How to Build a RAID 1 Mirrored Array with Intel VMD on a Mini PC

Q: How do I check if my RAID 1 array is working properly?

Install the Intel Optane Memory and Storage Management application (or Intel RST Console) in Windows. This tool lets you view your RAID volume’s health status, sync progress, and other details.

What Is Intel VMD and Why Does It Matter?

Intel Volume Management Device (VMD) is a hardware-level storage management technology built directly into Intel processors. In simple terms, it acts as a bridge between your NVMe SSDs and your CPU.

Specifically, VMD delivers three key benefits:

Benefit	What It Means for You
Simplified management	The operating system loads a single VMD driver. Therefore, it can recognize and manage all NVMe SSDs under the VMD controller — no need to install separate drivers for each drive.
Maximized performance	NVMe SSDs communicate directly with the CPU through VMD. As a result, this bypasses the traditional chipset or standalone RAID card, which significantly reduces latency and improves I/O throughput.
Enhanced reliability	VMD isolates disk errors from the operating system. Consequently, it prevents system crashes or blue screens caused by drive failures. This makes it ideal for 24/7 industrial control and edge computing environments.

This guide uses RAID 1 for the walkthrough. However, the setup steps are identical for other RAID levels. You only need to select a different level during configuration.

What You Need Before You Start

Make sure you have everything ready before proceeding. Otherwise, you may run into issues midway.

Hardware Requirements

A HYSTOU H4 12th Gen mini PC that supports Intel VMD (check that your BIOS includes VMD settings).
Two NVMe M.2 SSDs. For best results, use identical brands, models, and capacities.
A USB flash drive (FAT32 formatted) for the VMD driver.
A Windows 10 or Windows 11 installation USB drive.

Critical Warning

Setting up RAID will erase all data on both SSDs. Therefore, back up any important files before you continue. This step cannot be undone.

Step-by-Step: How to Set Up RAID 1 with Intel VMD

Now, let us walk through the entire process. It consists of four main stages.

Step 1: Enable Intel VMD in BIOS

First, you need to activate the VMD controller in your system BIOS.

Power on the mini PC. When the boot logo appears, press the Delete (or Del) key repeatedly and quickly to enter the BIOS Setup.
Next, navigate through the following menu path:
Chipset → System Agent (SA) Configuration → VMD Setup MenuThen, find the Enable VMD Controller option and change its value to [Enabled].
After that, press F4 on your keyboard. A save-and-exit dialog will appear. Select Yes or OK to confirm. The system will then reboot automatically.

Step 2: Create the RAID 1 Volume in BIOS

Once the system reboots, you are ready to create the RAID array.

Press Del again during boot to re-enter BIOS Setup.
Navigate to the Advanced tab. Then, find and open the Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology submenu.

3. In the Intel RST interface, select Create RAID Volume.

4. Now, configure the RAID volume using the setup wizard:

RAID Level: Select RAID 1 for this walkthrough.
Select Disks: Use the Spacebar on your keyboard to check both NVMe SSDs you want to include.
Other settings: Leave stripe size and volume name at their defaults.
Finally, select Create Volume and confirm.

5. After creation, the Intel RST main screen will display your new RAID volume along with its status.
At this point, your RAID 1 mirrored array is ready. However, Windows still cannot see it yet. That is because you need the VMD driver. Let us get that next.

Step 3: Download and Prepare the VMD Driver (Windows)

Since VMD is a hardware abstraction layer, the standard Windows installation media does not include its driver. Therefore, you must manually provide it during OS installation. Otherwise, the installer will not detect your RAID disk.

3.1 Download the Intel RST Driver

Visit the official Intel Download Center to get the Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) driver for 12th- 15th Gen Intel platforms:

🔗 Download link: Intel RST Driver (12th–15th Gen)

3.2 Extract the Driver Files

Save the downloaded SetupRST.exe to your D:\ drive (or any accessible location). Then, open PowerShell or Command Prompt as administrator and run the following command:

D:
.\SetupRST.exe -extractdrivers RST_Driver

After execution, a new folder called RST_Driver will appear in the current directory.

3.3 Locate the VMD Driver

The VMD controller driver is located at:

RST_Driver\production\Windows10-x64\Drivers\VMD

The key file is iaStorVD.inf.

