you have Windows installed on not accelerated NVMe drive, this drive will not be affected.

Once you have the DATA drive backed up, restart your computer and see what happened. 

JFYI, you are using old (end of life) Optane application. The current application is downloaded from Microsoft Store, after running the new installer.  I know, this information is not helpful for yo now. Any way, please remember, restarting PC now, may cause you to lose the contents of DATA drive.

Leon

[PavolM]

hi Leon,

Yes, I have all necessary files from D drive backed up already, so I will try reboot and we will see

[PavolM]

Hi Leon,

After reboot, D drive is not visible anymore (see attached screenshot), but optane app is still showing step 3 Finalizing the process.

Can I change bios settings now (SATA mode to AHCI and M2.Optane genie to Disabled)? Or should I uninstall the optane app? Or what is the best approach to add the disk back as visible (of course without data if it need to be formatad again)?

And of course I woulde like to remove optane memory from my pc.

Regards

Pavol

[LeonWaksman]

Hi Pavol,

Sorry that this is what happened, but it was expected. 

Now, I suggest to continue with the following steps:

1. In order to change SATA mode to AHCI without corrupting the Windows boot, you need to boot into BIOS in Windows SAFE mode:

    1.1. Right click on Windows icon on taskbar and then click on Run.

     1.2. In Run windows execute msconfig command.

     1.3. On the Boot tab, check the Safe boot. Click on Apply and then OK. Let your computer to restart in SAFE mode.

     1.4. Enter BIOS and change the SATA mode to AHCI. Save the settings and exit to Windows (disregard any warning about possible Windows corruption). Your computer should boot into Windows in SAFE mode.

     1.5. Enter BIOS and disable Optane gene. Save settings and exit from BIOS to Windows.

     1.6 In Windows run the msconfig again and uncheck the SAFE boot mode. Reboot your computer in NORMAL mode, AHCI and Optane disabled.

     1.7 You may now uninstall the Optane Application and remove Optane Memory module.

2. You should see if the HDD is recognized BIOS. If yes, you should be able to initialize it and format it Disk Management.

Hope this will help

Leon 

[PavolM]

Hi Leon,

I followed your steps. I was able replace the optane modul with SSD drive and boot in normal mode. But...

In the bios I can see all 3 drives (2xSSD, 1x HDD) see attached screenshot.

In device manager I can see only the two SSD and the same also in disks management, so I am not able initialize the hdd.

I tired reboot pc several times, also recheck in device manager, but nothing helped.

Do you have any hint what I can check or try please?

Regards

Pavol

[LeonWaksman]

Hi Pavol,

• If you don't see the 2'5" drive in Disk Management, press Action in menu and then Rescan Disks.

•      If your see the new drive but it is not initialized, Right-click the drive marked as "Unknown" and "Not Initialized," and select Initialize Disk.
•      Select GPT (GUID Partition Table) and press OK
•      Once the drive is initialized, right-click the Unallocated space, and select New Simple Volume
•      Click Next.
•      Choose the volume size or leave the default size if you're planning to use the entire hard drive to store files.
•      Click Next.
•      Select a drive letter from the drop-down menu.
•      Click Next.
•      Select the NTFS file system.
•      On "Allocation unit size," leave the Default option.
•     Type a descriptive name in Volume label field.
•     Clear the Perform a quick format option.
•     Click Next.
•     Click Finish. Once you completed the steps, Windows will set up a new partition and properly format the hard drive.

Leon

[PavolM]

Hi Leon,

I tried Rescan Disks, but nothing new appear. in disk management. It is because the hdd is not visible in Device Manager.

When I initialized new SSD I was select drive letter, but drive D is missing there. It looks like D is still assigned somehow to the old drive, but drive itself is not visible for windows.

I think reinstall windows will fix this issue, but I don't want do that. It will be last option for me.

I tried also boot to the safe mode,  but also there disk is not visible in device manager.

Do you have any other suggestion please?

I didn't thought that removing optane memory will be such complicated process for me

Regards

Pavol

[LeonWaksman]

Hi Pavol,

Try to clean the HDD from DISKPART prompt:

1. Open Administrative Command Prompt
2. Run Diskpart
3. Run List disk
4. Run sel disk n (where n is the number of your HDD drive). Be careful to select your HDD, rather than the system SSD.
5. Run clean all , your drive will be wiped.
6. Check now if the drive is detected in Windows.

Leon

[AlHill]

"Clean all" on a 2TB drive will take some time.

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Maybe Windows 12 will be better]

[PavolM]

Hi Leon,

Unfortunatelly hdd is not listed in diskpart:

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19045.3570]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. Všetky práva vyhradené.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.19041.3570

Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: GAMEPC

DISKPART> list disk

Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
-------- ------------- ------- ------- --- ---
Disk 0 Online 232 GB 3072 KB *
Disk 1 Online 1863 GB 1024 KB *

DISKPART>

[LeonWaksman]

Hi Pavol.

1. I agree with @AlHill  that "clean all" command may take hours to wipe 2TB HDD, since in addition to deleting all data all sectors are zeroed. So, in this case command "clean" will be enough.

2. But, the HDD is not detected in Windows and I don't know how I can help you more, since I'm not familiar with the MSI BIOS. Can you ask in MSI support?

3. Open the Device Manager, Storage Controllers section. Check if you have still there "Intel Chipset SATA/PCIe RST Premium Controller" installed. If yes, uninstall it.  Reboot your computer and check in the Device Manager and/or DISKPART if you see the HDD.

Leon

[PavolM]

hi Leon,

The mentioned controller wasn't there, so I decided to reinstall Windows.

During the installation process it found all 3 disks. It showed HDD filled with some data so I didn't format it. After win instalation my hdd is visible again and all data are there. So it was some strange windows behavior/setting for hdd drive after unsuccessful optane disabling.
So maybe microsoft could provide some solution how to force windows to see the drive. Nevermind.

Thank you very much for your time and effort.

I really appreciate that.

Best Regards
Pavol

[LeonWaksman]

Hi Pavol,

I'm glad that your Data drive is visible again and all the data is there. Your information may help other users. I didn't suspected problem in Windows installation. 

FYI and future use, there is another way to fix Windows installation with An in place upgrade.

Regards

Leon

[Devi_Intel]

Hello PavolM,

Good Day to you ~

Thank you for posting Memory Community. Thank you to super user who advise on the troubleshoots as well. Shall we proceed to close this case as resolved?

We will follow up after 3 business days in case we don't receive a response. For further concern please do let us know.

Thank you & Best Regards,

Devi_Intel

[PavolM]

Hello,

Yes, you can close the case. Aftere Windows reinstallation disk is visible/accessible again.

Regards

Pavol

[Devi_Intel]

Hello PavolM,

Good Day to you ~

Thank you for your confirmation, Since your query has been resolved, we will proceed to close this case. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for any further assistance.

Thank you for using Intel products and services.

Best Regards,

Devi_Intel