Once more: Unable to activate SSD cache - error 0xA001004E

[TReh]

Hello,

I am trying to activate SSD caching on a Dell T3420 (C236PCH chipset). The system is running Windows 7 x64 Pro and has a 1 TB HDD.

I installed an additional 60 GB SSD at the free SATA port and verified that in the BIOS the SATA mode is set to RAID. In the RST UI, the option is presented to use the SSD as cache for the system. However, after having entered the configuration settings, an extremely unspecific error message appears:

No matter what I do or try, this error persists.

I searched for the error code 0xA001004E and found several people having the same problem, but no solution.

I already ran Intel SSU, but the report doesn't show anything that appears wrong. Also, both drives are listed there (the SSD showing up only if not "tried" to use as cache). Also, the RST system report shows no errors or any useful information. The "cache volume" appears OK, but obviously it's not "connected" to the HDD.

What exactly causes that mysterious error code, and how can I resolve this?

Tilmann

[TReh]

New information:

After I found that some other person was told to keep at least 5 MB free and unallocated space at the end of the HDD - although on the Intel website this is explicitly required only for Optane memory - the behaviour has changed.

Now, after trying to setup the acceleration, it takes several seconds - and then the same error message appears, however this time with the error code 0xA0000002. Unfortunately, this error code isn't even mentioned in the list of the RST error codes.

What's happening here??

Tilmann

[idata]

Hi Tilmann: Thank you very much for contacting the Intel® Rapid Storage Technology communities. We will do our best to try to fix this problem.

In order to provide the most accurate response we just need to confirm some details about your system. Please provide the RAID report of the PC:https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000006351/technologies.html https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000006351/technologies.html Also, please provide a screenshot of disk management so we can verify the status of the partitions. Any further questions, please let me know. Regards,Alberto R

[TReh]

Hello Alberto,

thanks for your help.

This is the disk management console before trying to activate the SSD cache:

And this is after:

I am also attaching the two system reports (before and after) from RST.

In the meantime, when I release the SSD within the RST UI and then try to enable caching again, I'm getting the error code 0xA001004B. From the Intel website, this means something related to the last HDD partition - again related to Optane memory, but obviously this information is somewhat misleading anyway...

Does RST require a free partition at the end of the HDD, not just unused space? (If yes, why doesn't it simply tell this in an error message instead of showing some obscure and badly documented error codes?) If that's the case, we have a problem here since the HDD already contains the maximum of four partitions (with two of them being wasted by the stupid default installation of OEM windows by Dell)...

Regards, Tilmann

[idata]

Hi Tilmann: You are welcome. Thank you for providing that information and for the pictures. Based on those details it seems to be the SSD cache is working, that is what it shows on the report after you activated it.

Does RST require a free partition at the end of the HDD, not just unused space?What it requires is a unallocated space and the end of the HDD, based on the second picture it seems to be properly configured. Not sure if "Nicht Zugeo" means unallocated. Any questions, please let me know. Regards,Alberto R

[TReh]

Hello Alberto,

indeed the cache volume appears to be created, however it is not assigned to a HDD so in fact no acceleration is active.

"Nicht zugeordnet" (it's clipped due to the small size of that area, but you can see the full text in the other screenshot) is the german wording for "not allocated".

So, what can I do now? Something's still not right here, and all I get is obscure error codes...

Unfortunately, the documentation about using RST for HDD/SSD caching is horrible - or, to be more precise, just completely missing.

Regards,

Tilmann

[idata]

Hi Tilmann: Thank you for sharing those results. In this case what we can try to do is to access the control "i" menu and then set both the hard drive and the SSD to "Non-RAID", then we can try to do a low level format on the SSD to make sure there is no RAID structure on it:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000006198/memory-and-storage.html https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000006198/memory-and-storage.html After that, please set-up the Intel® SMART Response Technology again:https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005501/boards-and-kits.html https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005501/boards-and-kits.html Any questions, please let me know. Regards,Alberto R

[TReh]

Hello Alberto,

thanks for your answer and your support - however, with all respect, I don't think that this is related to something that can be fixed with a low level formatting of the SSD. Take care that the cache volume is created correctly and without any errors. Only trying to assign the cache volume to the HDD causes an error message.

Obviously, the main problem here is the complete lack of documentation from Intel. If we knew all requirements/prerequisites that are needed to activate SSD caching, we wouldn't have such problems. (Note that this is only one of many threads covering issues like this one. Also note the contradictory information on the Intel website regarding the supported chipsets, and the error codes with respect to Optane memory or RST in general.)

