Why can I not accelerate my HDD with a SSD? The option is missing.

[MDura14]

I'm set to Raid in the BIOS

System Report

System Information

OS name: Microsoft Windows 10 Home

OS version: 10.0.18362 9200

System name: DESKTOP-QTP1A95

System manufacturer: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

System model: G750JW

Processor: GenuineIntel Intel64 Family 6 Model 60 Stepping 3 2.401 GHz

BIOS: American Megatrends Inc., G750JW.210

Intel® Rapid Storage Technology enterprise Information

Kit installed: 12.9.0.1001

User interface version: 12.9.0.1001

Language: English (United States)

RAID option ROM version: 12.7.0.1936

Driver version: 12.9.0.1001

ISDI version: 12.9.0.1001

Storage System Information

RAID Configuration

Hardware Information

Controller name: Intel(R) Mobile Express Chipset SATA RAID Controller

Type: SATA

Mode: RAID

Number of SATA ports: 3

Number of volumes: 0

Number of spares: 0

Number of available disks: 2

Rebuild on Hot Plug: Disabled

Manufacturer: 32902

Model number: 10282

Product revision: 4

Direct attached disk: JD4000CCGU1PRP

Direct attached disk: 50026B77832787EA

Disk on Controller 0, Port 0

Status: Normal

Type: SATA disk

Location type: Internal

Usage: Available

Size: 932 GB

System disk: Yes  

Disk data cache: Enabled

Command queuing: NCQ

SATA transfer rate: 6 Gb/s

Model: HGST HTS541010A9E680           

Serial number: JD4000CCGU1PRP

SCSI device ID: 0

Firmware: JA0OA560

Physical sector size: 4096 Bytes

Logical sector size: 512 Bytes

Disk on Controller 0, Port 4

Status: Normal

Type: SATA SSD

Location type: Internal

Usage: Available

Size: 224 GB

System disk: No

Disk data cache: Enabled

Command queuing: NCQ

SATA transfer rate: 6 Gb/s

Model: KINGSTON SA400S37240G          

Serial number: 50026B77832787EA

SCSI device ID: 4

Firmware: SBFKJ1A3

Physical sector size: 512 Bytes

Logical sector size: 512 Bytes

ATAPI device on Controller 0, Port 2

Location type: Internal

SATA transfer rate: 1.5 Gb/s

Model: Slimtype DVD A DS8A9SH         

Serial number: 3208703 673313417818

Firmware: EAA2   

[AdrianM_Intel]

Hello MDura14,

Thank you for posting on the Intel® communities.  

• Could you please provide us screenshots of the RST interface to see the available options?
• Was it working before? Is this a new RAID set up?
• Did you check the Intel® Smart Response Technology User Guide?

Regards,

Adrian M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[MDura14]

Hello Adrian,

I have attached the screenshots.

This is a new RAID setup. it was previously just the single HDD.

MY chipset is listed as supporting the tech.

I have followed all installation instructions in the user guide along with some basic troubleshooting from searching similar problems with no luck.

[AdrianM_Intel]

Hello MDura14,

Thank you for your response.

I would like to confirm if the SSD was cached on another set up before, it's recommended to Run a Low-Level Format Solid State Drives when performing a new set up (Recommended to always back up your information/software before you run a low-level format or secure erase.)

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000006198/memory-and-storage.html

Could you please check if in the BIOS of your system there is an option like SSD cache?

Just for testing porpuses, you might try a newer RST driver version lower than/or 15.9, we actually recommend using OEM driver versions to no lose customizations perform on the drivers but you can try it for testing purposes.

Regards,

Adrian M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[MDura14]

Hello Adrian,

The SSD is brand new. I attempted setup as a cache drive before initilization, as a formatted un-allocated disk in MBR and GPT.

I have attached BIOS images. The in BIOS RST seems to be just to setup RAID drive redundancy and not caching.

I already tried versions 17.7, 15.9 and 12.9. I can try ver. 13.6 and 14.8

UPDATE:

Ver. 14.8 - Same

Ver. 13.6 - I cannot install. It pulls a .NET Framework error. It says I need 4.5 or newer. I have 4.8 Installed

If you still recommend it, I can do a low-level format and get back to you.

Thank you,

-M Duran

[n_scott_pearson]

You cannot enable caching from the BIOS. Since you tried using RAID, you need to destroy this array before you can do this from the GUI.

...S

[MDura14]

I didn't actually create the ARRAY, just showing what the options showed to be ahead of the follow-up question of what does the RST option show in the BIOS.

[AdrianM_Intel]

Hello MDura14,

Thank you for your response.

I will take a look into this, please allow me some time to update the thread.

Regards,

Adrian M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[AdrianM_Intel]

Hello MDura14,

I would like to update the thread.

The Performance tab-> enable acceleration page in the UI are only available if the following requirements are met:

BIOS:

• RAID-Ready system and Accelerate feature bit is set
• An internal SATA solid-state disk is present with a minimum capacity of 16GB
• A hard disk or volume (array members must all be hard disks) is eligible for acceleration
• No recovery volume is present.

Limitations

• The maximum cache size is 64GB.
• Only one disk or volume at a time can be accelerated per system.
• If two volumes are present on a single array (they share the same array of disks), neither volume can be accelerated.
• Once a volume is accelerated, a second volume cannot be added to the same array.
• Once a solid-state disk is configured to be used as a cache device, the option to create a recovery volume is no longer available. Recovery volumes do not support system configurations with multiple volumes

If all the requirements are met and the option does not appear this could be related to customizations performed on the chipset by the system manufacturer, in that case, I will recommend you to contact the system manufacturer.

Regards,

Adrian M.

Intel Customer Support Technician