Now, copy the entire VMD folder onto your FAT32-formatted USB flash drive. You will need it during Windows installation.

Important notes:

This driver supports Windows 10 and Windows 11 only.
Linux distributions do not have official VMD drivers. If you need RAID on Linux, consider using software RAID (such as mdadmor disable VMD mode.

Step 4: Load the VMD Driver During Windows Installation

Finally, it is time to install Windows with the RAID array properly recognized.

4.1 Boot from your Windows 10/11 installation USB drive. Proceed through the setup until you reach the “Where do you want to install Windows?” screen.

At this point, you will notice that the disk list is empty. This is expected — it happens because the VMD RAID volume is not yet recognized.

4.2 Click the Load Driver button at the bottom-left corner of the window.

4.3 In the dialog that appears, click Browse. Then, navigate to your USB flash drive and locate the RST_Driver\production\Windows10-x64\Drivers\VMD folder. Select it and click OK.

4.4 The system will scan and list available controller drivers. Select Intel RST VMD Controller (or a similarly named option), and then click Install.

4.5 Once the driver loads successfully, your RAID disk will appear in the list. You can now:

If the disk is unpartitioned, click New to create partitions.
Select the target partition, then click Next to continue with the standard Windows installation.

From here, Windows will install normally. Once complete, your RAID 1 mirrored array will be fully operational.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I check if my RAID 1 array is working properly?

Install the Intel Optane Memory and Storage Management application (or Intel RST Console) in Windows. This tool lets you view your RAID volume’s health status, sync progress, and other details.

What happens if one of my SSDs fails?

Fortunately, RAID 1 is designed for this scenario. If one drive fails, the other retains all your data, and the system keeps running. To recover, simply replace the failed drive with a new one. Then, enter the Intel RST interface in BIOS, select the RAID volume, and run the Rebuild operation. The system will automatically mirror data from the healthy drive to the new one.

Can I enable Intel VMD after Windows is already installed?

Technically, yes. However, the process is complex. You would need to enable VMD in BIOS first, then install the corresponding driver within Windows. Therefore, we strongly recommend completing all RAID configuration before installing the operating system.

Can I move a RAID volume to a different computer?

Generally, no. Since VMD is tied to the CPU, RAID volumes cannot be directly transferred to non-Intel platforms or different CPU generations. Therefore, always back up your data before changing hardware.

Is RAID 1 better than RAID 0?

It depends on your priorities. If data safety matters most, RAID 1 is the better choice. On the other hand, if you need maximum speed and can afford to lose data, RAID 0 may suit you better. For more details, see the RAID 0 vs. RAID 1 comparison table above.

Does Intel VMD work with Linux?

Currently, Intel does not provide official VMD drivers for Linux. However, you can still set up RAID on Linux using software RAID solutions like mdadm. Alternatively, you may disable VMD mode in BIOS and use standard NVMe passthrough.

What is the difference between Intel VMD and Intel RST?

Intel VMD manages the hardware-level connection between NVMe drives and the CPU. Meanwhile, Intel RST (Rapid Storage Technology) provides the software interface for creating and managing RAID volumes. In practice, they work together — VMD handles the hardware layer, and RST handles the configuration layer.

Summary

Setting up a RAID 1 mirrored array with Intel VMD on a HYSTOU mini PC is a straightforward process. To recap, here is what you learned:

Intel VMD simplifies NVMe management, boosts performance, and enhances reliability.
RAID 1 provides full data redundancy — ideal for critical workloads.
The setup involves four key steps: enabling VMD in BIOS, creating the RAID volume, preparing the VMD driver, and loading it during Windows installation.

Whether you choose RAID 0 for speed or RAID 1 for safety, Intel VMD gives you a hardware-level solution for efficient storage management.

Author: Nick FU

Marketing Specialist | HYSTOU Mini PC & Network Appliance Manufacturer

HYSTOU has established its R&D headquarters in Shenzhen, drawing on over a decade of experience. Our core team members, who previously served at renowned companies such as Inventec and Quanta Computer, form the backbone of our technical expertise. With robust R&D and innovation capabilities, we remain steadfast in our commitment to pursuing excellence in the field of technology products.

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How to Build a RAID 1 Mirrored Array with Intel VMD on a Mini PC

What Is Intel VMD and Why Does It Matter?