Proper UEFI settings for an Intel Optane memory module installation

bizweldonbluetools

Greetings everyone!

This is my very first post here and I'm looking forward to some great and comprehensive help from fellow PC users.

I'm getting a blue screen with the error message "inaccessible boot device" after I install a (non-M and H) 16GB Optane module to accelerate my secondary HDD, a Seagate Barracuda 2TB, which is my gaming library.

My W10 boot drive is a Samsung 970 EVO Plus 500GB NVMe SSD installed in port M_2 (the one with the heatsink) of my m/b which is an MPG Z390 Gaming Pro Carbon AC with the latest bios. The CPU is an 8th gen Intel 8600K.
Listed below are the settings that the MSI support team suggested.

1. W10 WHQL Support set to UEFI
2. MSI fast boot set to Disable
3. Fast Boot set to Enabled
4. SATA Mode set to RAID/Optane. Note that the Intel support when I contacted them suggested that I leave this to AHCI. The most likely cause of the blue screen so far.
5. M.2 Optane Genie set to Enable
6. M.2_1 RST PCIe Storage Remapping set to Enable
7. M.2_2 RST PCIe Storage Remapping set to Enable (might have to leave this to Disable since it's the port of my boot NVMe drive)

PowerSpec_MichaelB

Welcome to the forum, @bizweldonbluetools. I think I'll have to agree with Intel here, as we shouldn't have to change the SATA Mode just yet if we are not booting to the Optane drive initially. Instead, install the Optane drive, leave the SATA mode to AHCI and boot into Windows. Install the Intel Optane software (Intel RST) and follow the installation steps. https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/29647/Intel-Rapid-Storage-Technology-Driver-Installation-Software-with-Intel-Optane-Memory?product=99745.  The application itself will automatically configure your system to boot into Intel RST with Optane, so you can avoid those pesky blue screens. You should then be able to enable Optane from within the application itself.

It's a bit of a read, but Intel has some fantastic documentation on the steps involved: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/memory-and-storage/optane-memory/intel-optane-memory-user-installation.pdf. I recommend paying specific attention to sections 2.2, section 3.2.1, and section 3.2.3. This should get you exactly where you need to be in order to enable Optane on your secondary drive. Do note that if your BIOS doesn't support the requirements to let the RST application change your SATA mode from within the OS, you'll need to make a backup of all of your data and reinstall the OS with the Intel RST driver loaded in beforehand. 

If you have any additional questions about this process, let us know!