Intel Smart Response Technology Questions

Does this also apply to a non windows drive? I have a 1TB drive that contains all my music, movies and disc backups etc. I don't have another drive to back up to (foolish I know, it's on the list) so can I apply that reg fix, install the drivers and then enable drive caching on this drive? I am going to reinstall Windows on a new 256GB SSD also, which obviously I'll need to do first.

So this:
- reinstall windows on 256GB SSD
- apply reg fix and install RAID drivers
- power down and install old 60GB SSD as cache and enable RAID0 on the cache SSD and 1TB drive ports
- enjoy faster movie load times...

Also from the AsRock weebsite:

- 2 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s connectors, support RAID (RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10, RAID 5, Intel® Rapid Storage and Intel® Smart Response Technology), NCQ, AHCI and "Hot Plug" functions
- 2 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s connectors by Marvell SE9120, support NCQ, AHCI and "Hot Plug" functions (SATA3_M2 connector is shared with eSATA3 port)
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Which port should I connect the main OS SSD to if the two RAID0 capable SATA3 ports will be occupied by the cache SSD and 1TB drives?

I can't remember what the reason was, but I distinctively remember being recommended to not use the marvell controller?
 
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tbh i have no idea on raid,i dont use it,i just thought it would be easier to raid your hdd's on the intel sata2 ports and use your ssd with the os on on the sata3 port alongside your caching ssd also on the intel sata3 port,they wont be part of the array so shouldnt be affected?

maybe someone else who knows more about raid can post,ive only used caching
 
wazza300 said:
tbh i have no idea on raid,i dont use it,i just thought it would be easier to raid your hdd's on the intel sata2 ports and use your ssd with the os on on the sata3 port alongside your caching ssd also on the intel sata3 port,they wont be part of the array so shouldnt be affected?

maybe someone else who knows more about raid can post,ive only used caching
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but caching is RAID essentially. You have to pair the standard HDD and the caching SSD in a RAID 0 array. Unless I've understood this guide incorrectly?

http://download.intel.com/support/chipsets/sb/intel_smart_response_technology_user_guide.pdf

EDIT: apologies, I can see where my post was confusing. I've edited it above. I don't want a separate array AND caching. Just one 256GB SSD on its own for Windows, and 60GB SSD cache + 1TB for my documents (without having to wipe the 1TB drive).
 
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Problem solved. I was being thick : my 60GB SSD is vertex 2e so only SATA II anyway. I'll put that and the 1TB drive into the Intel SataII ports, leaving the SATA III free for the 256GB SSD :)

So back to my original question :D To install and enable caching (after I've reinstalled windows to my new drive and install the RAID drivers), will I need to format the 1TB drive, or will windows just magically understand the data since installing the RAID drivers?
 
yes it should just cache the drive you want to accelerate

the caching ssd can cache a raid 0 array also,aslong as the os is installed on your other ssd
 
wazza300 said:
yes it should just cache the drive you want to accelerate

the caching ssd can cache a raid 0 array also,aslong as the os is installed on your other ssd
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Thanks, no need to do it tbh. I just want the increased read/write speed added to the existing 1TB documents drive. I still have 2 other 320GB drives which I use for ISOs and games, but the games one will be removed and sold once the 256GB SSD goes in :)
 
If you going to be reinstalling windows you might has well enable raid in bios then install. That way when you connect your ssd all the Intel ports are already set to raid. You won't loose any data on the hdd I have 3 hard drives one with windows plus ssd and the other two are data. When switching to raid all my data was fine.
 
shankly1985 said:
If you going to be reinstalling windows you might has well enable raid in bios then install. That way when you connect your ssd all the Intel ports are already set to raid. You won't loose any data on the hdd I have 3 hard drives one with windows plus ssd and the other two are data. When switching to raid all my data was fine.
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Sorry for the confustion, that's not what I'm asking. Windows is now reinstalled on a separate 256GB SSD, all good.

However, I have a 1TB HDD full of movies and music that I want to boost with SRT - completely separate to the windows drive. So I'm wondering if I can use intel SRT to SSD-Cache this documents drive, without having to wipe it?

I know it can be done on the OS drive, but what about when I want to leave the OS drive alone, and just change the documents/Cache SSD SATA controller from ACHI to RAID? Will the reg fix and RAID driver install work here also, or does that 'fix' only work when dealing with the OS drive?

So can I:

- install windows on the 256GB SSD
- apply the reg tweak and install RAID/SRT drivers
- power down, install 60GB and 1TB drive in the RAID (ACHI --> RAID in BIOS) config
- switch on and still have access to all the data on the 1TB drive without and loss?

Hope that makes sense :)

Cheers!
 
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Yes apply the reg tweak and shutdown pc. Connect ssd and power on and enter the bios and switch to raid. Then boot into windows and install Intel smart response and apply caching to the data drive. You can't have separate controller modes they will all be on raid well on my board you can't.
 
shankly1985 said:
Yes apply the reg tweak and shutdown pc. Connect ssd and power on and enter the bios and switch to raid. Then boot into windows and install Intel smart response and apply caching to the data drive. You can't have separate controller modes they will all be on raid well on my board you can't.
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Thanks mate, I'll give it a go. As long as I don't format the drive, I should be OK as I can always just switch it back to AHCI. I have the Z68 Extreme 4 Gen 3, and I think I can set each SATA controller to different settings (say Intel SATA2 to RAID, SATA 3 to AHCI).
 
shankly1985 said:
Nope mate its Intel and marvell and Intel smart response only works with Intel ports.
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If I remember correctly, there are two Intel SATA III ports, two Marvel SATA III ports and two Intel SATA II ports?

EDIT: It has 4 of each:

- 4 x SATA2 3.0 Gb/s connectors, support RAID (RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10, RAID 5, Intel® Rapid Storage and Intel® Smart Response Technology), NCQ, AHCI and Hot Plug functions
- 4 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s connectors
Click to expand...

So I'll use one Intel SATA III for the OS SSD, and the two Intel SATA II ports for the SSD caching drive and 1TB docs drive.
 
You could put your ssd windows drive on the marvell sata 3 port and set ahci and have just the Intel ports raid that should work. You also wouldn't need to reg tweak just make sure marvell set to ahci before booting.
 
shankly1985 said:
You could put your ssd windows drive on the marvell sata 3 port and set ahci and have just the Intel ports raid that should work. You also wouldn't need to reg tweak just make sure marvell set to ahci before booting.
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I'd rather keep everything on the intel ports if possible, especially if I have two intel sata3 and two intel sata2 at my disposal.
 
All Black are Intel sata2 then you have four gray witch are two Intel sata 3 and two marvell sata3


Amraam said:
If I remember correctly, there are two Intel SATA III ports, two Marvel SATA III ports and two Intel SATA II ports?

EDIT: It has 4 of each:



So I'll use one Intel SATA III for the OS SSD, and the two Intel SATA II ports for the SSD caching drive and 1TB docs drive.
Click to expand...
 
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