Intel Optane w/ 3TB SATA Drive - Consistent Activity

[CHg]

I have the 16GB Intel Optane configured with my 3TB SATA drive as data only (specially, docs, pics, games, etc). I started noticing an issue with the Optane drive spinning up while idle (I'm not doing anything active like playing a game, but only watching a Twitch stream). I was able to find a solution to stop the continuous activity by opening Notepad, typing random text, then saving the file. It has gotten to the point that I now have a specific text file where I type in the time, what's open when the activity happens, then save the Notepad file, and then the HD activity light and the sound of the drive stops. There are times it seems to happen on an hourly basis. Has anyone else had this issue? Do I need to configure something somewhere to stop this?

I've run a test to see how long the Optane drive will be active (meaning I can hear the drive and the HDD light is on) without me interfering. After 3 hours, I stopped it in fear of it damaging my hard drive. My test was having Chrome open to a live Twitch stream with nothing else open.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[idata]

Hi CasHg,

Thank you for contacting our support community. In order to better understand your situation, could you please provide us the following information: -is this a fresh Windows(R) 10 installation?-For how long have you been using the module?-Have you tried to disable the Optane(TM) in the software, run the system for a couple of minutes and check if the situation remains?Also, please provide us with your system logs, please follow the next steps: 1- Go to: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility?v=t and download the software.2- When finished downloading it, open it.3- Mark the box "Everything" and then click "Scan.4- When finish scanning, click "Next."5- Click on "Save."6- Attach the file when replying. We look forward to hearing back from you.Regards,Junior M.

[idata]

Hi CasHg,

We would like to know if you read our previous post. If you have any other questions, we'll be waiting for your response.Regards, Junior M.

[CHg]

I apologize for the delay in replying. I am visually impaired, so there are days that I have to take away from the computer. Here are the answers to the questions asked.

-is this a fresh Windows(R) 10 installation?

@ Yes

-For how long have you been using the module?

@ Since May 9th. This is a brand new computer. I have an M.2 SSD OS drive and the data drive is a 3TB SATA with the Intel Optane.

-Have you tried to disable the Optane(TM) in the software, run the system for a couple of minutes and check if the situation remains?

@ No. Can you please explain how to do that? I normally use voice navigation on most days I use my computer.

[idata]

Hi CasHg,

Thanks for the reply. In order to disable the Optane(TM) Memory, please follow the next steps: 1-Go to Cortana and type Optane, it will show you the Optane(TM) software.2-Open the software and got to the Settings Tab. 3-Click in the option that says "Disable"4-Once the process is completed a restat will be required, hit the restart option. 5-Once the computer is back on, the module should be disabled. Please test the System without the Optane(TM) and let us know if you have the same situation. Regards, Junior M.

[CHg]

@Junior M.

I ran my new Windows 10 PC with the Intel Optane disabled all weekend. The issue no longer occurs.

The sometimes hourly HDD access activity while my system is in an idle state no longer happens when Intel Optane is disabled. The occasional, long duration (up to 3 hours before I intervened) of HDD access activity while my computer is idle no longer happens when Intel Optane is disabled.

What is the Intel Optane doing that's causing HDD access activity while my computer is basically in an idle state? Like I stated previously, I have Chrome opened to a Twitch stream, Discord opened, and Notepad opened. In my testing, it took me saving text in Notepad to stop the HDD access activity.

I'm going to re-enable the Intel Optane and try to do additional testing.

[idata]

Hi CasHg,

Thank you for the information provided. Could you please let us know the following information: *Are you experiencing any performance issues in the system?*How are you determining that the Optane(TM) memory is accessing the HDD? Are you determining this just by the LED or do you get any error or report from the operating system?*have you tried with a different HDD? We will be waiting for your response.Regards, Junior M.

[idata]

Hi CasHg,

We would like to know if you read our previous post. If you have any other questions, we'll be waiting for your response.

Regards,Junior M.

[CHg]

*Are you experiencing any performance issues in the system?

@ When Intel Optane is in enabled, I do not experience any performance issues that I notice versus when it's not enabled.

*How are you determining that the Optane(TM) memory is accessing the HDD? Are you determining this just by the LED or do you get any error or report from the operating system?

@ My primary drive (OS) is an SSD. My secondary drive with the Intel Optane is SATA (my DATA drive). I can hear the drive being accessed before I check to see if the LED HD Activity light is on. There is no error or report from the OS regarding the HD Activity.

*have you tried with a different HDD?

@ 1) I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you suggesting I remove my current SATA Data drive and replace it with a different drive? Please note that I am visually impaired and that this would take some time to complete.

After I re-enabled the Intel Optane, I went 4 days without the consistent HD activity. Then, on the 5th day, it started up again. As an example, if I'm playing a game (which is accessing the Intel Optane drive), I have no issues. If I just have Chrome and Notepad (or Discord) open while I watch a Twitch stream (basically my computer is in an idle state), then the random HD activity occurs. It will stop if I save something in the Notepad document (the document is located on the Intel Optane drive since it's my DATA drive), but it will not stop if I switch do a different Twitch stream in Chrome. The HD activity even occurs if I'm typing something in Twitch chat.

If I disable Intel Optane on my DATA drive, the random HD activity does not occur.

I am at the point of just disabling the Intel Optane in fear it's damaging my hard drive.

[idata]

Hi CasHg,

Thank you for the reply. Based on the information, we recommend you to contact yourhttps://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support.html# @3 local support team for further assistance. Also, here is the phone number so you can contact them directly: (916) 377-7000Business Hours:Monday - Friday7:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Pacific Time)Regards, Junior M.

[GBris]

I'm experiencing the same issue. Did you ever track down a resolution?

[idata]

Hello Gareth321,

Can you please share with me more details about your set up? What motherboard are you using? Are you accelerating a primary or secondary drive? Which are your reproduction steps for the issue? Have you tested the issue with a different drive? What version of RST driver are you using?I will be waiting for additional details to help you troubleshoot the issue. Best Regards, Juan N.

[n_scott_pearson]

Juan, I am not sure that this is all necessary.

Let's look at this logically. If Optane was simply implementing a write-through cache, then it would not be doing anything to accelerate HDD write performance (only read). I believe that they are also queuing up write operations to the HDD and (immediately or eventually) performing these write operations when the system appears less busy. By queuing all of these operations after the write-through cache and indicating to the O/S that the operation is immediately complete, the HDD will appear to perform significantly faster.

Now, as I said, these write operations do have to eventually be done to the HDD. This will happen when the system is deemed to be less busy (or is forced by a purge operation, such as when the system is being prepared for shut down). How all of this this might look to the user is going to appear inconsistent, however. That each write operation does not appear to immediately happen might seem inconsistent. Seeing a flurry of operations to the drive when the subsystem deems that the system is less busy might also seem unexpected. At the end of the day, however, you have to trust that the operations do get done (and if they didn't, you'd know about it pretty quick). Bottom line, don't think that, when you close a file with a save, something is going wrong just because you don't hear or see a flurry of activity at the HDD itself.

Hope this helps,

...S

[idata]

Hi Scott,

You are right in your comment. However engineering would like to investigate the issue, if the HDD goes for hours of continuous activity it could be damaged. Also since this seems to be in a secondary drive and this is a new feature, getting to know bugs and issues is a great feedback for us. Best Regards, Juan N.