Complex question about disks

[wsarahan]

Hi guys how are you?

I`m with a problem and i`ll try to explain here, it`s hard because my english is not so good and the issue is a little complex, at least for me

I bought this ultrabook at US last week SVT15112CXS, i was at NY

So, this one i think that comes with that Hibrids HDs the total size of the disk is 750GB and 24GB is supossed to be the SSD one

But the factory system comes wth a lot of junk pre installed, so i decided to delete all the partitions and make a clean install

Now the problem begins, it shows for me 2 physical disks one with 24Gb and another one with the rest of the space

If i install the Windows in the 24GB one i just have avaiable after something about 2 gb free, and it stays with 2 disks and not only one like the factory system installed and what it is supossed to be

Now what should i do to fix/ make the right thing and stays with the only 1 disk that was in the factory? i really need to stay with one disk showing with the total ammount right? Is it really have 2 physical Hdds? I`m a newbie about this kind of things

Any help will be nice guys

Thanks

 

[oynaz]

I would find out who made the disk (I guess Seagate), and check their website for any repair tools.

 

[ViRGE]

Wsarahan, since you're starting from a clean install you wouldn't have any of the drivers or utilities Sony pre-loads on the system. For the hybrid configuration it looks like they're using a software package called ExpressCache, which is a software component that causes Windows to use the SSD as a cache. Consequently what you need to be doing is installing Windows to the HDD, and then installing ExpressCache afterwards. From what I understand the SSD will disappear, and be taken over by the ExpressCache software.

I would find out who made the disk (I guess Seagate), and check their website for any repair tools.

I don't believe Seagate makes a hybrid drive like that. And Western Digital's aren't currently shipping. It's more likely the Vaio is configured with a HDD and a separate SSD cache device.

 

[Steltek]

The drive is a 750gb Seagate Momentus hybrid hard drive/SSD for laptops.

 

[ViRGE]

The drive is a 750gb Seagate Momentus hybrid hard drive/SSD for laptops.

I have to disagree. All of Seagate's SSHDs only pack 8GB of NAND cache.

http://www.seagate.com/files/www-co...docs/laptop-sshd-datasheet-1784-1-1302-us.pdf

Furthermore on Seagate drives that NAND cache is transparently handled by the hard drive's controller. It isn't seen by the OS, whereas in this case wsarahan is seeing a separate 24GB drive.

 

[oynaz]

Deleted: Made no sense after Virge's post.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

could it be one 750gb spinner and a separate 24gb MSATA disk? thats what my wifes ultra came with. i replaced it with a 128msata for booting. much better now.

 

[aigomorla]

24gb SSD is intel's smart cache system to speed up mechanical HDD.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4329/intel-z68-chipset-smart-response-technology-ssd-caching-review/2

I dont think u touch that... u shouldnt touch it... the bios should handle it... u set it up in intels RST software....

You dont install ANYTHING on it... PLEASE DONT INSTALL ANYTHING ON IT... or u destory the whole point in smart cache.

 

[ViRGE]

24gb SSD is intel's smart cache system to speed up mechanical HDD.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4329/intel-z68-chipset-smart-response-technology-ssd-caching-review/2

I dont think u touch that... u shouldnt touch it... the bios should handle it... u set it up in intels RST software....

You dont install ANYTHING on it... PLEASE DONT INSTALL ANYTHING ON IT... or u destory the whole point in smart cache.

If you read Sony's documentation and software selection, they aren't using Intel's Smart Response tech. They're using a 3rd party software package (from SanDisk I believe): ExpressCache.

If Sony was using Smart Response, then it would have survived the reinstall and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

 

[aigomorla]

If you read Sony's documentation and software selection, they aren't using Intel's Smart Response tech. They're using a 3rd party software package (from SanDisk I believe): ExpressCache.

If Sony was using Smart Response, then it would have survived the reinstall and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

ok ViRGE give me the dunce hat...

 

[ViRGE]

*hands over the dunce cap*

You've earned it, aigomorla.

 

[wsarahan]

So resuming what should i do now guys?

My notebook is here just waiting for some resolution hehehhe

Thanks

 

[mfenn]

If Sony was using Smart Response, then it would have survived the reinstall and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

I don't believe it would. SRT works in fundamentally the same way as ExpressCache. You install to the SSD, install RST, enable SRT, and the SSD disappears.

 

[wsarahan]

I don't believe it would. SRT works in fundamentally the same way as ExpressCache. You install to the SSD, install RST, enable SRT, and the SSD disappears.

So i have to do this steps?

delete all partitions, format both disks as NTFS, install the Windows at HDD disk, after the instalations is done download RST, is that the way to make it works?

