# Intel Rapid Storage Technology?



## Meowmocha (Oct 10, 2015)

I was doing something on the computer when a popup window appeared for a moment, then disappeared. Then it returned, and I tried to hit 'exit'. Thinking some virus was on my computer, I closed everything internet-related.

After the popup had appeared a few times, Intel Rapid Storage Technology came up, apparently having just been installed. Apparently it's not anything bad (having looked it up, and scanned my computer), but I didn't ask to install the program, and I don't want it. However, when you click on 'uninstall', it makes it sound like it's an important thing that shouldn't be deleted.

So my question is, can this be uninstalled without any issues?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

IRST is only required for Raid and/or caching drives. For normal JBOD connected drives you can use the standard MS AHCI SATA controller via Computer Management > Device Manager and changing the driver for the IDE controller.

Detailed here, you'll probably only need to follow the first ~12 steps  it's pretty straightforward and you'll be loading ~4 fewer drivers whilst retaining TRIM for SSDs and the ability to upgrade the firmware on both SSD and HDDs (some versions of RST pushed by MS did not support this).

There _might_ be a _slight_ performance hit, probably only detectable when comparing benchmarks.


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## Meowmocha (Oct 10, 2015)

Okay, I tried uninstalling the driver as indicated in the instructions, but when I restart, it's still there.
Also, under 'Programs and Features', I still see 'Intel Rapid Storage Technology' and 'Intel Optane Pinning Explorer Extensions'.


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

I just noticed that in your lower screenshot, bottom left corner there's a checkbox that looks like it will show you the specifics of allowing the MS controller rather than RST, you should try to follow that method first.


Further steps you _might_ need:

Optane is a newer technology, uninstall both it and RST.

In Device Manager, change the Intel controller to the AHCI SATA controller.

If W10 updates you hardware drivers (or in this case, installs drivers for hardware you don't have), there are ways to block it from updating specific, or all hardware drivers:

https://www.howtogeek.com/302595/ho...from-automatically-updating-hardware-drivers/

https://winaero.com/blog/how-to-block-drivers-auto-update-in-windows-10/

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...ver-from/bff07224-4ce2-4b42-ab29-68c3a305d730


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## Meowmocha (Oct 10, 2015)

I clicked on the checkbox, then hit 'next', and this is where I'm at right now.


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Ooh, frightening!

If you're sure you don't have a caching drive or Raid (if your System details are still the same as given your Profile you don't have either), you can reboot (any 'damage' is already done according to that screenshot) to test whether you also need to disable MS from 'updating' it again.


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## Meowmocha (Oct 10, 2015)

I know. After all the threats it gave, I was afraid to restart until I had the okay that nothing else needed to be done. I left it in sleep mode last night instead of shutting it down.
This is what appears in Computer Management and Device Manager.


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## Meowmocha (Oct 10, 2015)

In other news, just now HP Support Assistant appeared in the taskbar for a moment, then vanished. Then the Command Prompt popped up a couple of times. (And of course, I didn't get a screenshot, which might have been helpful...) I thought we were done with Command Prompt popping up, but _no_...


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

SSD setting looks fine, DiskMan layout is 'missing' System and Active flags, likely to have been absorbed into the EFI System partition, probably fine - it boots without any hangs or oddities?

HP's Bloatware doesn't have a great reputation, uses a lot of resources and might only flag up a useful update once or twice during the lifespan of a PC. I'd uninstall it - but, if you use any HP peripherals you might want to do a partial uninstall so as not to 'lose' contact with printer/scanner/...


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## Meowmocha (Oct 10, 2015)

After I tried uninstalling the driver earlier, the welcome screen came up with a generic image the first time or two I restarted, before it returned to the usual featured image. I also noticed the that the wifi symbol would show as disconnected for a moment, before changing to connected, as though the computer had to think about it for a second. But nothing terribly out of the ordinary. Sometimes there's a brief hang in startup after making a vital change.

