Lost Drive capacity with Smart Response

[Iainc]

I am putting together a new system with the GA-Z-68XP-UD3-iSSD motherboard and wish to use Intel Smart Response with the onboard 20Gb iSSD.

Initial configuration is with a single 400Gb HDD

I selected RAID/XHD in BIOS as recommended.

I configured RAID vis the CTRL-I menu during boot

This worked fine with the system showing the new array with both the HDD and iSSD as members.

After OS load I loaded the Mother board drivers including Smart Response - version 10.5..

Everything seemed fine with a nice stable system.  I then checked System "C" HDD properties and was surprised to see that its capacity was only 37Gb  -not the 400Gb that I was expecting.

Where has the capacity gone?  I think it might be due to how I set up the RAID array - should I have paired the HDD with the iSSD as an array or loaded the OS on to a Single SATA drive ?

Any help before I take the build apart would be appreciated




CPU Intel Core I7 3.4Ghz 2600K Unlocked 8MB Cache
Motherboard GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD
Memory 2x4Gb Corsair Vengeance DDR3
Graphics Card Nvidia 8800 512mb
OS WIndows 7 Professional x64

[Aussie Allan]

  Iainc ... I hope you see the funny side of life as I do!

 You cannot raid a single drive.......so it seems that you raided the 400Gb drive with the iSSD......which usually defaults back to the smallest drive in the raid......why it shows 37Gb is beyond me as the iSSD is only 20...... in a nut shell .............I think your having a Blonde Moment!

   Reread the Manual again......hang up your dress and have another go under ACHI for the Main (C) drive

  Aussie Allan

[EyeDontKnow]

I also have the iSSD version of this board....... but I have not installed the OS yet, because I am confused as well.
Unfortunately, the manual seldom mentions the 20 GB  iSSD, nor how to configure the board/bios/OS to make use of it.

...and the Intel Smart Response installation guide only describes the implementation of RAID when using an SSD along with an additional HDD.

Installing a conventional SATA hard disk and a solid-state drive (SSD):
 1) Besides the conventional SATA disk, you also need an SSD to make it work as a cache of the hard disk.

(with cache choices being 18.6 GB, or max of 64 GB)
(hence, the above poster being only able to see 37 GB ...18.6 +18.6 = 37 GB in a raid configuration, seen as "one" drive.)


So this leads us relative newbies to believe that "RAID" needs to be selected in the BIOS setup ....and that is where I am confused.

If it is the case that we do NOT want to setup a raid configuration, but DO want to use AHCI, then how does the on-board 20 GB iSSD come into play ?
....and how do we set that up ?
...and how does iSRT come into play, if at all ?

=Randall=

[Aussie Allan]

I also have the iSSD version of this board....... but I have not installed the OS yet, because I am confused as well.
Unfortunately, the manual seldom mentions the 20 GB  iSSD, nor how to configure the board/bios/OS to make use of it.

...and the Intel Smart Response installation guide only describes the implementation of RAID when using an SSD along with an additional HDD.

Installing a conventional SATA hard disk and a solid-state drive (SSD):
 1) Besides the conventional SATA disk, you also need an SSD to make it work as a cache of the hard disk.

(with cache choices being 18.6 GB, or max of 64 GB)
(hence, the above poster being only able to see 37 GB ...18.6 +18.6 = 37 GB in a raid configuration, seen as "one" drive.)


So this leads us relative newbies to believe that "RAID" needs to be selected in the BIOS setup ....and that is where I am confused.

If it is the case that we do NOT want to setup a raid configuration, but DO want to use AHCI, then how does the on-board 20 GB iSSD come into play ?
....and how do we set that up ?
...and how does iSRT come into play, if at all ?

=Randall=

Randall and Iainc.......

  To be fair.......you both have a fair point......and now I'm not sober....... I was probably being unduly harsh...Hic!

