3ware.sys is the Windows kernel driver for a 3ware/LSI RAID controller. A blue screen naming it usually means Windows, the controller driver, the RAID card, its firmware, or a disk in the array needs attention. The safest fix is to identify the exact controller and Windows architecture, install the matching Broadcom/LSI package, and protect array data before changing firmware or recreating anything.
What 3ware.sys is and why it can crash Windows
A 3ware RAID adapter manages physical disks and presents one or more virtual disks to Windows. 3ware.sys is the kernel-mode driver that lets Windows communicate with that adapter. Because it runs at a low level, a bad or mismatched driver can cause a stop error before the desktop appears, make a boot volume disappear, or trigger repeated restarts.
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The filename alone is not proof of malware. It identifies a driver associated with 3ware/LSI RAID hardware. Treat an unexpected copy, an unsigned package, or a file obtained from an unverified download as a separate security question and verify the package source and digital signature before installing it.
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Record the failure before changing anything
Write down the details while Windows is still able to start, or photograph the blue-screen message if it disappears quickly. This prevents installing a plausible-looking but incompatible package.
- The complete stop code and every driver name shown on the blue screen or in Event Viewer.
- The 3ware or LSI controller model, including a 9750 model number or any suffix.
- Your Windows edition, version, build, and whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit.
- Whether the crash began after a driver update, firmware flash, disk replacement, power loss, BIOS change, or other hardware work.
- Whether Windows is installed on a virtual disk managed by the 3ware adapter, or on a separate drive.
- Whether the controller, its virtual disks, and the array are visible in the controller’s pre-boot utility and in Windows Device Manager.
Keep this record with your array documentation. If a later step makes the system less stable, you will know which change to undo.
Stabilize Windows first
Boot into Safe Mode when Windows is looping
If the machine restarts before you can work, use Windows Recovery Environment to reach Safe Mode. From the sign-in screen, hold Shift while selecting Power > Restart, then choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart and select a Safe Mode option. If the system cannot reach that screen, interrupt startup until Windows enters Recovery Environment. Safe Mode loads a minimal set of drivers, which can let you remove or change the 3ware device without immediately triggering the crash.
Check the controller in Device Manager
- Sign in with an administrator account and open Device Manager.
- Expand Storage controllers, SCSI and RAID controllers, and, on some versions of Windows, Other devices.
- Find the 3ware/LSI adapter. A yellow warning icon, an “unknown device,” or a missing controller is useful evidence.
- Open Properties and read the General, Driver, and Details tabs. Record the hardware IDs and the installed driver provider, date, and version.
Try Update driver only after recording the current details. If updating does not help, you can temporarily disable the adapter, or uninstall its device entry, to test whether Windows becomes stable. Do not initialize a disk or create a new array during this test. Disabling a controller that hosts the boot volume can make Windows unbootable until the device is enabled again, so perform that test from Safe Mode or recovery media and have the correct driver ready.
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Install Windows updates and preserve diagnostic space
Install the updates offered for your Windows edition through Settings > Windows Update (or the equivalent Windows Update page in older editions). Keep enough free space on the system volume for paging and memory-dump files; a full system drive can prevent Windows from recording the evidence needed to diagnose the crash. Updates do not replace a controller-specific package, but they remove unrelated operating-system variables before you test the RAID driver.
Choose the correct 3ware driver package
Do not choose a driver because its name merely contains “3ware.” Match the package to the controller model, Windows generation, and architecture. Broadcom’s 3ware 10.2.2.2 Product Release Notes, published November 8, 2013, describe separate SDK7 and SDK8 packages and separate 32-bit and 64-bit files. The notes also state that the 3ware 9750 driver is included with Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012.