Concretely, what exactly does the error code 0xA0000002 mean? What are possible causes for this error message? Since RST is provided by Intel (as well as the chipsets it supports), you (i.e. Intel) certainly must have more detailed information anywhere. Please gather that information and provide it to us. Just displaying an error code number (that's even not explained anywhere) definitely is the worst any software can do.

Thanks, and best regards,

Tilmann

[idata]

Hi Tilmann: You are welcome. Thank you very much for providing those details. We will do further research on this matter, as soon as I get any updates I will post all the details on this thread.

Any questions, please let me know.

Regards,

Alberto R

[TReh]

Hello Alberto,

thanks for your help - maybe you can provide some information now, after about one week has passed by. (Should be sufficient time to look up the meaning of an error code, IMHO - I assume Intel has the source code...)

Thanks & regards,

Tilmann

[idata]

Hi Tilmann We apologize for any inconvenience. I just received some updates on the research we are doing on this subject, we just wanted to confirm that if you check Windows Event Log for errors, do you see any error related to Intel® RST similar to the following?

"An unknown error has occured while an operation was in progress."or"IAStorUtil.StoregeAction.VolumeCreate action failed"

If that is the case, the problem could be related to another running application like an antivirus. Please make sure that all of them are disabled prior to start Accelerate feature. Please disable all schedules tasks like Automatic startup file check, etc.

Any questions, please let me know.

Regards,

Alberto R

[TReh]

Hello Alberto,

the Windows Event Log doesn't show any error of that kind.

Even if I try once more to activate SSD caching, no new event is logged.

In the meantime, did you (or someone else) look up the possible causes for 0xA0000002 in the source code?

Regards,

Tilmann

[idata]

Hi Tilmann: Thank you very much for providing those updates. Yes, we are still currently doing further research on this subject, we just wanted to confirm those details. As soon as I get any more updates, I will post all the information on this thread.

Any questions, please let me know. Regards,Alberto R

[TReh]

Hello Alberto,

I just noticed that one more week passed by...

Being a software developer by myself, it's hard for me to understand why it's not possible to simply look up the cause(s) for error code 0xA0000002 in the source code.

Thanks for your help

and best regards,

Tilmann

[n_scott_pearson]

You're talking to a Support Engineer, not a Software Developer. He doesn't have access to the source code. All he can do is make the request of the development team and respond with their feedback when it arrives.

Alberto, please ping the development team again.

[TReh]

Hello,

of course you are right - and just to make sure, my previous post was not meant to be offensive to Alberto.

Instead, I am complaining about the lack of support by "those who know"... This whole thread (and several others) wouldn't have been necessary if they'd done their work (i.e. provided useful error messages, and some kind of documentation).

Alberto, thanks for your help - and please keep on requesting the required information from the software developers.

(I think these could look up this information in just a few minutes.)

Tilmann

[TReh]

Hello.

One more week without any progress. Now it's exactly four weeks - shouldn't it be possible to explain an error code in that time?

Tilmann

[DTran16]

Tilmann,

tl;dr: Downgrade the Intel RST application from 15.7 to 15.2 YMMV

I received the same 0xA001004E error while enabling acceleration. I found this post looking for information about it. I found a solution for the error, however, the situation was different. This might help still since I believe the problem is with the Intel RST 15.7 series with Optane support application and drivers. I previously enabled acceleration using an SSD and the SSD cache volume was created. I was using Intel RST version 15.2.15.1058. I later disabled acceleration. The SSD cache volume remained. I tried to enable acceleration again using version 15.7.5.1025, I received the 0xA001004E error. I was able to enable acceleration after uninstalling version 15.7.5.1025 then installing version 15.2.15.1058. This downgraded both the Intel RST application and Intel RST device driver. The 15.2 series doesn't create a partition at the end of the accelerated hard drive from what could tell. It does create a metadata partition at the beginning of the SSD drive.

Duc

[TReh]

Hello Duc,

interesting point. That would match the discrepancies and contradictions in the little available documentation.

But why, for heavens sake, are such very important restrictions not mentioned anywhere?

Tilmann

[idata]

Tilmann: I just wanted to let you know that we are still doing research on this matter. As soon as I get any details on this subject I will post all the information on this thread.

Any questions, please let me know. Regards,Alberto R

[idata]

Tilmann: I just received some updates on this matter and actually the error code 0xa0000002 mostly happens due to a corrupt partition.

However, we are still waiting for a confirmation from our engineering team, as soon as I get additional details, I will post all the information on this thread. Any questions, please let me know. Regards,Alberto R