Hello Kevin,
thank you very much for replying. The issue has already been fully correted in RST 13.5, but I will provide as much info as possible. The only problem I have is that the pc is active in work use in a "mission critical" setup now and I am not allowed to do changes (it's my father's pc). I had this conversation already with Fred from intel mainboard email support. I also sent system reports. When Fred replied I already used RST 13.5 from french site station-drivers. I asked if it's fine with intel that I use this version and most importantly that I obtain the driver from that site. He did not say that I'm not allowed. Only that it's beta version. I hope it's fine with everybody at intel that I use RST 13.5 from that site. I will explain why I don't use 13.1 instead of 13.2 below (tested rst versions -> 13.1 and note). The DXDiag report I attached here is with RST 13.5 installed as well. Here are the infos that come to mind. Please ask for specific infos you might need and I have not named:
laptop: lenovo G50-70 20351, BIOS version 9ACN28WW (V28 in short, this is the latest G50-70 BIOS)
motherboard: lenovo G50-70 laptop motherboard
CPU/NB/GPU: intel CORE i3 Haswell-2C-3MB-GT2HD4400 C0-stepping 4010U
SB: 8-series (integrated on CPU/NB/GPU-board)
RAM: crucial CT2KIT25664BF160BJ (2x2GB-Kit DDR3L-1600-CL11-1.35V), replaced original RAM RAMAXEL RMT3170EF68F9W-1600 (1x4GB-module DDR3L-1600-CL11-1.35V) before very first boot
second GPU: none
SSD: crucial CT128MX100SSD1 (MX100 2.5"x7mm/128GB/SATA600), firmware version MU01 (this is the latest MX100 firmware)
HDD: none, replaced by the MX100 SSD before very first boot, originally the pc had one, namely a WD "WD Blue" WD5000LPCX-24C6HT0 (2.5"x7mm/500GB/SATA600)
ODD: HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GUA0N, firmware version AL00
LAN: unknown Realtek PCI-E 10Mbit/100Mbit LAN
SD-Card Reader: unknown REALTEK USB2.0 card reader
WLAN/BT: Qualcomm Atheros QCA9565 on a M.2 board by LITEON
audio: Conexant CX20757 (former ADI SoundMax afaik)
camera: REALTEK lenovo easycamera
touchpad: ELAN PS/2 touchpad
- OS and tools of relevance -
Win8.1-Upd1-64 (installed with SecureBoot)
CrystalDiskInfo 6.2.1
- drivers -
intel InfUpdate 10.0.13
intel RapidStorage 13.5.0.1056
intel video 15.36.3.64.3960
REALTEK LAN driver 8.034
REALTEK SD-Card reader driver 6.3.273.37
Qualcomm WLAN driver 10.0.0.298
Qualcomm BT driver 8.0.1.314
Conexant audio driver 8.65.28.50
REALTEK lenovo easycamera driver 6.2.9200.10253
ELAN touchpad driver 11.4.31.1
Now the issue as completely as I can tell:
- tested RST versions -
13.5.0.1056 perfectly stable. Makes PC perfect and best PC ever owned with coolest SSD operation ever in addition.
13.2.4.1000 30sec-time-blocks of Windows Explorer and USB-storage read/write operation freezes, total system breakdowns with IMGBurn tool
13.1.0.1058 no issues except for a possible short and harmless but strange empty ODD disc cursor screen flashing after boot (could never reproduce it again)
12.9.0.1001 perfectly stable
12.8.0.1016 perfectly stable
note: SSD was about 2°C warmer in idle in CrystalDiskInfo with RST 12.8, 12.9 and 13.1 than with RST 13.2 and 13.5. It looks to me like this is completely independent from the 13.2 clicking and freeze and 13.1 flashing issues but simply is a result of improvement of RST. The cooler idle mode SSD is another reason why I use 13.5 and not 13.1 as a 13.2 replacement.
- 13.2 freezes and reproducing one -
After cold boot or restart empty ODD "clicks" (clicking noise) every 3 seconds for about 30 seconds. Sometimes for another 30 seconds. Windows Explorer doesn't update drive icons while clicking. Just green bar running and running.
When a 16GB SanDisk USB3.0 Cruzer Ultra USB-stick was connected and diskpart run, opening of diskpart and commands like clean, create partition primary, active, format quick and exiting diskpart hang while clicking. Same happened with two other 16GB USB3.0 Cruzer Ultra sticks.
With ImgBurn installed laptop became useless until uninstalled. Always clicking, couldn't eject disc, pc could not power off anymore. Even clicking when pc almost powered off and only fan was spinnning and Win8.1 showed the blue powering off or restarting window. Before that, ImgBurn once opened could not be closed anymore. New and perfect empty Verbatim DVD+R discs were not recognised by ImgBurn. Showing no disc/write to disc greyed out.
No damage was ever done to data or hardware by the issue. After clicking, operation simply continues and everything is good.
Turning off Link Power Management in the RST GUI didn't help. Turning off showing RST in the task bar didn't help. Booting in Windows safe mode stopped clicking and freezing.
Reproducing the issue: Install RST 13.2 connect the USB stick and start diskpart and the diskpart commands described. Clicking and freezes will start at first or second tries to trigger it with diskpart commands. Or install ImgBurn. System will become useless.