Do i need intel rapid storage technology drivers with a SSD/HDD combo?

[kenshindono]

Im setting up a laptop i got for my sister and was wondering if i need to install the Intel rapid storage technology drivers for her. Its got a SSD for the main HDD and a 1tb old fashioned spin type HDD for storage in it. Heck, im not even really sure what Intel rapid storage tech does. I think it just speeds up standard HDD's but i think i read somewhere that it can actually wear out SSDs faster. Whats it actually do, and should i install it or not?

 

[USAFRet]

Im setting up a laptop i got for my sister and was wondering if i need to install the Intel rapid storage technology drivers for her. Its got a SSD for the main HDD and a 1tb old fashioned spin type HDD for storage in it. Heck, im not even really sure what Intel rapid storage tech does. I think it just speeds up standard HDD's but i think i read somewhere that it can actually wear out SSDs faster. Whats it actually do, and should i install it or not?

No you do not need it, and it has nothing to do with an SSD + HDD combination.
They will just be two different drive letters. Very common config.

 

[Solandri]

Just to amend USAFRet's answer, in the vast majority of cases you don't need it. But for a while, Toshiba was configuring all their laptops as RAID even if they used a single drive or two separate drives. You had to have Intel RST installed for those laptops to work correctly. I believe they've stopped doing this, but you may run across it in some older laptops, or maybe another laptop maker has been doing it too. If you set up the laptop and both SSD and HDD work without errors, then you're fine with Intel RST. If you run across mysterious drive errors or one of the drives is not found and the BIOS says the drives are being accessed as RAID, try installing Intel RST.

Aside from that, one of the features in Intel RST allows you to use a SSD (or part of the SSD) as a cache for the HDD. In that respect, it can improve performance of the HDD (makes it act like a SSHD). But this is almost always configured with an extra SSD. It is possible to get a boot SSD configured to work this way (i.e. boot OS partition + cache partition). But the process is convoluted and requires certain options to be supported in the hardware and BIOS. It is highly unlikely your laptop vendor intended for it to be set up this way.

But if you're just setting up the laptop, are reasonably skilled with computers, and want to try to see if you can get it to work, here's how. SSD wear was a problem with the early SSDs around 2010, but is pretty much a non-issue with modern drives. They early 16 and 32 GB SSDs could theoretically wear out in a few years. Modern 128-256 GB SSDs will last 5+ years under heavy use, and will last several decades under normal use.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1404323/guide-using-1-ssd-as-system-drive-os-and-acceleration-drive-raid-smart-response-technology-ssd-caching

 

[kenshindono]

Yea i know it will be two different drive letters. Thats always what i do.

So i guess its just worthless for SSDs in general? What exactly does it do? I think its to speed up drives or something like that. Actually using the SSD to speed up the HDD is exactly what i DIDN'T want to do... so assuming thats the case is it best to just not install it?

Its a Sager btw. So i need to put all the drivers on it from scratch. Thats why i was asking if i needed it or not

Oh, btw. If i do install it is it something i can just disable or turn off? Or is it something that will always be on/load up on bootup?