Intel Smart Response NEED HELP

[rustedmobo]

I just built my second system:

Mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293Hello all,

HD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769

SSD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227757

I cannot set up the Smart Response caching for the life of me. I've been so excited to enjoy my new system and instead have spent all day installing and uninstalling Windows, playing with BIOS and resolving weird loading issues.

I just set the BIOS controller to RAID, created a partition on my HDD, installed Windows 7 and all the drivers, updated the Rapid Storage utility. Now, by all accounts, I am supposed to see "Accelerate Intel SMart Response Technology" in the Rapid Storage utility, but nothing changes.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/248828/how_to_set_up_intel_smart_response_ssd_caching_technology.html

Need help on this one...

 

[trapper]

Check here: http://download.intel.com/support/chipsets/sb/intel_smart_response_technology_user_guide.pdf

Do the steps in that tutorial differ from the ones on PCWorld?

But in the end everything that I have read points to SRT being a little slower than using the SSD as your main OS drive, even when STR is operating as best as it can and could be way slower if it isn't working optimally. A 90gb SSD is plenty for Windows and all non game programs plus 1-2 games. Install everything else on the HDD.

 

[rustedmobo]

Thanks, I gave up after a full day of Windows installations. Something is definitely off because it seems this process is not so complicated judging by all the instructions and reviewers out there.

Will use the SSD as the boot drive, the only thing that sux in doing is is that all the My Documents folders will be on this drive, so I will have to use different folders not to take up the extra space on the SSD.

 

[trapper]

Will use the SSD as the boot drive, the only thing that sux in doing is is that all the My Documents folders will be on this drive, so I will have to use different folders not to take up the extra space on the SSD.

If you're using Windows 7 that isn't really the case anymore. When you hit the Documents, Pictures or Music button on the start bar it opens up all the included folders you have for that sub heading. If you have a folder called "Work Documents" for example on your HDD all you need to do is open the Documents button from the start menu and at the top of the window (just below the address bar) it will say "Includes: 1 location". Click that button and you can add any folder you want, in this example your work documents, and it will now show up whenever you hit Documents from the start menu or from the side bar while navigating folders. That's how I've been managing my overly large music collection for the past couple of years. I just made myself a "Music" folder on one of my external drives.

 

[rustedmobo]

Best answer selected by rustedmobo.