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How to: Set up Intel Smart Response Technology (SSD caching)

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#1 ·
How to: Set up Intel Smart Response Technology (SSD caching)

Intel® Smart Response Technology User Guide:
This feature requires that the SATA controller be set to RAID mode via the system BIOS. Intel® Smart Response Technology is an Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (RST) caching feature that improves computer system performance. It allows a user to configure computer systems with an SSD used as cache memory between the hard disk drive and system memory.

This provides the advantage of having a hard disk drive (or a RAID volume) for maximum storage capacity while delivering an SSD-like overall system performance experience. Intel® Smart Response Technology caching is implemented as a single drive letter solution; no additional drive letter is required for the SSD device used as cache.

You can use a SSD to cache your secondary drives and RAID arrays. Just remember all data on the SSD you use will be wiped when you accelerate the other drives. And you can only have one volume accelerated at a time.

More info here: (link)

Also, before you try to set it up make sure your SSD has no partitions on it. So, go to disk management and delete all the partitions on the SSD or use the diskpart clean command to delete the partitions that way before you begin.

System requirements:
  • Intel® Z68/Z77/H77/Q77 Express Chipset-based desktop board
  • Intel® Core™ Processor in the LGA 1155 package
  • System BIOS with SATA mode set to RAID
  • Intel Rapid Storage Technology software 10.5 version release or later
  • Single hard disk drive or multiple drives in a single RAID volume
  • Solid State Drive (SSD) with a minimum capacity of 18.6GB
  • Operating system: Microsoft Windows* Vista 32-bit Edition and 64-bit Edition, Microsoft Windows* 7 32-bit Edition and 64-bit
Setup guide:
  1. Install Windows onto the HDD with the SATA mode set to RAID in the BIOS/UEFI. If you have the OS installed and the SATA mode currently set to IDE or AHCI please look here on how to properly change to RAID mode: (link)
  2. Install the newest Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver with the Control Center (a check box in the bottom left corner when installing): (link)
  3. Have both the HDD you intend to accelerate and the SSD in system at this point
  4. Run the Intel RST software through the All Programs menu or the task bar icon.
  5. Click Enable acceleration either under the Status or Accelerate menu.
    412
  6. When pop-up menu appears, chose which SSD you wish to use as the Cache device
  7. Select the size from the SSD to be allocated for the cache memory. Any remaining space on the SSD may be used for data storage using the simple data single-disk RAID 0 volume that is automatically created.
  8. Select the drive (or RAID volume) to be accelerated. It is highly recommended to accelerate the system volume or system disk for maximum performance.
  9. Select the acceleration mode. By default, Enhanced mode is selected.
    Enhanced mode: Acceleration is optimized for data protection.
    Maximized mode: Acceleration is optimized for input/output performance.
    373
  10. Click OK
  11. After clicking OK button, SRT will enable automatically, and the RST GUI will refresh to show the newly accelerated system configuration.

Option 2: Set up caching on a secondary drive with a separate, non-OS SSD for caching
  1. The system should already have windows installed on the main SSD and the SATA mode should be set to RAID, if you need to change your sata mode look here: (link)
  2. Once that is set, install on your caching SSD
  3. Install IRST
  4. Follow the instructions in the above guide, only instead of using your OS SSD as the cache SSD use the one you designated for caching the HDD.

Option 3:
Setting up the SSD as the OS drive and the cache drive. You will have to install on the HDD and set up the cache for xxGB of the SSD (up to 64GB). Then when you do that reinstall on the SSD in the unused space. Then set up SSD caching again on the previous cache space. (iirc)

Guide here: http://www.overclock.net/t/1404323/guide-using-1-ssd-as-system-drive-os-and-acceleration-drive-raid-smart-response-technology-ssd-caching

Now supported by X79 chipsets!
http://www.overclock.net/t/1217075/asus-p9x79-motherboard-owners-where-are-you-at/100_50#post_19487853

All you need is the IRST driver v11.7.x.xxx or newer!

No acceleration tab showing up for you? Here is the fix! (Note: You can not cache dynamic disks!)

  1. This is your issue, no option to enable acceleration right?
  2. Simply exit the Intel control panel and then delete the partition on your SSD you are going to use to accelerate
  3. Reopen the Intel control center and then under the status tab under the performance subsection you will have the Acceration using SSDs: Disabled and the ability to enable it.
  4. Click enable and here you go!

