Frequent Crashes on Windows 11 Laptop. Maybe Optane Memory Related?

[Amanda_W-93]

This was posted on Microsoft's site but has gone dead so I'm reposting here hoping for some help.

Original Post: December 19, 2022

So first things first, this is a customized HP Envy 15 with windows 11 pre-Installed that I bought from HP’s website for myself. I had received it on March 18th but didn't set it up till probably the 1st week of April as I was busy. An SSD with Optane Memory was an option under storage and I figured why not; it sounded like it’d make the laptop faster. Well I’m not entirely sure it ever worked.

Right out of the box my brand new laptop seemed a touch slow, compared to my old laptop that spec wise should’ve been inferior. So I tried to launch the “Intel® Optane™ Memory and Storage Management” app to see what I could alter. It immediately failed to launch and gave me this error verbatim:

"Intel(R) Optane(TM) Memory and Storage Management application failed to launch.

Please update your system with the latest Intel(R) RST driver and/or enabled Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology Premium with Intel(R) Optane(TM) memory support to use Intel(R) Optane(TM) Memory and Storage Management application.

Error Code: 0xA00906B3

Visit https://www.intel.com/support/optane-memory for help."

Needless to say I was confused. This is fresh out the box and I assumed HP would have put the newest drivers in and enabled it when they build it less than a month earlier.

I snooped around a little bit and notices in “Services” my “Intel® Storage Middleware Service” was “Stopped” even though it was set to “Automatic”. Ok weird, let me just click to start it back up. Cue:

“Windows could not start the Intel(R) Storage Middleware Service service on Local Computer.

Error 1067: The process terminated unexpectedly.”

Ok something isn’t right. I did some online searching and basic troubleshooting to find a solution but to no avail. 

So on May 23rd I opened a support ticket with HP outlining what's going on and waited for a response. I got none, not even a courtesy “We’ve received your request and will assist you shortly.” I still got no response by September 10th so I just decided to close the ticket. After all at that point in time my laptop was functioning relatively normally.

Well maybe two months later my laptop started crashing. It started out maybe once a week to now happening 1-3 times a day. It's worth noting that the crashes are seeming random, both in what I'm doing and in when it happens. Sometimes it'll crash immediately after boot (like before everything has finished loading), sometimes a few minutes into boot, and sometimes hours into boot. I've also had it crash while watching youtube videos, typing in a word doc, and even while idle. I’ve tried all the basic troubleshooting.

1: I’ve checked Windows Update as well as HP Support Assistant for updates and installed anything available.

2: I’ve run McAfee and Malewarebytes; all clean.

3: I ran CHKDSK, SFC, and DISM; no issues detected.

4: I ran all available hardware diagnostics, both quick and extensive, through HP Support Assistant & UEFI; all passed.

5: I ran Data Collector Tests in the Performance Monitor. It showed a service stopped unexpectedly (RstMwService) as well as a device (Intel RST VMD Managed Controller 09AB) reporting a "Not Ok" status.

6: I've tried testing in Clean Boot and it still crashed.

7: I've tried testing in Safe Mode however the system was so sluggish, like Windows 98 sluggish, I exited Safe Mode shortly after.

8: I checked the reliability history and noticed a pattern:

 At the same time as the laptop crashing two things are happening:

1: Microsoft GameInput has “Successfully Reconfigured” itself

2: Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Management Service has “Stopped Working”.

Now I’m not very confident in my tech savvyness. I’m cool with running diagnostics and the like but I don’t mess with BIOS nor system files, and downloading drivers from the internet, even from the manufacturer’s website, gives me anxiety as I don’t trust myself to download the correct one. I’m worried I’ll do irreversible damage to my laptop if I do. But at this point I’m ripping my hair out over the frequent crashes. Please help, I’m at my wits end here.

Here is the link to the MiniDump Files:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QJl5Qnjal7CfHhxSRLfFruZm2sg83h_z?usp=share_link

I will add new ones as I see them.

Update: January 2, 2023

Immediately following a crash this morning a CMOS Checksum Invalid Error was on my screen. I was able to read the whole of it, but unfortunately not get a picture, before my system rebooted. It had stated that I should check for any changes to my BIOS settings. Since the only time I had even gone into BIOS was to look to disable the VMD Controller driver, as per Paul Navera 's request (on Microsoft's site. There was no such option so nothing got changed), I couldn't tell if anything had changed. So to be on the safe side I restored defaults and restarted.

6 hours later and I had no further crashes and as a habit I checked my Reliability History to see if there were any silent errors. I saw about 4 Identical 'Hardware Errors' over the course of those 6 hours. I thought this was odd so I opened HP Support Assistant and ran the usual hardware tests. All passed and as an extra check I ran a check for BIOS Updates. One was found so I installed it.

Since installing this update I was finally able to open the “Intel® Optane™ Memory and Storage Management” app successfully. Feeling hopeful I ran the collection tests again to see if all got fixed but alas that proved to be wishful thinking. It still showed the RstMwService stopped unexpectedly as well as Intel RST VMD Managed Controller 09AB reporting a "Not Ok" status. Thinking that at least I can now access the “Intel® Optane™ Memory and Storage Management” app I went to start it up again to take a closer look only to get the old error again. What the? It's been like 5 minutes and on the same boot. How can it suddenly not be enabled or up-to-date?

