Note: I had previously reported a variant on this same problem at https://community.intel.com/t5/Rapid-Storage-Technology/Intel-Optane-Memory-and-Storage-Management-fails-to-launch-Error/m-p/1502452/emcs_t/S2h8ZW1haWx8bWVudGlvbl9zdWJzY3JpcHRpb258TEpSS1ZaSFdIV1Q1VUp8MTUwMjQ1MnxBVF9NRU5USU9OU3xoSw
Unfortunately, Intel closed the ticked while I was working on gathering the requested information. That information plus additional information I learned from further testing is all included here.
I've used Intel RST for at least 14 years, maybe longer (don't recall when I started using on-board RAID as good-enough and much less expensive than a dedicated RAID card) for monitoring RAID integrity, tuning cache levels, rebuilding volumes, etc., across dozens of systems. I do NOT have any Optane volumes, just using the software for RAID management and testing to ensure drives and arrays are all in good shape and to be aware of any problems before they affect system stability. Drives in my systems have shifted over time from HD to SATA SSD to PCIe SSD.
I know that more recently (a few years ago, under Windows 10) Intel and Microsoft moved from the Intel-provided GUI to the one in the Microsoft Store, the "Intel Optane Memory and Storage Management" application. I believe the back-end drivers remain the iastor drivers, which seem to work fine for my RAID array (at least, I can always read and write data, but not sure if the RAID management, TRIM, etc. are all happening properly in the background).
But between the drivers and the new GUI, Intel appears to have a middleware layer via the RstMwService. That service always runs fine for a few days following a restart (so the software DOES WORK), but after that, possibly associated with PC going to sleep (but not every time it goes to sleep), the RstMwService (appears in Services management as "Intel(R) Storage Middleware Service") stops and won't restart, preventing running the Intel Optane Memory and Storage Management application (the GUI manager for the RAID system).
This is how the service appears after it has stopped:
When that's stopped, if I try to launch the Intel Optane Memory and Storage Management app, I get this:
Attempts to restart the RstMwService yield:
And the Event Viewer shows 3 errors every time I try to restart the RstMwService with ID's 207, 1000, and 7034:
Event 207, AppModel-Runtime
0x800702E4: Cannot create the process for package AppUp.IntelOptaneMemoryandStorageManagement_19.0.1042.0_x64__8j3eq9eme6ctt because an error was encountered while launching. [LaunchProcess]
Event 1000, Application Error
Faulting application name: RstMwService.exe, version: 19.5.2.1049, time stamp: 0x637b7d85
Faulting module name: RstMwService.exe, version: 19.5.2.1049, time stamp: 0x637b7d85
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x00000000000c1889
Faulting process id: 0x0xF570
Faulting application start time: 0x0x1D9C2DE5B0AD731
Faulting application path: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\iastorvd.inf_amd64_74e28d819fb21cc3\RstMwService.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\iastorvd.inf_amd64_74e28d819fb21cc3\RstMwService.exe
Report Id: a49a2d5d-9b9c-46d5-928d-82249a756c8d
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:
Event 7034, Service Control Manager
The Intel(R) Storage Middleware Service service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 2 time(s).
But again to be clear, it always runs fine for hours to days (varies) after a restart. So I think we can rule out corrupted files or anything that would prevent the service from running at all.
Also, I never seem to have any problems with my RAID array or drives, but I confess if it were just not writing the parity or mirror bits, I might not have any way of knowing until a drive failed.
Additional background:
I run RAID 1 on the computer in question (others run RAID 5 and RAID 10). I set that up in the BIOS (various MoBo's, but this one happens to be MSI, using Intel's Z790 chipset). In order to install Windows, I need to install the RAID drivers from the f6vmdflpy-x64 folder during Windows installation, which is the same process I've used for more than decade. Without the drivers added during install, the Windows installer doesn't even see the drive and won't install. So I know that from the moment of install, it's using the Intel drivers. So far, so good.
Then, once Windows us up and running, I can install the Intel Driver and Support Assistant and the Intel Optane Memory and Storage Management apps. The Intel D&SA used to also update RST, but now it seems to ignore it and only address networking and embedded graphics. The Optane Memory and Storage Management app seems to require a current version of the RST software to be able to provide a report on the RAID array and drives.
As noted above, the Intel Optane Memory and Storage Management starts and runs fine without any error for the first few hours or days following a restart.
I see these in my Device Manager on the PC that I am currently troubleshooting:
The Intel RST VMD Controller A77F is version 19.5.2.1049, dated 11/21/2022.
The Intel RST VMD Managed Controller 09AB (both of them) show the same version and date.
On another older PC that does not have this problem (older system is 8th Gen Intel, this problem system is the latest 13th gen Z790 chipset) it has a very different list in Device Manager:
The Intel Chipset SATA/PCIe RST Premium Controller shows a version # of 16.8.3.1003 on that other older Z390 chipset system that's running with no errors.
In the Intel RST drivers at Intel.com, I see drivers that at first look like the might be newer, dated in 2023, version # 19.5.2.1049.5 ( https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/720755/intel-rapid-storage-technology-driver-installation-software-with-intel-optane-memory-11th-and-12th-gen-platforms.html?wapkw=rst ). However, when I install those, it appears to show the same version and date I had previously. Problem still occurred after a few days of working fine. I also don't know if these include the RstMwService or only the underlying drivers.
Questions:
- For my understanding, how are the RST drivers supposed to be updated? They do not appear to be touched by the Intel Driver & Support Assistant. Is it Windows Update? Is it the Intel D&SA?
- Do the driver updates include the RstMwService file or is that installed separately? If separately, how do I keep that up to date?
- Does the problem shown above indicate a driver issue or only a problem with the Intel Storage Middleware service (RstMwService)?
- Is there any way to know if when RstMwService is not running, is the RAID array still providing writing parity/mirroring to protect against a drive loss? My hope is that the middleware is only about the display and no errors with the drivers themselves means that part is working fine.
- How do I fix the stopping and failing to restart of the RstMwService so that I can run the Intel Optane Memory and Storage Management application and check the status of drives and RAID volumes?
Link Copied
I can manage RAID from BIOS, I think.
Anyway, I have this issue from long time with an HP Omen laptop. With the original OEM configuration (Windows 10 home) the app IntelOptaneMemoryandStorageManagement was there and working. I made last year a fresh install of windows 11 and intel RST VMD, but the app never worked again despite many bios updates, driver updates and windows updates.
Now my Windows version is 22621.2215 with Intel driver 19.5.6.1057. Device manager with no errors and event viewer with some not related errors. If I set Intel Storage Middleware Service to enabled and I install the Intel app, I have exactly the same errors, with identical codes, in event viewer or when i try to launch the app or start the service.
I tried your solution but does'nt works for me. The errors remains the same.