Haven't restarted the computer since uninstalling Intel Rapid Management in 'Programs'. I wanted to make sure everything looked good before shutting down, since the program made uninstalling it sound like the start of Armegeddon. I didn't want to miss a vital step and have it not boot properly.


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Run through @Patrick's tests again, post screenshots of anything you're unsure of (if you've not yet rebooted there's likely to be some anomalies like drivers still loaded).


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## Meowmocha (Oct 10, 2015)

All right, I uninstalled the driver again, and am about to restart.


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## Meowmocha (Oct 10, 2015)

Okay, I'm back. Nothing seemed unusual when I rebooted. I don't see Intel Rapid Storage Technology in the programs list. However, the driver is still there, and I can see an .exe file in Task Manager by that name. Don't know if I should have hit 'remove driver software' when uninstalling the driver.
The .exe file appears to have been created awhile ago; however, the Intel driver on Device Manager has timestamps which give the impression it was installed at the same time as the RST program I uninstalled.
As a side note, there's a program called 'Intel Optane Pinning Explorer Extensions', downloaded on the same date as RST was; should that be removed as well?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Looks good so far, it can be tricky to get rid of all unwanted Intel drivers and prevent W10 from reinstalling them at every opportunity.

Try to block MS/WU from (re)installing hardware driver, the 3 URL's from the end of post #4.

Yes, checking the box to uninstall the software/drivers would have been better, can you do that again now (it should automatically continue using the default MS drivers, they are loaded anyway)?

Optane software can be uninstalled.


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## Meowmocha (Oct 10, 2015)

Computer: Yeah, I can uninstall, but I'll have to close Google Chrome and Windows Explorer. Sure, I'll try and bring them up again when we're done.
Computer: (doesn't bring up Explorer again)
Me: (tries to run explorer.exe again through Task Manager)
Explorer: (opens and promptly becomes unresponsive)
Me: (has to hit Ctrl+Alt+Delete and restart computer)

In related news, uninstalling Optane was fun.


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## Meowmocha (Oct 10, 2015)

Random question: In the second screenshot of post 7, Disk Management listed the device type for the disk as "RAID". Does that mean it's a RAID drive, or is that something different?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

I'd missed that; single drives cannot be Raid, must be that it's set that way in the UEFI/BIOS, setting it as AHCI would be better though it will require some driver changes and a visit to both the BIOS and Safe Mode...

https://support.thinkcritical.com/kb/articles/switch-windows-10-from-raid-ide-to-ahci


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## Meowmocha (Oct 10, 2015)

At this point, I'm not sure if the Intel stuff was recently added, or if it's always been there, and I just never really noticed it until those annoying popups on Tuesday. The 'Programs and Features' said the Intel programs were downloaded that day, but it also says Google Chrome was downloaded 1/30/19, which is its last _update_ rather than when I originally downloaded it.
Since I did the steps to prevent drivers from updating and removed the main programs, does that mean I won't see Command Prompt randomly appearing any more? (I think the Intel update was what the popup windows were all about.)


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

RST would have been there since new, Optane similar, if the PC is less than ~3 years old, otherwise Optane would have been added at some point by MS/Windows Update - or as part of the last OS 'upgrade'. The RST popup's not likely to reappear until MS decides to upgrade W10 again.


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## Meowmocha (Oct 10, 2015)

"Less than three years"? Yeah, I've had this laptop less than three _months_. I think RST was here the whole time, and the recent upgrade had me thinking it might be something new. I'd never been bothered by Intel's popups before, or anything involving Command Prompt randomly appearing and running mysterious code to make me paranoid.
On the other hand, I don't really want to mess with the more technical settings like BIOS. It makes me afraid I'll mess things up somehow. :4-outaher At this point, I think I might just leave the Intel driver there.
I set things up earlier so hardware drivers aren't updated, from the first link in post 4, and Intel apps no longer appear in 'Programs'. I haven't seen Command Prompt lately, so hopefully it'll stay that way.


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Whatever you're comfortable with, it's unlikely to harm performance/stability if you don't go through all the steps.


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## Meowmocha (Oct 10, 2015)

Thanks for all your help! :chgrin:


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