What RSTCLI.exe to use with RST 17.7.0.1006 on Windows 10 64 bit?

[PTure1]

We use the Intel Storage Technology in our POS systems for years, using the RSTCLI.exe utility to manage the RAID volume. After updating to Windows 10 64 bit, using RST version 17.7.0.1006, we tried to use the corresponding RSTCLIPro.exe to manage the RAID volume. Alas, the '-M' option to control the RAID volume seems to be gone. The possibility must still exist as the graphical tool (IAStorUI.exe) supports it. Does anyone know what version of RSTCLI to use in our situation?

[Alberto_R_Intel]

PTure1, Thank you for posting in the Intel® Communities Support.

In reference to your question, you should be able to manage the RAID volume with Intel® RSTCLI Pro for Intel® Optane™ Memory:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/29093/Intel-RSTCLI-Pro-for-Intel-Optane-Memory?product=55005

As you can confirm in the "Read Me" notes, by entering -M in the command prompt allows you to manage it, bear in mind that you need to open the command prompt as an administrator, in the following link you will be able to verify that information:

https://downloadmirror.intel.com/29093/eng/Readme.txt

If the problem remains after installing the application provided above, in order to further assist you please provide the following information:

What is the model of the motherboard?

What is the model of the processor?

If this is a laptop, what is the model of it?

Which RAID level is the one that you are using, 0,1,5 or 10?

Is the computer using an Intel® Optane memory module, what is the model of it?

Regards,

Alberto R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[PTure1]

Alberto,

Thanks for your reply.

I downloaded the RstCliPro.exe as you proposed, but it is the same one as I used previously.

The help for the RstCliPro.exe gives the following result (partial, only for the manage options):

 Manage Options:

  --------------------------------

  | Flag | Name                 |

  --------------------------------

  | -Z  | --delete-all-metadata |

  | -M  | --manage             |

  --------------------------------

While te help for the RstCli.exe tool gives the following result (partial, only for the manage options):

  Manage Options:

  --------------------------------

  | Flag | Name                 |

  --------------------------------

  | -M  | --manage             |

  | -x  | --cancel-verify      |

  | -D  | --delete             |

  | -p  | --verify-repair      |

  | -f  | --normal-volume      |

  | -F  | --normal             |

  | -i  | --initialize         |

  | -L  | --locate             |

  | -y  | --remove             |

  | -T  | --delete-metadata    |

  | -Z  | --delete-all-metadata |

  | -N  | --not-spare          |

  | -P  | --volume-cache-policy |

  | -R  | --rebuild            |

  | -S  | --spare              |

  | -t  | --target             |

  | -U  | --verify             |

  | -w  | --write-cache        |

  | -W  | --rwh                |

  | -j  | --jd                 |

  | -b  | --controllerMode     |

  | -H  | --change-rohi        |

  --------------------------------

As a result, the RstCliPro tool does not accept a command like "RstCliPro.exe -M -P off -v Volume1" which our application uses to turn off the volume cache. Also the verbose variant "RstCliPro.exe --manage --volume-cache-policy Volume1" returns an 'unrecognised option'

It concerns an HP Engage computer with dual-core Celeron G4900T running Windows 10 IoT. RAID level 1, no Optane memory.

Regards,

Paul.

[Alberto_R_Intel]

PTure1, You are very welcome, thank you very much for letting us know those details.

Just to let you know, for this specific scenario, the thing is that the Intel® RSTCLI Pro was designed to work with systems that include Intel® Optane memory, it is different from the Intel® RSTCLI that was created to manage the RAID array configuration. So, the fact your platform does not contains an Intel® Optane memory module is the reason why you do not see the options to manage the RAID structure anymore.

Regards,

Alberto R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[PTure1]

Tried various versions of the commandline utility with no success. We are able to collect and parse the status, but could not find any way to configure the RAID volume except by using IaStorUI. Searching through the binaries it seems that all functionality is still present in ISDI2.dll. Googling around for an interface, we noticed that other users ran into this scenario too. Note that we create POS systems that are entirely 'closed': the end user has no possibility to run 3th party applications and all configuration is handled by our application, mostly in the background (for stability and security). Is there any way to get to an interface description (C++ header file) for the ISDI2 library? It would be no problem to sign an NDA for it, although I don't see any reason why Intel would not make the interface public: all customers that like to integrate the Intel RAID functionality into their application could benefit from it.

Regards,

Paul.

[Alberto_R_Intel]

PTure1, Thank you very much for providing that information.

Regarding your inquiry, if there is any way to get to an interface description (C++ header file) for the ISDI2 library? what we recommend for this scenario will be to submit your question in our Intel® Developer Zone where you will receive peer to peer assistance and further suggestion on this topic:

https://software.intel.com/en-us/forum

Regards,

Alberto R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[NWest2]

I am experiencing the exact same issue on a HP EliteDesk 800 G5 SFF.

I am attempting to automate creating a RAID 1 volume with 2 x 2TB drives within WinPE on an SCCM Task Sequence. I am able to create the RAID manually using the F3 key option on boot up to enter the Intel RST screen. If I try to use the RstCliPro.exe within WinPE I get the same issue as PTure1 does. I have the option to view the current config and delete it but no capability to create a new RAID volume. This means that I am unable to automate the build process and our engineers will have a manual step to create the RAID prior to running the SCCM Task Sequence to image the machine. This is quite disappointing as the old rstcli64.exe tool gave this flexibility.

[PTure1]

I no longer expect any help on this from Intel, so I started reverse engineering the ISDI2 dll. I managed to get some of the functionality working but it takes a lot of time do dig through the assembly code. I will inform you when I have something ready to be published, although I don't know when that will be as I am doing this in my spare time.

[NWest2]

Thank you for the response. I'd be very interested in seeing what you come up with. I will have to make do with the manual step for now. Luckily I don't have too many of these devices to build.