Intel SSD Caching with Windows 8

[dlamb2471]

I've got a brand new fresh install of Windows 8 and I'm trying to re-enable the Intel SSD caching (Intel Smart Response Technology). This worked great with my existing setup under Windows 7. The hardware hasn't changed, but when I try to enable the acceleration under the Intel RST utility, it fails with an unknown error.

Has anyone else successfully enabled this on Windows 8?

Intel i7-2600 cpu, Gigabyte Z77-D3H motherboard (Z77 chipset), 8 Gig of RAM, 2 TB WD Black drive, 90 gig OCZ Sandforce based SSD (for the cache, the intel support only allows 64 gig).

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I've got a brand new fresh install of Windows 8 and I'm trying to re-enable the Intel SSD caching (Intel Smart Response Technology). This worked great with my existing setup under Windows 7. The hardware hasn't changed, but when I try to enable the acceleration under the Intel RST utility, it fails with an unknown error.

Has anyone else successfully enabled this on Windows 8?

Intel i7-2600 cpu, Gigabyte Z77-D3H motherboard (Z77 chipset), 8 Gig of RAM, 2 TB WD Black drive, 90 gig OCZ Sandforce based SSD (for the cache, the intel support only allows 64 gig).

Maybe Intel still needs to add a revision to its RST program. This is the suffering and frustration of first-adopters and bandwagon OS enthusiasts. It's a trade-off between learning about the latest and greatest versus having a computer that works the way to which you'd become accustomed. I remember when Win 95 was first overshadowed by Win 98, and I had it in my hands a week after first release. I'll never do that again . . .

 

[dlamb2471]

Yes I hear you and I've been there and done that, and now I'm doing it again. Best way to learn is through suffering sadly...it is useful to me to know about the limitations and pitfalls of Windows 8 (for my job if nothing else). What better test bed than my home machine that I can blow away and redo without worrying about it? That being said, I'm still looking to see if anyone else is having a similar experience.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Yes I hear you and I've been there and done that, and now I'm doing it again. Best way to learn is through suffering sadly...it is useful to me to know about the limitations and pitfalls of Windows 8 (for my job if nothing else). What better test bed than my home machine that I can blow away and redo without worrying about it? That being said, I'm still looking to see if anyone else is having a similar experience.

. . . And I can see it from your point of view, because as we both said "been there . . done that . . " That's why I did it, too, because I had to "stay on top" in the field in which I found myself adrift.

These days, if I were going to "adopt" Win 8, it would be on a spare home system -- emphasis on "spare." Which . . . I have . . . after dumping a WHS v.1 server for the convenience of building a new v.2011 with spare hardware. But now . . . I'll actually have to purchase Win 8. Damn!

And doesn't it require a machine with a UEFI BIOS? Where did I hear or read that?

 

[GotNoRice]

Question - did you upgrade from Windows 7 or do a fresh install?

Assuming you did an upgrade, did you disable SSD caching before the upgrade, or leave it enabled during the upgrade?

 

[dlamb2471]

My motherboard has a UEFI bios. Also, I disabled the caching before I did a completely fresh install of Windows 8. Since I enabled the caching post-install on Windows 7, I planned on doing the same with Windows 8. The Intel utility clearly supports it, it just fails with an "unknown" error when I try to enable it. Gosh I love unknown errors...

 

[gpse]

I have Windows 8 Pro, and a Z77 mobo using Intel RST without issue.
I did a fresh\clean install, I booted off the USB installer, then installed that way making sure to delete all partitions on my Hard Drive.
In the BIOS:
SATA Mode: RAID

Make sure when you install Windows (7 or 8) that you only have 1 hard drive connected, and leave the SSD disconnected until after install. I installed 8 onto my Hard drive, installed my drivers (including Intel RST) then shut down the computer. I then connected my SSD, booted up windows 8, and launched Intel RST, I was able to use acceleration without issue.
I'm using Intel RST Version: 11.6.0.1030

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Det...ng&OSVersion=Windows 8, 64-bit*&DownloadType=

The Key is to make sure BIOS is set to RAID, and only 1 Hard Drive installed during install, then add the SSD after. Even with Windows 7 I had to ensure the SSD was disconnected, if not Windows made partitions on the SSD which caused problems with trying to use that SSD for Caching.

 

[dlamb2471]

Thanks for the suggestions. I do have a 2nd hard drive connected, I will try disconnecting that. There are no partitions on the SSD drive currently, so I can't see how that would be any problem. I will double check everything anyway and report my results.

 

[dlamb2471]

Unfortunately none of this has yielded positive results for me. What size is the drive you're accelerating? I'm using a single WD 2TB drive - I'm wondering if the partition type might be affecting me.

 

[gpse]

I have a 1TB Western Digital Black that I'm using my 64GB Crucial M4 to accelerate.
Make sure only the 2TB hard drive is connected to the Intel Chipset SATA ports, install windows 8 on that drive (make sure the drive has no partitions before install). Once installed download the latest Intel RST, I'm using 11.6.0.1030
Install Intel RST, then shut down and plug the SSD in the Intel Chipset SATA ports.
power on the computer and it should show both drives in Intel RST, and you should be able to accelerate.

 

[sm625]

The Key is to make sure BIOS is set to RAID, and only 1 Hard Drive installed during install, then add the SSD after. Even with Windows 7 I had to ensure the SSD was disconnected, if not Windows made partitions on the SSD which caused problems with trying to use that SSD for Caching.

How are you supposed to do this if you are trying to upgrade a notebook that has a 20GB ssd cache?

 

[GotNoRice]

How are you supposed to do this if you are trying to upgrade a notebook that has a 20GB ssd cache?

It doesn't actually matter if the SSD is connected or not when you do your re-install.

The key is to make sure it's not first in the boot order. Windows will let you install onto a drive that is 2nd in the boot order, but in the process it puts files on the drive that IS first in the boot order that are necessary for your computer to boot. If your SSD is first in the boot order, and it puts those files on the SSD, that precludes you from being able to use that SSD as cache later on. Disconnecting the SSD during install is simply a fool-proof way to make sure that the mechanical drive is first in the boot order...

 

[gpse]

you could also unplug\remove the SSD from the notebook.

 

[CA19100]

I have a system running a Gigabyte H77M-D3H board, which was using Intel SRT under Windows 7 very successfully. I updated to Windows 8 (upgraded in place), and while the Intel utility said it was working, the performance sure didn't show it. Slow as a dog. I tried disabling it, flushing the cache drive, and reenabling it; nothing made any difference.

Then I went to Intel's site and updated to the latest RAID driver (11.6.0.1030), and it appears to be working again. (It's faster, and the hard drive isn't thrashing like it was before the update.) I used Intel's automated driver scan utility here.

Hope that helps somebody!

 

[LBroudy]

I'm trying to set up a Windows 8 a machine using Intel SSD caching (Intel Smart Response Technology). I am sure that my system hardware is correct and capable of doing the technology. But what I am not sure of is if I can use the SSD casting technology using a 2 hard drives in a raid one configuration, and then add my solid-state drive in combination with that.

In other words when I'm done I would have one solid-state hard drive 120 GB hard drive and two 700 GB regular hard drives connected in a raid one configuration. My question is this possible?

Would be grateful for any help anyone could give.