Win11 newest update destroy VMD driver

[yf1203]

My computer motherboard is MSI Z690-A, with VMD enabled, and the driver used is Intel RST version 20.0.0.1038 provided by the MSI. After updating the latest patch of Windows 11 today and restarting, a blue screen error occurred with INACCESSBLE-BOOT_DEVICE. The system disk is the Optane H20 with Optane acceleration enabled. After testing, installing Windows+11 and updating it on a regular PCIE4.0+NVME+SSD that is not an Optane hybrid hard drive will also result in a blue screen of INACCESSBLE-BOOT_DEVICE, while installing Win11 and updating it on SATA SSD does not result in a blue screen. After turning off VMD, NVMe+SSD can also start Win11 normally
AND,intel rst driver 20.2.6.1025.2 downloaded in intel.com will cause "KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE" blue screen IN MY COMPUTER

[JohnM_Intel]

Hello yf1203,

Thank you for reaching out to Intel Customer Support and for providing detailed information about your system configuration and the issue you encountered. I understand that after updating to the latest Windows 11 patch, your system experienced a blue screen with the INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE error when using your Intel® Optane™ Memory H20 with VMD enabled. I can imagine how frustrating this must be, especially after testing multiple storage configurations.

Based on your description, it appears the issue may be related to a driver or compatibility behavior between the latest Windows 11 updates and the Intel® RST/VMD configuration. To help us further investigate, please provide the following details:

• Processor model: (e.g., Intel® Core™ i7-12700K)
• Exact Windows 11 build and patch version currently installed (e.g., 23H2, build 22631.4317)
• Confirmation of the BIOS version currently installed on your MSI Z690-A motherboard

In the meantime, please try the following steps for initial isolation:

1. Rollback the Intel® RST driver to version 19.5.0.1037, then test if the issue persists.
2. Follow the steps outlined in the Intel article: Troubleshooting Tips for Blue Screen Error (BSOD) While Using Intel® Processors.

Once we receive the requested information, we’ll coordinate internally to determine the next best course of action or provide updated driver guidance if applicable.

Thank you for your time, patience, and cooperation while we work through this issue.

Regards,

John M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[yf1203]

Thank you for your reply. After my investigation, the blue screen of 'inaccessible boot devices' was caused by a hard drive acceleration software called PrimoCache. Unfortunately, installing the Intel RST driver installation software version 20.2.6.1025.2 ('Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Driver Installation Software with Intel® Optane™ Memory' for 12th to 15th generation platforms) still causes a 'Kernel Security Check Failure' blue screen. Installing the version 20.1.0 provided by MSI or order version by Intel will not cause any issues. My processor is an Intel i5-14600K, the operating system is Windows 11 Professional Workstation 25H2, 26200.6899, and the motherboard model is MSI Z690A WiFi DDR4 with BIOS version 7D25v1M.

[JohnM_Intel]

Hello yf1203,

Thank you for providing the detailed information and for sharing the results of your investigation. We truly appreciate the time and effort you’ve taken to identify the possible cause of the blue screen issue.

Based on the details you’ve shared, it appears that the issue is related to compatibility between the Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (RST) driver version 20.2.6.1025.2 and your system configuration.

Since the version 20.1.0 provided by MSI or Intel works without issue, we recommend continuing to use that stable version for now to ensure system reliability.

Additionally, according to the motherboard manufacturer’s website, the latest IRST driver version available is 20.0.0.1038. Could you please confirm if this is the exact driver version you’re currently using?

Regards,

John M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[yf1203]

The Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver version provided on the MSI official website seems to be 20.0.0.1038, but after extracting the driver using the SetupRST -extradriver command, the iaStorVD.sys file inside is version 20.1.0.1015. After installation, the driver version number in the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Application is also 20.1.0.1015. In repeated system reinstall tests some days ago, it seems that using the 20.2.6.1025.2 driver with Optane H20 as the system drive causes a Kernel Security Check Failure, while using a regular SSD works normally. This is my recollection from a few days ago. ...

[JohnM_Intel]

Hello yf1203,

Thank you for providing the update and for sharing the screenshot. Please allow me some time to investigate this internally to determine why downloading version 20.0.0.1038 results in version 20.1.0.1015 after extraction.

Once the investigation is complete, I’ll get back to you with an update.

Regards,

John M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[JohnM_Intel]

Hello yf1203,

Thank you for your patience. Upon checking, please note that Intel® Optane™ is already discontinued for some time now, and the Intel® RST 20.2 driver is not targeted for Optane configurations. Additionally, Intel® H20 support is limited to ADL platforms.

For systems utilizing Intel® Optane™ Memory, we recommend using the latest 19.x Intel® RST driver. You may obtain this version directly from your system manufacturer (OEM), or alternatively, download the generic Intel® driver from the link below:

Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Driver Installation Software with Intel® Optane™ Memory (12th to 13th Gen Platforms)

Please proceed with the installation of the recommended driver and let us know if the issue persists.

Regards,

John M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[yf1203]

Both the driver version 19.5.8 you recommended and 20.1.0 downloaded from the manufacturer work well when using an Optane H20 SSD as the system drive.

