Unable to disable acceleration on failing SDD via IRST app

[MRW1982]

Hi,
I have a 6 year old Dell XPS 8900 that is fitted with a 32GB SDD that is used to speed up data access. The windows 10 operating system is on a seperate hard drive.

Recently, the Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) app has been reporting a SMART event that my solid state device is at risk of failing. I ran the Dell SupportAssist on the device and it too highlighted issues with the SDD (I did check the hard disk with the operating system but this was ok) so I immediately backed up my data, then sourced an exact replacement for the SDD which I planned to fit.

My problem I have is that according to the IRST instructions for replacing the SDD, I have to first disable Acceleration using the app before replacing the failing SDD but in my case there is no option in the app to do so. This is the first time I have accessed the app so do not know if that option was ever available.

My hardware and setup according to the IRST app is as follows:

Toshiba DT01ACA200
SATA hard disk
Status: normal
Usage: accelerated disk
Acceleration mode: enhanced

Samsung sdd cm851 m.2 2242 32gb
Type: sata solid state drive
Status: at risk (SMART event)
Usage: cache device

The instructions in the help section of the IRST app are to click on the Performance tab to access the Disable Acceleration option but I can only see a section in there on Link Power Management. Other tabs I can see are Status, Manage, Preferences and Help. The is no mention of Acceleration on any of the screens. I have attached pictures of the screens.

The app appears to have been last updated on 21/06/2021 and is release 16.8.3.1004

Does anyone know what the problem could be here?

Thanks in advance.

[David_G_Intel]

Hello MRW1982

Thank you for posting on the Intel️® communities. To investigate this, please share with us the Intel® System Support Utility (Intel® SSU) results:

• Download the Intel SSU https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility-for-Windows- 
• Open the application and select "Everything" click on "Scan" to see the system and device information. By default, Intel® SSU will take you to the "Summary View".  
• Click on the menu where it says "Summary" to change to "Detailed View".  
• To save your scan, click on "Next", then "Save".  

Regards, 

David G 

Intel Customer Support Technician

[MRW1982]

Hi David,

Thanks for the offer of assistance. Results of the scan attached.

[David_G_Intel]

Thank you for the information, let me investigate this and I will post the updates on the thread.

Regards, 

David G 

Intel Customer Support Technician

[David_G_Intel]

After further investigation it seems that SSD acceleration is supported until RST version 15.9. Since you're currently using version 16.8 the best option for you is to install an earlier version to disable Smart cache or disk acceleration. Please check with Dell directly to get earlier versions for this system. 

Please keep in mind that this thread will no longer be monitored by Intel. Thank you for your understanding.  

Best regards, 

David G 

Intel Customer Support Technician 

[MRW1982]

Hi David,

Thanks for taking time to investigate this problem. I downloaded from Dell version15.7.5.1025,A03 (dated Sept 2017) and tried to install it with no success. The installer reported "Failure" and the message "The setup program ended prematurely due to the following error: Fatal error during installation". I repeated the exercise with the same result.

I then tried two earlier versions and encountered the same error.

I looked at the log file for a failed installation but could not make much sense of it.

I have also looked in BIOS to see if there was a setting relating to this with no success.

I have decided not to proceed with replacing the faulty SDD module; I just want to remove the use of the SDD. Can this be done without using the IRST interface?

Regards,
Mark.