Fix #2:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1227655/how-to-set-up-intel-smart-response-technology-ssd-caching/240#post_21550417
Quote:
Originally Posted by cubanresourceful View Post

That did not work. What did work was shrinking my OS partition by 200MB. I noticed that people were having issues with IRST with additional partitions like Linux, etc. and then deleting them worked. So I assume (not verifiable) that IRST needs some space towards the end of the drive? After accelerating, the 200MB free space shrunk to 198MB free space. Dunno, but if someone else is having an issue where they cannot accelerate, even though everything else is correct, try shrinking the last partition (or the OS partition, I don't know which since I only had one main partition on the drive, aside from the other required Windows partitions).
Click to expand...
 
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#4 ·
Since you are using the SSD as a OS drive you would need a separate SSD as the HDD cache.

If you want to do this over having the OS on the SSD I don't recommend it.
 
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#6 ·
I bought a 60gb intel 330 ssd to play with. now that I am done messing around with it, I would like to secure erase it and use it for a cache drive.
my question is, I already have windows installed on my vraptor. Can I still switch to raid mode in UEFI and setup SRT, or do I need to re-install windows?
 
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#7 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by mxthunder View Post

I bought a 60gb intel 330 ssd to play with. now that I am done messing around with it, I would like to secure erase it and use it for a cache drive.
my question is, I already have windows installed on my vraptor. Can I still switch to raid mode in UEFI and setup SRT, or do I need to re-install windows?
Click to expand...
Yes you can easily switch to RAID mode.

Follow this guide: http://www.overclock.net/t/1227636/how-to-change-sata-modes-after-windows-7-installation
 
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#8 ·
Will do! Thanks!
 
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#9 ·
I'm thinking of doing this for my next laptop. I'll use the standard 500 GB drive and a 64 GB SSD (50 bucks - OCZ Agility 3). The big thing about SSDs is the small file read speeds and access times, isn't it? Other then that, you don't notice much of a difference. Would you get the SSD performance for the small file reads while keeping the larger storage capacity this way?

Anyone have any benchmarks of this? I can't find any modern ones with faster drives. Could also be handy for my bros next desktop. 50 bucks for SSD like performance while having a large capacity is awesome. I could care less about the 200-500 GB read/write speeds for the larger files. Half the time we're limited to the 16-48 Mbps download speeds anyways. If this works like the corsair accelerators without having to buy that specific drive, then I'm definitely interested.
 
#11 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by eggrolls View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by Domino View Post

I'm thinking of doing this for my next laptop.
Click to expand...
don't think you can do that.
Quote:
System requirements:

Intel® Z68 Express Chipset-based desktop board
Click to expand...
laptops don't use the z68 chipset
Click to expand...
What about SSDs with such technology built in? Such as the corsair accelerators?
 
#12 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Domino View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by eggrolls View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by Domino View Post

I'm thinking of doing this for my next laptop.
Click to expand...
don't think you can do that.
Quote:
System requirements:

Intel® Z68 Express Chipset-based desktop board
Click to expand...
laptops don't use the z68 chipset
Click to expand...
What about SSDs with such technology built in? Such as the corsair accelerators?
Click to expand...
It is not built in, there is a different software that comes with the drive to achieve SSD caching. The only difference is that it can be used on any chipset. (or almost any?)
 
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#14 ·
Hi Sean,i just received my 30Gb Adata SSD that i want to use for HD caching only ,BTW i already have OS on my C300 64Gb so i only want to cache my 500Gb WD Black (storage-programs/games ,etc)
-the 30Gb Adata will be installed here
688

what will be the correct procedure ..i assume i have to do the Reg tweak right ? ;
Quote:
Exit all Windows-based programs.
Press [Win] + R or take the RUN option from the start menu.
Now type regedit there and press Enter Key to open up the Registry Editor Window.
If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
Locate and then click the following registry subkeys:
Code:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\msahci
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStorV
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStor

In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.
In the Value data box, type 0 [3 is default], and then click OK.
On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.
Restart your computer
Go to UEFI/BIOS and enable RAID, Save & Reboot
Another restart will be required to finish the driver installation.
Click to expand...
 
#15 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Domino View Post

Well that's what I mean. It 'comes out of the box' with it. I've seen good gains from it. You think it's worth it for only 50 bucks while given that piece of mind for storage space?
Click to expand...
I do no prefer caching myself. lol I can't really answer that for ya.

Quote:
Originally Posted by coolhandluke41 View Post

Hi Sean,i just received my 30Gb Adata SSD that i want to use for HD caching only ,BTW i already have OS on my C300 64Gb so i only want to cache my 500Gb WD Black (storage-programs/games ,etc)
-the 30Gb Adata will be installed here
688

what will be the correct procedure ..i assume i have to do the Reg tweak right ? ;
Quote:
Exit all Windows-based programs.
Press [Win] + R or take the RUN option from the start menu.
Now type regedit there and press Enter Key to open up the Registry Editor Window.
If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
Locate and then click the following registry subkeys:
Code:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\msahci
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStorV
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStor

In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.
In the Value data box, type 0 [3 is default], and then click OK.
On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.
Restart your computer
Go to UEFI/BIOS and enable RAID, Save & Reboot
Another restart will be required to finish the driver installation.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Yea, once the drive is detected on the system and you change to RAID mode (you may need to reinstall the IRST driver package) you should be able to set up SRT easily like any other SRT array.
 