| Decision | What the 10.2.2.2 notes specify | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Controller | Use the package for the exact 3ware/LSI model, such as a 9750 variant. | Firmware, port layout, and driver support differ between controller families. |
| Package generation | SDK7 is for Windows 7 and earlier; SDK8 is for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. | Installing the wrong SDK generation can leave the adapter unusable or cause a boot failure. |
| Architecture | Select the 32-bit or 64-bit files that match Windows. | A package for the other architecture cannot be used as the system driver. |
| Bundled support | The 3ware 9750 driver is included with Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. | You may not need to load a separate driver during Setup for those combinations, but verify the controller and version. |
The release notes are legacy documentation. They do not establish that a particular package supports every later Windows 10 or Windows 11 build. For current availability, start with Broadcom/LSI’s support search: LSI support download search. Confirm the controller model, operating-system edition, architecture, package generation, signature/support status, and whether the package is intended for a boot-volume installation before downloading.
Install or reinstall the driver
For an existing Windows installation
- Download the model-matched package from the Broadcom/LSI support source and save it locally. Do not disconnect the controller or its disks while obtaining the package.
- Extract the archive if it is compressed. Read the included release notes and identify the 32-bit or 64-bit folder and the SDK7 or SDK8 package that matches your system.
- Sign in as an administrator. If the package includes a Device Driver Installation Wizard, right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
- When the wizard asks for a device or folder, select the package for the exact controller rather than allowing a random third-party driver search.
- If Windows reports that the best driver is already installed, compare the displayed provider and version with the package notes. A newer-looking date is not sufficient if the model or SDK generation is wrong.
- Restart when the installer requests it. A controller that supplies the boot volume normally requires a restart for the new kernel driver to load.
After Windows starts, return to Device Manager and confirm that the adapter has no warning icon. Open the controller management utility, if installed, and verify that the expected array and every virtual disk are visible. Do not begin a rebuild, initialize a disk, or change array settings until you have confirmed visibility.
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For a fresh Windows installation
- Begin Windows Setup with the controller and its intended boot-volume disks connected.
- At the disk-selection screen, choose Load driver when Setup reports that no suitable storage device is available.
- Insert or browse to the extracted, model-matched 3ware package and select the correct SDK generation and architecture.
- Allow Setup to rescan. Select the existing virtual disk only when its identity and size match your documented array.
- If the installer displays several similarly named entries, stop and verify the controller model rather than guessing. Selecting a driver for another adapter can hide the correct volume or make the system fail on its first restart.
Because the 3ware 9750 driver is included with Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 according to the 2013 release notes, those installations may detect it without a separate load step. Detection still depends on the exact controller and installation media, so verify the model and the resulting driver after Setup finishes.
Restart and verify the array safely
A successful driver installation is not the same as a healthy array. On the first restart, watch for the controller’s pre-boot status and then check Windows Disk Management and the controller management utility. Confirm:
- The controller is detected by the system.
- All expected physical disks are present.
- The array state is normal rather than degraded, rebuilding, or failed.
- Each virtual disk has the expected capacity and is mounted with the correct drive letter or mount point.
- Important files open normally before you perform additional maintenance.
If the boot volume disappears after the restart, return to Safe Mode or Windows Recovery Environment and restore the previous driver or reconnect the earlier package. Do not repeatedly reboot a controller that is reporting disk errors without first securing recoverable data.
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Diagnose a recurring 3ware.sys blue screen
Capture a memory dump
When the crash continues after the correct package is installed, configure Windows to write a memory dump. In System Properties > Advanced > Startup and Recovery > Settings, choose an appropriate debugging-information option and ensure the dump location has enough free space. The exact choices vary by Windows edition. The goal is to preserve the state of the crash so you can distinguish the controller driver from a disk, another driver, or damaged memory.
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Inspect the dump with WinDbg
Microsoft recommends opening the dump in WinDbg with the correct symbols, identifying the component that appears in the stack, and then reproducing the crash after changing one variable at a time. A dump that names 3ware.sys shows where the failure surfaced; it does not by itself prove that the driver is the original cause. Corrupted memory, a failing controller, or an unreadable disk can make a healthy driver appear in the final stack.
