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I had to install Windows 10 on an M.2 NVMe SSD, and after some research I found that I needed to change the Memory Controller in the BIOS from Intel RST Premium to AHCI in order for the NVMe drive to be recognised as an available drive when booting from Win10 installation media on a USB flash drive.

The Win10 installation was successful, however, when I change the Memory Controller setting back to Intel RST Premium, Win10 boots into the Troubleshooting/Repair screen and cannot boot.

Have I gone about this the wrong way?

Is there a better way to install Windows 10 on an M.2 NVMe SSD without the need to change the Memory Controller setting in the BIOS?

Many thanks in advance for your time and advice.

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  • You mean sata controller. Not memory controller. Ramhound is right, use ahci for single disks, and the Intel chipset for raid configs.
    – Tim_Stewart
    Feb 1, 2018 at 21:24
  • @Ramhound Since the PC was shipped with the Memory Controller set to Intel RST Premium, I figured that this was the 'correct' setting for the hardware and in my ignorance feared that I would not see the benefit of the NVMe SSD with the Memory Controller set to AHCI...
    – Lee Mac
    Feb 1, 2018 at 21:25
  • @Tim_Stewart But would this still apply when the SSD is not using a SATA connection, but rather PCIe?
    – Lee Mac
    Feb 1, 2018 at 21:26
  • You actually need ahci to get the benefits of your ssd. Not all features will be available in native ide. And sometimes not available in raid mode. Read your hdd documentation
    – Tim_Stewart
    Feb 1, 2018 at 21:27
  • Are you saying your hdd is plugged into the pci-e slot? Or is this a pci-e sata controller? How is your drive physically connected?
    – Tim_Stewart
    Feb 1, 2018 at 21:37

1 Answer 1

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Is there a better way to install Windows 10 on an M.2 NVMe SSD without the need to change the Memory Controller setting in the BIOS?

Intel RST Premium is typically only used if you are in a RAID configuration, and if you wanted to be able to use that mode, supplying the Intel RST would have been required when you installed Windows.

The only reason the drive wouldn't appear, until you changed the controller mode from Intel RST Premium to ACHI, is because of a driver issue. Windows 10 by has compatible built-in ACHI drivers. Windows 10 does not have built-in RAID drivers (specifically Intel RST drivers)

I created the USB installation media using the Windows Media Creation Tool and so I think I'm stuck with the default ACHI drivers as you've described. Though, given your earlier answer, and after some Googling, this doesn't appear to be a disadvantage since I'm not using RAID.

The tool can download the tool, how you add a driver to the .wim contained within that ISO and/or supply it within the installation environment itself is well documented, you are not stuck with anything unless you see no reason to take those steps.

If you want to use Intel RST Premium and install Windows on your new SSD, all you have to do is add the Intel RST drivers to the ISO and/or supply them when requested, and you will be able to do so.

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