Where should I install Windows when setting up Intel RST?

[caulmseh]

Should I re-install it on HDD first then configure the SSD to use it as a cache? Or this is unnecessary?

[n_scott_pearson]

Since you turn on the acceleration from within Windows, you obviously have to have Windows installed already. If you are going to turn on acceleration for a secondary drive (as opposed to your Windows System drive), you have to at least have the drive partitioned and formatted (NTFS).

For a fun read (though slightly dated now), read this Using Intel SRT with the Intel NUC article that I wrote sometime back (attached).

Note that all of this becomes moot as you come forward in time and Intel Optane Memory arrives on the scene. Intel dropped support for Intel SRT when they added Optane support to Intel RST.

...S