Update to Windows 10 1903 requires updated Intel Rapid Storage Technologies

Anonymous
2019-07-27T03:09:50+00:00

After receiving the notification, I updated my Dell Inspiron 5000 series with an update from Dell.  This update installed successfully as indicated:

However, the file that is blocking the Windows update, iasota.sys, is the old version that was present before I updated RST (note that other iasot*.sys files are newer):

Any idea on what can be done to workaround the problem?

Is the iaStorA.sys file obsolete and no longer needed now that the RST driver has been updated?  If yes, should I simply rename the file to iaStorA.old and attempt to update Windows again?

Do newer versions of Intel RST still use the older iaStorA.sys file resulting in the Windows Setup not recognizing that a compatible version of RST has been installed?  If yes, then do I have to wait for Microsoft to modify the Setup program so that it assesses RST compatibility by looking at something other than the iaStorA.sys version (e.g., the iaStorAC.sys version, which is the file that serves as the driver for the I/O SATA AHCI Controller?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows update

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  1. Anonymous
    2019-08-19T16:48:50+00:00

    My motherboard is an Abit IP35 Pro running an Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600. It is really old so not M.2 slots or Optane memory in

    this antique. I installed a Samsung 860 EVO 1TB drive which helped speed things up a fair amount.

    Abit went out of business years ago so no modern features. When I installed Windows 7 I knew nothing about SATA drives.

    I read an article that said choosing RAID would support SATA drives even without setting up RAID. I thought it was the same as

    choosing AHCI while allowing RAID in the future if I wanted. I wish I chose AHCI but I don't want to do a clean install. I have

    a lot of health issues so I can't sit for long.

    I installed the RST drivers when I installed the OS and updated it as new versions of RST were available.

    I believe it is not needed unless RAID is setup. It seems to automatically install those drivers even when

    I uninstallled RST and rebooted.

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-08-19T03:19:14+00:00

    You are showing the iastorafs.sys driver.  Possibly, that is for the Optane memory.

    Maybe, your system is seeing the iastorAfs.sys as a version of iastorA.sys.  I do not know why since the date of that driver is recent.  But it might be a glitch and is mistakenly identifying that file.  But I can only guess..

    You do have Optane memory installed?  You do not appear to have a RAID driver installed but the Optane memory in an M.2 slot may control that situation.

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-08-19T01:03:54+00:00

    Since you are running a recent RST version and do not have an iaStorA.sys file (I'm surprised it didn't get loaded when you installed RST), the Windows installation program should not give you the error message about having an incompatible version of iaStorA.sys and hopefully will complete the upgrade to 1903.  Have you tried installing 1903 after performing the installation of the RST version you are now running?  If not, please do so; you will essentially be following the procedure described in Ready_Rover's August 1 post.

    If it does not update, then the only thing I can think of is to reset your BIOS so you are not using RAID.

    Even though you do not see RST in your Programs list, the driver information in your screen shot shows it is being used.

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-08-19T00:19:18+00:00

    Yes I did but I do not have a file named iastora.sys on my system.

    I have already uninstalled the recommended version of RST. I went into Device Manager and Uninstalled the

    driver listed below and restarted. It reinstalled it by itself. It is using files of a different version than I installed.

    First I had RST Ver 17.5.2.1024 installed. I was told to run the Intel Driver Support and Assistant software.

    It recommended I install RST Ver 17.2.0.1009 so I uninstalled the newer one and installed that version.

    Currently I do not show Intel RST in the Settings / Programs list. It is using a version Win10 supplied.

    My BIOS is set to RAID not AHCI. I was under the impression RAID used AHCI plus could RAID later if I wanted.

    Later I learned I should have used AHCI but I have a lot of health issues and reinstalling multiple Windows OS'es

    would be a major hassle.

    Here is the output of the Intel SATA RST Controller Device Manager:

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  5. Anonymous
    2019-08-18T23:29:13+00:00

    Did you get the message about iastora.sys which stopped the 1903 upgrade?

    I do not know what an iastorAfs.sys file is, I don't remember ever seeing such a thing.  Maybe you mentioned it in an earlier post..

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