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#16 ·
so do the tweak first ,
-install SSD,
-change to raid in bios ,
-reinstall the IRST
- set up SRT
right ?

Thanks Sean
thumb.gif
 
#17 ·
  1. install SSD
  2. do the tweak and change to raid in bios (you have to change to RAID in the BIOS after you do the reg edit.)
  3. reinstall the IRST
  4. set up SRT
 
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#19 ·
That is normal, however, I think you can disable it in the BIOS somehow...
 
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#20 ·
Hi,

First, please let me thank you for all the useful "How To" guides you posted on this forum.
thumb.gif


Now, back to the topic. I have a Asus P9X79 WS MB, a 256 GB Samsung 830 SSD, a 128 GB Crucial M4 SSD, a 1TB Western Digital, a IBM M1015 with 4 SSDs in Raid0 and I want to instal Win7 and to use Intel caching solution to boost my files transfer speed. The plan is to install Windows 7 on the 256GB Samsung 830 drive, work on my multimedia projects on the M1015 Raid0 drive, and at the end of the day after my work is finished, to transfer all my project files on the 1 TB WD drive as a backup solution. After one day of work, the files needed to be transfer on the 1TB WD drive will be pretty big and I just don`t want to wait half an hour, maybe more, to finish the files transfer. My idea was to setup the 128GB crucial SSD as a cache drive for the 1TB WD and transfer the files faster. Of course, every day the files will be different than the previous day and will replace the previous backup. My question is: Is it going to work? Is it possible to do it?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Cheers,
 
#21 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mighty Customer View Post

Hi,

First, please let me thank you for all the useful "How To" guides you posted on this forum.
thumb.gif


Now, back to the topic. I have a Asus P9X79 WS MB, a 256 GB Samsung 830 SSD, a 128 GB Crucial M4 SSD, a 1TB Western Digital, a IBM M1015 with 4 SSDs in Raid0 and I want to instal Win7 and to use Intel caching solution to boost my files transfer speed. The plan is to install Windows 7 on the 256GB Samsung 830 drive, work on my multimedia projects on the M1015 Raid0 drive, and at the end of the day after my work is finished, to transfer all my project files on the 1 TB WD drive as a backup solution. After one day of work, the files needed to be transfer on the 1TB WD drive will be pretty big and I just don`t want to wait half an hour, maybe more, to finish the files transfer. My idea was to setup the 128GB crucial SSD as a cache drive for the 1TB WD and transfer the files faster. Of course, every day the files will be different than the previous day and will replace the previous backup. My question is: Is it going to work? Is it possible to do it?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Cheers,
Click to expand...
First, the X79 chipset does not natively support SSD caching. Asus uses a third part chipset for caching. So setup will be different.

As for it it will work or not, it will work, it should help, but since you said the files will be different every day idk on how much better things will be. Caching software usually puts the most used files on the SSD, not the most recent. You can set it up and see if it does make a difference for you since you already have the drives and everything. There is no harm in testing it out.
 
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#25 ·
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R
#26 ·
OK. What about any detail on handling Step 1 though, which is normally easy but not in this case. On a clean install, isn't it common to see no drives at all when you boot into W7 Setup with the BIOS on RAID? You would see a drive if a RAID array had been setup with a Ctrl-I BIOS option, but that's not on all systems and not part of any SRT procedure I've seen.

Intel has a technote explaining that on supported chipsets, you don't need to do an F6 (load driver) type install since Win7 has AHCI/RAID support, so it's quite curious that I'm looking at an Ivy Bridge laptop right now where no drives are showing (system has 1TB SATA spinner and 32GB mSATA SSD) in the W7 SP1 setup.

"Load driver" of RST 11.2 F6 drivers does allow the drives to show up and for Windows to commence installing to the 1TB, but after the first reboot in the install phase it comes back and "Can't find the operating system," which, of course, is not normally the case since the boot files are written in that first stage.

So, I think there's a little more nuance to this.
smile.gif


Edit: I think it's happening because the SSD is slipping in as "Disk 1" according to Setup's disk manager. The 1TB is Disk 2. So that's a problem. It's a laptop, so it's not like you can change the port it's plugged into. The HD is ahead of SSD in the BIOS. Aside from removing the mSATA and adding it post setup, I'm not sure what can be done.
 
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