Solved SSD startup

I recently did a clean install of Windows 8 and pretty much everything is peachy except for my SSD. I have an HP Pavilion dm4, beats edition (3170se), and when I reinstalled things from scratch the SSD configuration went crazy -- I have one of those hybrid drives with SSD and with Windows.

What do I need to do to configure this SSD? I can post the message it displays later, but as it's during startup I'll have to write it down -- can't take a screenshot.

Andrew

It is not clear what you have there. Is that an ordinary, separate SSD with a hard drive or SSD and a hybrid drive or caching SSD and an ordinary HDD. If it is an ordinary SSD (which one ?) then the easiest thing would be to disconnect HDD until you install windows and then connect HDD. First make sure that controller in the BIOS is set to AHCI mode and that you have all the drivers required for the laptop and windows 8.

No, it's a hybrid SSD for caching/startup, and then a 500gb HDD for running windows. I've already gone through the installation process, but the SSD is popping up a startup screen. I'll try to restart and grab the message it's giving me. It's like an 'SSD configuration utility' or something along those lines.

Ok, so apparently the RAID disk is disabled, according to what shows up at startup. How do I enable this? And will enabling this resume my super-fast startup from the hybrid SSD and HDD?

My hardrive is a 500gb Momentus XT: Seagate Momentus XT ST95005620AS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s with NCQ 2.5" Solid State Hybrid Drive Bare Drive - Newegg.com

This is the dialogue that is showing up on my computer on startup:

Intel Rapid Storage Technology - Option ROM - 11.0.6.1519
Copyright 2003-12 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.


Raid Volumes:
ID Name Level Strip Size Status Bootable
0 Cache Raid0 (Cache) 128k 29.8gb Disabled No


Physical Devices
ID Device Model Serial # Size Type/Status (Vol ID)
0 ST95005620AS 5YX1QZC6 465.7gb Non-Raid Disk
1 SAMSUNG MZMPA032 S0TRNEC309942 29.8gb Cache Disk (1)


Press Ctrl+1 to enter Configuration Utility.......


It sits there for about ten seconds, and then moves on. Previously, the boot would just go as normal, with no dialogue, and would use the SSD cache to boot up super-fast.

Andrew

During this 10 seconds time Press Ctrl+1 to enter Configuration Utility.......

Maybe you get any clue or message when you opened the configuration utility what to do to clearthis situation.

Configuration Utility:


Intel Rapid Storage Technology - Option ROM - 11.0.6.1519
Copyright 2003-12 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.


MAIN MENU
1. Create Raid Volume
2. Delete Raid Volume
3. Reset Disks to Non-RAID
4. Recovery Voume Options
5. Acceleration Options
6. Exit


DISK/VOLUME INFORMATION


Raid Volumes:
ID Name Level Strip Size Status Bootable
0 Cache Raid0 (Cache) 128k 29.8gb Disabled No


Physical Devices
ID Device Model Serial # Size Type/Status (Vol ID)
0 ST95005620AS 5YX1QZC6 465.7gb Non-Raid Disk
1 SAMSUNG MZMPA032 S0TRNEC309942 29.8gb Cache Disk (0)


When I click option 1, I get: Not enough available space to create a raid volume
Option 2: There are no RAID volumes to delete
Option 5: There are no accelerated disks/volumes to display


I'm guesing where it says Cache 'Disabled' I need to enable it, but how do I do that?

Surely someone else has run across this problem before. Any solutions?

There have been similar threads on this. I do believe you have to install a utility/program to make the SSD cache drive do what its supposed to do. Look though the manufacturer downloads for your laptop and you may find it. Wish I could be more help but I've never used that type of setup and can't remember what the program is called.

Can you point me to any of those specific threads?

Do a forums search for hybrid drive and you should find something. I'm not sure if this link will work, Windows 8 Forums - Search Results+

Well thank you, sir. I managed to solve the problem. For my specific model, the solution was this download: Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver - HP Pavilion dm4-3170se Beats Edition Entertainment Notebook PC | HP® Support which is an Intel software. I was looking for the solution in that startup dialog, but your post was a nudge in the right direction and things seem great now. Haven't measured startup time but I'm sure it will help. Thanks!

Andrew

I'm glad that you sorted that out. I view a lot of threads and don't always reply to all them them. It was something I remembered seeing but since I hadn't actually replied to one of those threads it wasn't in my "Your Posts" list. That left doing a search as the only option. The problem with that is what do you enter for the search, it makes a big difference in the search results. I got lucky.