Use Driver Verifier narrowly
Driver Verifier can expose an illegal operation by a suspect driver, but Microsoft warns, “Don’t try to verify all the drivers at one time.” Broad verification can consume substantial CPU and make a system unusable. Select only the 3ware package or another specifically suspicious driver, create a restore or recovery path first, and know how to disable verification from Safe Mode if the machine enters a boot loop. After reproducing the problem and collecting a dump, turn Driver Verifier off; it is a diagnostic test, not a permanent performance setting.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Separate firmware and hardware failures from driver faults
Interrupted firmware flash or an unrecognized card
If power was lost during a controller firmware update and the card is no longer recognized, reinstalling 3ware.sys cannot repair the interrupted flash. Broadcom provides an LSI Pre-Boot USB/CD recovery environment for gathering logs and reflashing a controller. Use firmware intended for the exact controller model and follow the recovery documentation. Do not substitute firmware for a similar-looking card; an incorrect image can make recovery harder.
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Controller, cable, or disk symptoms
A card that disappears from pre-boot, reports inconsistent disks, or repeatedly drops a virtual disk points to a hardware or connection problem as well as a possible driver problem. Power down before reseating a card or cable, document the original port order, and change one physical component at a time. If Windows remains stable when the controller is disabled but fails as soon as it is enabled, that correlation is useful evidence, not proof that the driver alone is defective.
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Protect data before rebuilding or replacing anything
A failed rebuild may be caused by an unreadable sector on a source drive rather than by 3ware.sys. Broadcom advises checking 3DM or operating-system logs, copying recoverable data to another medium, and using verification routines to find bad sectors proactively.
- Review controller and operating-system logs for read errors, dropped disks, and rebuild messages.
- Copy the most important files to an independent disk or backup system while the virtual disk is still readable.
- Run the controller’s available verification routine only after the data copy and only when you understand whether it is read-only or repair-oriented.
- Record the array layout, disk order, controller model, firmware level, and virtual-disk settings.
- Do not initialize, format, recreate, or “repair” an array until a backup or forensic copy exists. Those operations can overwrite metadata needed for recovery.
If the 3ware card is missing, failed, or incompatible
Replacement is a hardware decision, not a generic driver download. Identify the exact model and compare the replacement’s interface—PCI, PCI-X, or PCIe—port count, firmware level, cache and battery-backed-cache condition, and the seller’s return policy. A card that fits the slot may still be unable to import the existing array or run the required firmware. Preserve the original card and all disks until the replacement has been verified and the data is copied.
When evaluating a used legacy adapter, ask for the model label, firmware information, a clear statement about cache or battery condition, and evidence that the seller accepts returns. Do not assume that a later-generation 3ware or LSI card can read an older array layout. Confirm compatibility with the controller documentation before moving disks.
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Quick Recap
Common mistakes to avoid
- Installing an SDK7 package on a Windows 8-era installation, or an SDK8 package on an older Windows release, without checking the release notes.
- Using 32-bit files on 64-bit Windows or the reverse.
- Replacing the driver before recording the current version, stop code, and hardware IDs.
- Disabling the controller that owns the boot volume without Safe Mode or recovery access.
- Assuming that a dump naming
3ware.sysproves the driver is the root cause. - Running Driver Verifier against every driver at once.
- Flashing firmware intended for a different controller model.
- Initializing or recreating an array before copying recoverable data.
A practical decision path
- Windows boots and the controller is visible: record the failure, install the exact model-matched package, restart, and verify the array.
- Windows loops: use Safe Mode, inspect Device Manager, and temporarily disable or uninstall the controller only as a diagnostic test.
- Setup cannot see the virtual disk: load the correct SDK and architecture package at the storage-driver prompt.
- The card is absent before Windows starts: investigate power, seating, firmware, and hardware; a Windows driver cannot make an unrecognized adapter appear in pre-boot.
- A rebuild fails or disks report read errors: copy data, inspect 3DM and operating-system logs, and avoid array initialization until the data is secure.
- The crash persists with the correct package: collect a memory dump, analyze it in WinDbg with symbols, and use Driver Verifier only on a narrowly selected suspect.
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