Rapid Storage Technology won't let HDD defrag

[WRidg]

The latest RST driver shows my HDD as an SSD in drive optimization in Windows 10 and won't allow it to be defragmented. I rolled back the driver to pre version 13, but this driver isn't compatible with windows 10 and seems to be crashing my computer on a regular basis. Has any progress been made on identifying why the RST driver messes up drive optimization in windows?

[idata]

Hello I_Tichy:

In order to further assist you we just need to verify a few details: What is the model of your board? What is the model of your processor? What type of RAID are you using? How many hard drives are you using? What is the RST version that you currently have installed? Any questions, please let me know. Alberto

[WRidg]

motherboard: Dell Inc. 0X2P13,

processor: intel i5 6300hq

RAID: I have RAID (Inter Rapid Storage Technology) selected in my BIOS

Hard drives: 2, one SSD and one HDD

RST Driver: as of right now I have a 12.9.0.1001 since 14.8.0.1042 misidentified my hdd as an ssd and wouldn't let it defrag.

[idata]

Hello I_Tichy:

Thank you very much for that information. Since you are using a RAID 1 configuration, there is no option to defrag just the hard drive, that is because the PC sees the HDD and SSD as one drive, and that is the reason why it will not work. If you need to defrag the RAID 1, just to let you know, it is not recommended to do that when using an SSD, because when you try to defrag an SSD there are a lot of reads and writes that will happen and that will decrease the life cycle of it and it could even damage it, depending on the software you are using. So, basically if you need to defrag just the HDD, you will need to delete the RAID 1, and then you can use the Windows® 10 option "defragment and optimized drives" or you can try any other software to do it. Any questions, please let me know. Alberto

[WRidg]

Hmm... I'm not really sure I buy this answer. When I use the old driver, defragging just the hdd is not a problem. Why is this only an issue with more recent versions of the driver and not older ones?

[idata]

Hello I_Tichy:

In that case, when you say and older driver, you mean an older version of the IRST or which driver are you referring to? Also, why did you upgrade it, is there any particular reason why you needed to do that? Any questions, please let me know. Alberto

[WRidg]

I'm using the 12.9.0.1001 version of the IRST driver. My computer came with 14.8.0.1042 installed. I felt like it was weird to not be able to defragment an HDD so I looked it up and came across this thread:

So it properly recognizes my HDD now, but the driver isn't compatible with windows 10 and I think it may be causing other problems, namely blue screens. I disabled caching and I haven't been getting blue screens, but having to choose between defragging and crashing seems like a choice I shouldn't have to make?

[idata]

Hello I_Tichy:

Thank you very much for that information, it is very important to us. And you are right, to choose between disabling caching or to be able to defrag the HDD is not a decision you have to make. And just to let you know, there are a few reports about the IRST version 14.8.0.1042 showing a few problems with Windows® 10, even though it should be fully compatible. Currently we are doing an investigation and research in order to get a possible fix for this problem. So, as soon as I get some details for a possible solution, I will post all the information on this thread. Any questions please let me know. Alberto

[WRidg]

Thanks Alberto, sounds good.

Just to be as clear as possible: I'm using 12.9.0.1001, which isn't compatible with windows 10. I turned off caching since it was making the computer crash, but regardless of whether or not caching is on, I can at least defrag with that version of RST.

I never turned off caching when I was using 14.8.0.1042 since the issue wasn't with the computer crashing (it was crashing, but I can't necessary attribute that to RST), it was with not being able to defrag.

so 12.9.0.1001: caching = crashing, but can defrag

14.8.0.1042: can't defrag

Thanks for the help.

[idata]

Hello I_Tichy:

Thank you very much for providing all those details and for clarifying that information. At this point we will try to replicate the issue in our lab as part of our investigation process. So, could you please provide a detailed description step by step of how did you crate the RAID and the process that you do in order to defrag the HDD, so, we can follow those same steps, to confirm if the same problem happens also in our lab. Any questions, please let me know. Alberto

[WRidg]

There's no real process involved for defragging the hard drive, I just have to have 12.9.0.1001 installed and I can defrag as if I didn't have RST installed at all. In terms of setting drives up for RAID, I did that through my BIOS before reformatting the computer. I selected the RAID option in the hard drive configuration screen in the BIOS, and then after reformatting the first time I booted up I went to Intel's website and downloaded the most recent version of the RST there since Dell doesn't seem to be hosting it. Once I installed the driver and configured the software Windows stopped recognizing the HDD properly and wouldn't let it be defragmented.

[idata]

Hello I_Tichy:

Thank you very much for that information, it is very useful for us. Let me apologize because I thought you were using a RAID configuration. Now, we just need to verify a few more details: Did you try a Windows® upgrade from 7 to 10? Did you try just for testing purposes to disable the hardware acceleration from the SSD and defrag the HDD? Please try the IRST version 14.5..2.1088 from the following link, look where it says "Serial ATA: http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/product-support/product/xps-15-9550-laptop/drivers/advanced?rvps=y http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/product-support/product/xps-15-9550-laptop/drivers/advanced?rvps=y Please let us know the results of trying that IRST version. And finally please provide the IRST report, on the following link you will be able to see the instructions in order to do that: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/boards-and-kits/000006351.html http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/boards-and-kits/000006351.html Any questions, please let me know. Alberto

[WRidg]

Alberto,

I am using a RAID config:

In terms of setting drives up for RAID, I did that through my BIOS before reformatting the computer. I selected the RAID option in the hard drive configuration screen in the BIOS

I've tried that driver before, it's what originally came with my laptop and I had the same issue. I updated to 14.8.0.1042 from 14.5..2.1088, then went to 12.9.0.1001 when I first got my computer. 14.8 and 14.5 both had the same defrag issues.

Windows 7 has never been installed on my computer.

As for the IRST report, I'm sorry, but since we began this conversation I've reformatted again and have not installed IRST and I'm unwilling to. My computer has completely ceased crashing without IRST and I do not want to go back to that.

[idata]

Hello I_Tichy:

Thank you very much once again for providing that information. Perfect, that is not problem, we respect the opinion from all of the peers in our Intel® communities, and if you prefer not to use the IRST, we totally understand that. Also, it is great to hear that the PC is finally working fine for you. We will continue doing further research, and if I get a possible resolution for thos issue, I will post all the details on this thread. Any other inquiry, do not hesitate in contact us again. Any questions, please let me know. Alberto