[JohnM_Intel]

Hello yf1203,

Thank you for the update and for confirming that both driver versions, 19.5.8 and 20.1.0, are working well with your Intel® Optane™ H20 SSD as the system drive.

I’m glad to hear that the setup is functioning properly. If you experience any further issues or have additional questions, please don’t hesitate to let us know we’ll be happy to assist you.

Regards,

John M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[yf1203]

Unfortunately, after updating the KB5070773 patch to fix the issue of USB keyboard and mouse failure in Windows RE, attempting to enter the Windows RE interface results in a KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE (0x139) blue screen regardless of which version of RST is installed. Even before installing the KB5070773 patch, installing RST versions 19.5.8 and 20.1.0 SOMETIMES also caused a blue screen when ONLY entering Win RE. I am sorry that I currently cannot figure out the specific cause, whether it is a Microsoft Windows update or other software such as PrimoCache or chipset drivers. At least for now, the computer works fine as long as it does not enter Win RE.

[JohnM_Intel]

Hello yf1203,

Thank you for providing the detailed information. I understand the situation regarding the KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE (0x139) blue screen occurring in Windows RE after installing the KB5070773 patch, as well as the intermittent blue screens with certain RST versions.

Please allow me some time to investigate this internally for further review so we can properly investigate the root cause and provide you with the next steps. I’ll keep you updated once we have more information.

Regards,

John M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[JonathanLeeUSA]

Yeah, I’d really love to have the system fully working on my FreeBSD setup too. Right now, I only get access to the SSD, not the accelerator side. The driver’s Intel proprietary, which makes it tricky. It kind of reminds me of the old 486 DX-2 days — back when the processor was so advanced it couldn’t even leave the country! If Intel isn’t making the hardware anymore, you’d think they could at least release the driver so the rest of us can use it. I guess all we can do is keep hoping. It's a driver issue, Windows 11 needs signed drivers that and the use of the new boot process in the bios causes issues, kind of like the TPM 1.2 issues they have to work differently and that is why it needs new firmware/driver on them. 

[JohnM_Intel]

Hello yf1203,

Upon investigation, it appears that the issue may be related to hardware and operating system compatibility, which could have been triggered by a recent OS update.

To help us analyze the issue further, could you please provide the BSOD dump logs from your system? These logs will allow us to review the crash details and determine the root cause.

Thank you for your cooperation. I’ll be waiting for your response.

Regards,

John M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[JohnM_Intel]

Hello yf1203,

Could you please confirm if you have reviewed the information I posted? Your feedback at your earliest convenience would be greatly appreciated so we can decide on the best way to proceed with resolving this matter.

Regards,

John M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[yf1203]

I'm sorry, I don't know how to obtain BSODdumplogs. After checking the Windows event logger and Windows/minidump after the blue screen, I didn't find any related content

[JohnM_Intel]

Hello yf1203,

Thank you for the update and for letting me know that you’re unable to obtain the BSOD dump logs.

Please allow me some time to investigate this concern internally so we can properly replicate and assess the issue. Once the investigation is complete, I’ll reach out to you with an update.

Regards,

John M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[JohnM_Intel]

Hello yf1203,

Thank you for your patience. We are currently investigating the issue you reported. To help us proceed with a deeper analysis, please provide the BSOD dump logs from your system by following the steps below:

Step 1: Navigate to C:\Windows\Minidump and drag the contents to your desktop.

• If the Minidump folder is missing or empty, please check for a larger file located at C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP.
• If you find minidump files, please use those first, as they are faster to upload and download. Only send the MEMORY.DMP file if no minidumps are available.

Step 2: Compress the files using the built-in Windows compression tool:

• Right-click the files and select Send to → Compressed (zipped) folder.

Step 3: Upload the zipped file via your preferred method:

• You may share it through the Intel Community thread, or
• Upload it to Google Drive and share the link with us.

Once we receive the dump files, we’ll continue with our analysis and provide you with the next steps as soon as possible.

Regards,

John M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[yf1203]

Perhaps because my Windows 11 system set an error during the installation of use Windows NT SET UP and close the automatically restart when crash, I still haven't received the DUMP file.

However, the blue screen issue was resolved in a strange way: I installed another identical WIN11 system and various drivers and software on the H20 hard drive in order to obtain the DUMP file. BUT, this new system does not have a blue screen, and I have been pondering for a long time without thinking about the possible reason for the blue screen in the old system.

I directly tried to replace the old system's  WINRE.wim file by the new system's, there were some differences in the size of the two wim files. The blue screen issue of the old system entering WINRE  was resolved JUST in this way! I have tried Windows system file online repair before, and maybe they did not detect winre.WIM.

Thank you for these services

[JohnM_Intel · Accepted solution]

Hello yf1203,

Thank you for sharing the details of your troubleshooting steps. I understand how frustrating and time-consuming this issue must have been for you.

It sounds like the blue screen was caused by a corrupted WINRE.wim file in your original Windows 11 installation. I’m glad to hear that replacing it with the file from the new system resolved the issue.

As you noted, standard system file repair may not detect issues within WINRE.wim, so your approach makes sense and explains why the problem persisted until now.

I’m happy that your system is now stable, and I appreciate your patience and persistence in resolving this.

Regards,

John M.

Intel Customer Support Technician