Thanks

 

[mfenn]

So i have to do this steps?

delete all partitions, format ONLY THE HDD AS NTFS, install the Windows at HDD disk, after the instalations is done download RST, is that the way to make it works?

Thanks

RST isn't enabled on all laptops as far as I know. You will need to use the ExpressCache software that the laptop was meant to work with. Same basic steps though.

 

[wsarahan]

RST isn't enabled on all laptops as far as I know. You will need to use the ExpressCache software that the laptop was meant to work with. Same basic steps though.

Thanks

But if i not format the SSD disk what should i do with him? Now he is as NTFS

Thanks

 

[piasabird]

Try running windows update or looking for a driver. The drive may need a special driver for that drive. Maybe the chipset needs to be updated. Go to the manufacturer's website and look at the support section for downloads for that model of computer.

 

[dclive]

I would use Intel's RST long before I'd use a Sony-sponsored solution. Just google intel rst join disks and you'll get the info you need.

 

[ViRGE]

Thanks

But if i not format the SSD disk what should i do with him? Now he is as NTFS

Thanks

Wipe all partitions on the 24GB SSD; leave it blank.

Format the HDD, install Windows.

Install the ExpressCache software.

 

[mfenn]

Wipe all partitions on the 24GB SSD; leave it blank.

Format the HDD, install Windows.

Install the ExpressCache software.

Yep!

I would use Intel's RST long before I'd use a Sony-sponsored solution. Just google intel rst join disks and you'll get the info you need.

SRT isn't supported on all mobile chipsets (typical Intel market segmentation). The reason that Sony ships ExpressCache is probably because the license fees for that are less than buying a higher-end Intel chipset.

Don't get me started on Intel's practice of tying software features like SRT to specific silicon versions.

 

[dclive]

Yep!



SRT isn't supported on all mobile chipsets (typical Intel market segmentation). The reason that Sony ships ExpressCache is probably because the license fees for that are less than buying a higher-end Intel chipset.

Don't get me started on Intel's practice of tying software features like SRT to specific silicon versions.

It works great on my Dell 14z, a $290 laptop, so I'm surprised it doesn't work on all the (modern chipset) Intel-chipset laptops. Which doesn't it work on?

 

[Cerb]

It works great on my Dell 14z, a $290 laptop, so I'm surprised it doesn't work on all the (modern chipset) Intel-chipset laptops. Which doesn't it work on?

Whatever ones the OEM wants not to bother with. Those software-supported storage features are optional, according to Intel (and I don't see SRT even among those, for the HM76, which looks like what it uses). Sony has many more pricing and feature options than we do.

Intel will gladly sell a big OEM a high-end chipset with all of the value-add features turned off. This is one of many reason white-boxing isn't dead, yet (example: an office PC that could use RAID 1 might only need a $450 white box build, but a $800+ big OEM PC, because that feature is not supported on their cheaper series).

 

[dclive]

Support looks really, really, REALLY broad:
http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-020644.htm

Latest driver shows this:
Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology Release 12.5 is designed to provide
functionality for the following Storage Controllers:
• Intel(R) 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family SATA AHCI/RAID Controller
• Intel(R) 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family SATA AHCI/RAID Controller
• Intel(R) 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family SATA AHCI/RAID Controller
• Intel(R) 5 Series/3400 Series SATA AHCI/RAID Controller
• Intel(R) X79 Express Chipset

Where does Intel say they rip out this feature from the listed chipsets?

 

[Cerb]

Where does Intel say they rip out this feature from the listed chipsets?

They don't. You need to learn to read past marketing.

They only offer it as options on some of their chipsets. For example, you will never even see it mentioned in anything about the B85, which doesn't support it, because that way, fewer managers reading it will think, "oh, this doesn't support feature X." Meanwhile, it will be one of the optional features for H87 and Z87, clearly listed.

Also, that software encompasses all storage features, beyond addressing the disks, for all supported Intel chipsets. It handles checking disk health, managing RAID, improving performance on old chips, applying TRIM in cases where it previously didn't work, etc. etc., not merely SRT.

 

[mfenn]

Support looks really, really, REALLY broad:
http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-020644.htm

Latest driver shows this:
Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology Release 12.5 is designed to provide
functionality for the following Storage Controllers:
• Intel(R) 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family SATA AHCI/RAID Controller
• Intel(R) 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family SATA AHCI/RAID Controller
• Intel(R) 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family SATA AHCI/RAID Controller
• Intel(R) 5 Series/3400 Series SATA AHCI/RAID Controller
• Intel(R) X79 Express Chipset

Where does Intel say they rip out this feature from the listed chipsets?

RST is not the same thing as SRT. RST is the Intel SATA controller driver than also provides software RAID. SRT is their SSD caching technology that is restricted to a subset of chipsets.