Error 0xA0070020 - Intel® Optane™ Memory and Storage Management application

[kathampy]

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000024385/memory-and-storage.html

When trying to enable Optane Memory for a data drive, I get error 0xA0070020 when using the "Intel® Optane™ Memory and Storage Management" application from the Microsoft Store. However if I download and use "SetupOptaneMemory" or "SetupRST" instead, I am able to successfully enable Optane Memory for a data drive.

[n_scott_pearson]

Of course the bare app fails. It doesn't have the driver needed​ for communication with the RST hardware. You must always install the driver using one of these packages.

...S

[kathampy]

The RST v17 driver for "Intel(R) Chipset SATA/PCIe RST Premium Controller" was already installed. I also see that a service "Intel(R) Storage Middleware Service - RPC endpoint service which allows communication between driver and Windows Store Application" is running after installing the driver. Yet the error is only when trying to enable Optane Memory from the Microsoft Store app.

[kathampy · Accepted solution]

It started working after uninstalling and reinstalling the controller in device manager.

[n_scott_pearson]

Let me be clear: Unless specifically instructed otherwise, you should never install or uninstall any of the Intel driver packages via Device Manager. You should always perform the install using the Intel-provided executable and you should *always* uninstall the complete package via the Apps and Features applet or the Programs and Features Control Panel applet (or using Uninstall shortcut if one is generated).

In this case, you are required to install the full RST or Optane packages, using the Intel-provided installer, before downloading or using the Optane applet available in the Microsoft App Store.

...S

[kathampy]

That's not true. The "f6flpy-x64.zip" RST driver is for manual installation, and the Optane app from the Microsoft Store is supposed to work with it. Installing this driver installs "Intel(R) Storage Middleware Service" as well. If you install the full "SetupRST" application and driver, there is no need for the Optane app as its functionality is included in the RST application.

[n_scott_pearson]

No, you are wrong. The F6 Floppy driver is a basic driver that supports the basic operation of Intel RST. That is, it supports the operation of already-configured arrays. To do anything monitoring, configuration changes, Optane enabling, etc. you *must* install the full or Optane package.

...S

[kathampy]

The driver store package installed by "SetupRST" and "f6flpy-x64.zip" are identical. The RST application and the Optane application from the Microsoft Store are interchangeable - they are both GUIs that talk to the same driver. Installing the driver through "SetupRST" doesn't do anything special. The RST application has an additional monitoring service to display notifications etc.

[n_scott_pearson]

I am not going to argue with you. The packages are required. Get over it.

[kathampy]

I have it working on a new installation without the "SetupRST" or "SetupOptaneMemory" packages... Just the F6 driver and Optane app from the Microsoft Store.

[n_scott_pearson]

Packages are required. There must be something residual on your system that allows it to work.

Look, this is a waste of time. I am not monitoring this discussion any longer.

...S

[kathampy]

There's nothing residual on a new Windows installation. If you install the Optane app from the Microsoft Store first, it throws an error about the driver not being installed. Once you manually install the F6 drivers for the controller in Device Manager and start "Intel(R) Storage Middleware Service", the Optane app works fine and is able to successfully manage both Optane Memory and SATA / PCIe RAID.