Update: January 4th, 2023

So far my PC hasn't crashed again since the one @ 4:37 a.m. on January 2nd. I can't say for certain if the crashing has stopped completely as it has faked me out by behaving for a day or two before the repeated crashing would resume. However I am noticing that I am now seeing 'Hardware Errors' being reported in the reliability history; just like the ones I was seeing from January 2nd after I had reset BIOS. Hardware Tests through Support Assistant & UEFI are still showing 'Passes' so I'm at a loss. Here is the Information for the latest one from Reliability History:

Source

Windows

Summary

Hardware error

Date

‎1/‎4/‎2023 3:48 AM

Status

Not reported

Description

A problem with your hardware caused Windows to stop working correctly.

Problem signature

Problem Event Name: LiveKernelEvent

Code: 141

Parameter 1: ffffdc8755bd8010

Parameter 2: fffff801823ebd30

Parameter 3: 0

Parameter 4: 4068

OS version: 10_0_22621

Service Pack: 0_0

Product: 768_1

OS Version: 10.0.22621.2.0.0.768.101

Locale ID: 1033

Update: January 6th, 2023

So after doing some research into this LiveKernelEvent 141 error a resolution suggestion was that I run CHKDSK. I had ran CHKDSK through the properties tab with no change before so I figured I'd try it through Terminal which ran the program outside the boot environment. This seemed to work as I've seen no more 'Hardware Errors'. Also my PC still hasn't crashed again since the one on the 2nd so I'm getting quite hopeful that the BIOS reset and subsequent update fixed it. I can only assume the CMOS Checksum error had happened in one of my original crashes and I simply didn't see it. I'll keep an eye out and report back if it does crash again. Unfortunately I am still unable to open the “Intel® Optane™ Memory and Storage Management” app. The RstMwService is also not running as well as Intel RST VMD Managed Controller 09AB still reporting a "Not Ok" status.

Update January 7th, 2023

PC just crashed again. It once again gave me the CMOS error and this time I was able to snap a picture. This is what it said verbatim:

The CMOS checksum is invalid. The CMOS will reset to the default configuration, and the computer will restart. Afterwards, please check the BIOS setup options to see if they change.

CMOS reset (502)

[ub6424]

Hello @Amanda_W-93 

Sorry to hear that you are having problems ... I would like to help you.

Let me check your basic system configuration before we dive deeper ...

(1) Run    msinfo32

- Select <System Summary>:

--->>> Copy/screenshot/paste following key/value pairs:

OS Name

Version

System Model

System SKU ( equals HP product number (p/n) )

Processor

BIOS Version/Date

BaseBoard Product

BaseBoard Version

(2) Start Windows <Device Manager>

- Expand <Disk drives>

- Expand <Display adapters>

- Expand <Network adapters>

- Expand <Sound, video and game controllers>

- Expand <Storage controllers>

- Expand <Other devices> ? (Those entries are for hardware for which Windows has not loaded a suitable driver)

--->>> Send screenshot

(3) Please report back

[Amanda_W-93]

Here are the pics. I didn't have an <Other devices> ? to expand.

[ub6424]

Hello @Amanda_W-93 

(1) Create Windows system <restore point>

How to Create a System Restore Point on Windows 10 or Windows 11

(2) Download and install / update

Intel Management Engine Interface (MEI) Driver

2145.1.42.0 Rev.A

17.9 MB

Mar 8, 2022

Download

(3) Download and install, detect and update your system

Intel Driver & Support Assistant (Intel DSA)

"The Intel Driver & Support Assistant keeps your system up-to-date by providing tailored support and hassle-free updates for most of your Intel hardware."

(4) Restart Windows

(5) Test your notebook

(6) Please report back

[Amanda_W-93]

I had tried Intel Driver & Support Assistant (Intel DSA) previously. It updated a couple drivers, I don't recall which ones specifically, but didn't stop the crashes. I remember one driver it updated was my main graphics, Intel(R) UHD. I think Bluetooth was another. I know none were for my storage though as that was specifically why I had downloaded it. Since I couldn't find a way to stop it from opening at boot, I like as few programs starting with my PC as possible, I ultimately uninstalled it. I figured Windows Update and HP Support Assistant do the same thing as Intel Driver & Support Assistant anyway.

As for Intel Management Engine Interface (MEI) Driver, what exactly is that and why do I need it? 

[ub6424]

---

@Amanda_W-93 wrote:

...

As for Intel Management Engine Interface (MEI) Driver, what exactly is that and why do I need it? 

---

Hello @Amanda_W-93 

Explanation of the CPU manufacturer INTEL:

What is Intel Management Engine?

Kind regards

[Amanda_W-93]

Ok I installed the Intel Management Engine Interface (MEI) Driver as well as Intel Driver & Support Assistant, which found an update for my graphics again. Now what? Wait and see if my PC crashes again?

[ub6424]

Hello @Amanda_W-93 

(1) Restart Windows

(2) Please check <Windows integrity>

Open cmd.exe (right click) as administrator and execute:

sfc /scannow

msdt.exe /id WindowsUpdateDiagnostic

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

(3) Please report your results ( of each command )

[Amanda_W-93]

Should I wait for the next crash? My PC hasn't crashed since installing Intel Management Engine Interface (MEI) Driver as well as Intel Driver & Support Assistant. In fact the last crash was on the 10th. Although I am seeing the 'Hardware Errors' returning in reliability history again. Only 1 each on the 11th and 12th. I do run SFC and DISM after each crash for good measure so I know they'll come up clean. I use Terminal though as apposed to CMD. I don't know if that matters.

[ub6424]

---

@Amanda_W-93 wrote:

Should I wait for the next crash?

---

No, just run the commands and report back, please.

Kind regards