Extract Intel RST VMD Driver from SetupRST.exe

Intel Rapid Storage Technology, commonly known as Intel RST, is used on many modern Intel-based computers to manage storage devices, RAID configurations, and Intel Volume Management Device (VMD) controllers. If Intel VMD is enabled in the BIOS, Windows Setup may sometimes fail to detect the computer’s NVMe SSD during a clean Windows installation.

One common solution is to provide Windows Setup with the appropriate Intel RST VMD storage driver. However, Intel often distributes the RST driver as an executable installer named SetupRST.exe rather than as a simple ZIP file containing the .inf, .sys, and .cat driver files.

Fortunately, you do not need to install the complete RST package just to obtain the driver. Intel provides a built-in extraction option that allows you to extract the pre-installation driver files directly from SetupRST.exe.

The command is:

.\SetupRST.exe -extractdrivers SetupRST_extracted

Intel’s documentation specifically recommends this method for extracting RST pre-installation drivers.

Once extracted, the files can be copied to a USB flash drive and loaded from Windows Setup using the Load driver option. This is particularly useful when Windows Setup cannot see an NVMe SSD because the storage controller is operating through Intel VMD.

In this guide, we will explain what Intel RST and VMD are, where to get SetupRST.exe, how to extract the driver using Windows Terminal or PowerShell, how to identify the VMD driver files, and how to use them during Windows installation.

What Is Intel RST VMD?

Intel Rapid Storage Technology is a storage technology used on supported Intel platforms. It provides storage management functionality and can work with RAID configurations and Intel VMD-enabled storage controllers.

Intel Volume Management Device, or VMD, is a hardware feature available on many newer Intel platforms. When VMD is enabled, the NVMe storage controller can be presented through the Intel VMD controller rather than directly to the operating system.

This can create a situation where Windows Setup does not display the internal SSD.

For example, you may boot from a Windows 11 USB installer and reach the disk-selection screen, only to find that no internal drive is listed.

If the SSD is correctly detected in the computer’s firmware but is missing from Windows Setup, an Intel RST VMD driver may be required.

The required driver can often be obtained from SetupRST.exe.

Why Extract the Driver from SetupRST.exe?

Intel RST packages are often distributed as executable installers instead of traditional driver folders.

If you simply double-click SetupRST.exe, the normal RST installation process starts. That is useful when Windows is already installed and you want to install or update the storage software.

However, during Windows installation, you may not be able to run the normal installer.

Instead, you need the individual driver files, particularly the .inf files that Windows Setup can use to identify and communicate with the storage controller.

Intel provides an extraction switch specifically for this purpose:

-extractdrivers

Using this option tells SetupRST.exe to extract the driver package into a directory instead of requiring you to install the complete RST software package. Intel documents this approach in its support documentation and RST installation instructions.

What You Need

Before starting, prepare the following:

• SetupRST.exe
• A Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer
• Administrator access
• Windows Terminal or PowerShell
• A folder where the drivers will be extracted
• A USB flash drive if you plan to use the drivers during Windows installation

If you are extracting the drivers on the same computer where you will later install Windows, you can extract them to a convenient folder such as:

C:\RST

For a clean Windows installation, it is generally more convenient to copy the extracted driver folder to a USB flash drive.

Step 1: Download SetupRST.exe

First, obtain the correct Intel RST package for your computer.

The preferred source is the computer manufacturer’s support website because laptop and desktop manufacturers sometimes customize Intel RST packages for specific models.

You can also obtain an appropriate Intel RST package from Intel when the package supports your Intel platform.

It is important to use a driver version appropriate for your hardware. Do not assume that every Intel RST package will work with every Intel system.

Save the downloaded file somewhere easy to access, such as the Downloads folder.

For example:

C:\Users\YourName\Downloads\SetupRST.exe

The exact filename can vary depending on the package you download.

Step 2: Create an Extraction Folder

You can create a dedicated folder for the extracted files.

For example:

C:\RST

To create it manually:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Open the C:\ drive.
3. Right-click an empty area.
4. Select New > Folder.
5. Name the folder:

RST

You can also create it from PowerShell:

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path C:\RST

This folder will contain the extracted Intel RST driver files.

Step 3: Open Terminal in the SetupRST.exe Location

The easiest method is to open the folder containing SetupRST.exe.

For example, if the file is in Downloads:

C:\Users\YourName\Downloads

Open the folder in File Explorer.

Right-click an empty area inside the folder and select Open in Terminal.

Depending on your Windows configuration, the option may be named Open in Windows Terminal or Open PowerShell window here.

Intel also recommends opening a terminal in the directory containing SetupRST.exe before running the extraction command.

Step 4: Extract the Intel RST Drivers

Once Terminal or PowerShell is open in the folder containing SetupRST.exe, run:

.\SetupRST.exe -extractdrivers C:\RST

Press Enter.

The extraction process should begin.

Intel’s documented command uses the same -extractdrivers switch and specifies an output directory. Intel also provides the following form:

.\SetupRST.exe -extractdrivers SetupRST_extracted

In that example, the extracted files are placed into a folder named SetupRST_extracted in the current directory.

