Intel MSM or Intel RST

Hi

On Dell website exist Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) 9.6.0.1014

My Precision M6500 came with Intel Matrix Storage Manager (IMSM) 8.9.4.1004 and the controller is Intel(R) ICH8M-E/ICH9M-E/PCHM SATA RAID

I have one disc and is a Samsung SSD PM800 2.5" 256gb. In the Bios A04 i have check RAID option on the SATA Operation.

My questions are in order to install IRST

1.- Do I have to uninstall IMSM first? or
2.- Proceed to install IRST without uninstall IMSM?
3.- How do i do to unistall IMSM, I mean could i have some negative effects on my system doing this?
4.- On Sata operation at BIOS I have these options: Disabled, ATA, AHCI and RAID. Which one do i have to select or which one has a better performance?

Thanks in advance

(I hope make my self clear)

 

1. You may not have to do this.

2. Install the driver using the device manager. Look under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers and find the IMSM driver. Right click and select 'Update Driver Software'. Locate the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver (I personally used the PreOS version available through Dell to bypass the unnecessary application), and select next. This should update the driver to IRST.

If this procedure does not work, try uninstalling IMSM using the same process in Device Manager, then update the driver over the Microsoft default AHCI driver.

3. See above for uninstalling the driver. You should not see any negative effects, as Windows 7 includes a default driver.

4. I recommend AHCI, though it depends on what you currently have enabled. If AHCI is enabled, leave it as such. However, if an alternate option is enabled, there may be some complications from changing to AHCI. It depends on if the AHCI driver is already installed. I know this used to be an issue with Windows Vista, but I honestly cannot remember if this issue was resolved with Windows 7.

 

>>On Dell website exist Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) 9.6.0.1014

As I understand it... Intel has renamed IMSM to IRST, so IRST is an update to IMSM. So, you should be able to update IMSM with IRST. The full application package includes the device drivers. You can also find a driver-only package, which was/is required for pre-OS install depending on whether or not Windows has native support for your device. If Windows has a default driver, you can install Windows and then install IRST to update to Intels driver and add the full IRST application. Otherwise, you must pre-OS install the Intel driver when installing Windows.

Another issue, changing the BIOS SATA setting can BSOD Windows if there is no driver installed for the new device. To recover, change it back. To force the change may require a clever hack or fresh install of Windows.

>>My Precision M6500 came with Intel Matrix Storage Manager (IMSM) 8.9.4.1004 and the controller is Intel(R) ICH8M-E/ICH9M-E/PCHM SATA RAID
I have one disc and is a Samsung SSD PM800 2.5" 256gb. In the Bios A04 i have check RAID option on the SATA Operation.

>>1.- Do I have to uninstall IMSM first? or

I don't think so, but check the IRST install instructions, if any.


>>2.- Proceed to install IRST without uninstall IMSM?

It should just be IMSM with a new name.

>>3.- How do i do to unistall IMSM, I mean could i have some negative effects on my system doing this?

Uninstalling will probably only uninstall the app, not the driver, since the driver is running your system drive.

>>4.- On Sata operation at BIOS I have these options: Disabled, ATA, AHCI and RAID. Which one do i have to select or which one has a better performance?

RAID is default, but using it requires the IRST application to be installed... and may demand it to be installed... not sure. If you do not intend to use RAID or Rapid Restore, AHCI offers similar new technology benefits as in IRST but the full application is not used or required. ATA is old ATA stuff. I have chosen to use AHCI, install the pre-OS driver, and skip the IRST app.

Assuming no need for RAID or Rapid Restore, and switching the BIOS to AHCI does not BSOD; then you could uninstall the IMSM app, switch the BIOS to AHCI, and update the ATA controller driver using the driver only package... and not re-install the IRST full app package.

Otherwise, if you need RAID or choose not to try switching to AHCI, just install the IRST full package per its instructions to update both the SATA RAID device driver and the IMSM app to the latest IRST app. Maybe an app uninstall first is advisable... not sure.

I've only worked on my E64xx systems so your milage may vary.

Start with a data backup!

GK

 

Hi. Fisrt of all thanks.

Using the device manager I dont have the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers Option.
I only have under the storage Controllers two options:
1.- AWGDK8KV IDE Controller and
2.- Intel contoller RAID SATA ICH8M-E/ICH9M-E

I tried to update driver software by using the method you described, I mean locating IRST but windows said that i have the latest version, I checked to see if i have IRST and still have IMSM. Then Tried to uninstall IMSM and selected IRST manually in device manager but when i uninstall it windows goes through re-boot and when it does this automatically install again IMSM

So I cant unistall IMSM via device manager because windows automatically install it again.

Should I run directly the R264762 file from dell's site?

P.S.

I dont understand this:

"update the driver over the Microsoft default AHCI driver."

Where is the location of this?

 

I really dont know what i did.

I believe that my controller updated (at device manager) from this

Intel(R) ICH8M-E/ICH9M-E/PCHM SATA RAID Controller 13/10/2009, 8.9.4.1004

to this new one

Intel(R) ICH8M-E/ICH9M-E/5 Series SATA RAID Controller 03/03/2010, 9.6.0.1014

But honestly I still watching IMSM 8.9 version, Where i can see the new driver IRST?

Sorry if my questions are dumbs.

 

When you install IRST you also get a little ap which shows you all the drives connected on your laptop etc. The IMSM software is not needed any longer, i actually never used the IMSM software just the driver.

 

So I had updated the driver/controller, but where is the app? I dont see anywhere, that is what i am confused.

I used the Pre Os version file R264762

 

That might be the difference, Pre-OS is for when you're installing your OS. Just run the other installer package.
But, like others said, you don't really need the app for anything, it's the new driver that matters and that's already installed. If you want to uninstall the IMSM APP, you should NOT do this through device manager because that's where the driver is, take a look in add/remove programs to see if it's still there.

 

Read my original post. I can't explain it any better than that.

GK

 

Ok guys.

After read, read and re-read your comments I understand better. I appreciated your help.

Thanks a lot.

rep for all of you.