Using an absolute path such as C:\RST is convenient because you know exactly where the files will be created.

Step 5: Wait for the Extraction to Complete

The RST installer may briefly appear while the extraction takes place.

Do not manually close the installer if it appears.

After the process finishes, open:

C:\RST

You should find the extracted driver package there.

The exact folder structure depends on the particular Intel RST package you downloaded.

You may see folders and files such as:

C:\RST

or:

C:\RST\Drivers

or additional subfolders.

Do not worry if the folder structure differs from examples found online. Different RST releases can package their files differently.

Step 6: Find the VMD Driver

The most important files are the Intel RST storage driver files.

Look for files with extensions such as:

.inf
.sys
.cat

The .inf file is especially important because Windows uses it to determine which driver should be installed.

On many Intel VMD systems, you may encounter files associated with Intel VMD storage drivers, including iaStorVD.sys.

Intel specifically notes that after extracting the pre-installation drivers, the iaStorVD.sys file is located in the extracted driver files.

You may also encounter files with names similar to:

iaStorVD.inf
iaStorVD.sys
iaStorVD.cat

The exact filenames can vary between driver releases.

Therefore, do not assume that every version will contain exactly the same files.

Step 7: Copy the Extracted Drivers to a USB Drive

If you are preparing the driver for a Windows installation, copy the extracted driver folder to a USB flash drive.

For example, you could have:

USB Drive
└── RST
    ├── iaStorVD.inf
    ├── iaStorVD.sys
    ├── iaStorVD.cat
    └── other driver files

It is usually better to copy the entire extracted driver folder rather than copying only one file.

This gives Windows Setup access to the complete driver package and its supporting files.

Intel’s instructions also recommend copying the extracted driver files to USB media for use with the Windows Setup Load Driver method.

Step 8: Load the VMD Driver During Windows Installation

Now you can use the extracted driver during a clean Windows installation.

Boot your computer from the Windows installation USB.

Proceed through Windows Setup until you reach the screen asking where you want to install Windows.

Normally, your internal SSD should appear in the list.

If the SSD does not appear and your system uses Intel VMD, select:

Load driver

Connect the USB flash drive containing the extracted Intel RST drivers.

Browse to the folder containing the .inf files.

Windows Setup will scan the folder and display compatible drivers.

Select the appropriate Intel RST/VMD driver and continue.

Intel’s documented pre-installation procedure specifically describes using Load Driver after reaching the Windows installation disk-selection stage.

Once Windows loads the appropriate driver, the internal SSD may become visible.

You can then select the SSD and continue with the Windows installation.

Step 9: What If Windows Setup Shows Multiple Drivers?

Some Intel RST packages contain multiple drivers.

This is normal.

Windows Setup may display several compatible or partially compatible driver entries.

Do not randomly select a driver simply because its name contains “Intel.”

Look for the driver associated with the VMD controller or the storage controller detected by your system.

On VMD systems, files associated with iaStorVD are commonly relevant.

If your computer manufacturer provides specific instructions for your model, follow those instructions because OEM systems can use different configurations.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What command extracts the Intel RST driver from SetupRST.exe?

Use:

.\SetupRST.exe -extractdrivers C:\RST

You can replace C:\RST with any destination folder. Intel officially documents the -extractdrivers method for extracting RST pre-installation drivers.

2. Where is the Intel VMD driver after extraction?

The exact location depends on the RST package. Search the extracted directory for .inf files and files containing names such as iaStorVD. Intel notes that iaStorVD.sys is included in the extracted pre-installation driver files.

3. Can I use the extracted driver to make my SSD appear during Windows Setup?

Yes. If the missing SSD is caused by an Intel VMD/RST storage-controller driver, copy the extracted driver package to a USB drive and select Load driver in Windows Setup. Intel documents this procedure for RST pre-installation.

4. Do I need to install Intel RST after extracting the driver?

No. If your immediate goal is simply to provide Windows Setup with the storage driver, you do not need to install the complete RST software package first. The extraction process creates the driver files separately.

Conclusion

Extracting the Intel RST VMD driver from SetupRST.exe is much easier than it may initially appear. You do not need third-party extraction utilities or complicated procedures. Intel provides a dedicated command-line option that extracts the pre-installation driver files from the RST installer.

The key command is:

.\SetupRST.exe -extractdrivers C:\RST

After extraction, you can locate the appropriate .inf driver files, copy the complete driver folder to a USB flash drive, and use Load driver during Windows installation.

This method is particularly useful when Windows 10 or Windows 11 Setup cannot detect an NVMe SSD on an Intel VMD-enabled system.

If your SSD is missing from Windows Setup, however, the driver alone is not always the solution. BIOS/UEFI storage settings, VMD configuration, the specific Intel platform, and the RST driver version all need to be compatible.

For the best results, use an Intel RST package intended for your specific computer or motherboard whenever possible. Keep the extracted driver files together rather than copying only a single .sys file, and always verify that the selected .inf file matches your hardware.

With the correct RST VMD driver extracted and loaded, Windows Setup should be able to communicate with the Intel storage controller and, on supported configurations, display the internal NVMe SSD for installation.