  Let me have a few days to digest what you both have bought and I'll come back with something for you.....I suspect you do very little except load-up the OS to a HD or SSD ... I also suspect the iSSD recognizes the Drive that the OS has been installed on and and become a form of Cache for that drive.... storing the critical data for OS and commonly used Programs...... much like the "Momentus XT drive that Seagate released a while back with 4 Gig of Ultra fast NAND Flash storage...... could even be mixed up with Marvells 9130 chip with it's new HyperDuo technology... if you want a read to start understanding what your iSSDs are capable of.......I'll come back to you soonish!

  Oops! forgot the link...........http://www.behardware.com/news/11232/marvell-88se9130-hyperduo.html


  Aussie Allan

[EyeDontKnow]

Thanks  Aussie...

I am heading toward the assumption that the 20 GB onboard iSSD is pre-configured (plug-and-play) to cache your typical "C" drive (OS drive).
....although it is really not spelled-out as such on the giga site....nor does it describe if the onboard  SSD cache is only used on your main drive, or all drives system wide, or if it can be dedicated (configured) to apply it to just one partition on a drive...for example if you have an OS partition.
 

And here might be MY blonde moment......

If I am using a 120 GB SSD drive for my OS and apps.......is there little increase in speed by having
the extra 20 GB on this board ??

EDIT:
just looked at the mobo block diagram, the mSATA (20 GB onboard) takes the place of one 3Gb/s sata port, on the Z68 chip, and not connected to the Marvell chip.

EDIT #2:
(from the giga site)

The included mSATA-based single level cell (SLC) solid-state drive (SSD), allows users to take advantage of the performance benefits of Intel® Smart Response Technology straight out of the box

.

[EyeDontKnow]

http://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/dz68db/sb/intel_smart_response_technology_user_guide.pdf


Without seeing the SRT interface on my system yet (OS not installed), I don't know if the onboard 20 GB SSD will be selectable as a device, in order to configure. You think it would show up though, technically it's on the SATA bus, and uses up one physical SATA port.

It does say you have to enable RAID in the bios, prior to OS installation**....the confusing part is they list under "system requirements" :

Single Hard Disk Drive (HDD) or multiple HDD’s in a single RAID volume

I am guessing this technology needs RAID enabled to pair the onboard ssd, with your separate HDD, for the cache/acceleration process to work.
...but I hate guessing.


** giga's utility "EZ Response Technology" allows you to not have to re-install the OS, if you didn't set your SATA drives to RAID mode before installing the OS. It also installs the SRT software for you, as part of the process.
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3896#ov

[Aussie Allan]

 Well theres the thing, can't for the life of me ....remember what speed the issd is quoted at but remember "80% increase in performance if used with a stock plattered HD (70-80Mb/s)...... I suspect if used with a quick SSD ......the jump in speed  performance might be zilch!....could even be slower  

  If it's configurable.......could make an excellent page file disc though ........Don't worry about your Blonde Moment.........I just realized I.m a bloody Blonde myself!......No....... I mean really!..........as in hair colour!

  I'll pop in that link I dropped in earlier as an edit, just in case you missed it...... http://www.behardware.com/news/11232/marvell-88se9130-hyperduo.html

  Also you might want to look at RamDisc.........I tried the 4Gb free app and was very impressed.....to the point I payed the tenner to unlock more spare memory..........I now have 10Gb of my 24.....dedacated to RamDisc..........whacked in a partition for page file and the rest for Photoshop scratch

  I'm getting near on 4000Mb/s throughput on ATTO Bench....If you want a pic....just ask!

  Aussie Allan

[Dark Mantis]

Oh now the picture makes sense Allan! I said it must be some sort of cache....ramdrive huh.

[EyeDontKnow]

Regarding the use the onboard iSSD along with my SSD OS drive...I could always try out my system doing some benchmarks...:

1) without the onboard SSD utilized (no SRT used)
2) with it - 20 GB accelerating (cache) my 120GB SSD (OS drive)
3) with the 20GB accerelating my mechanical data drive, (not the OS drive)

It will be a few days before I do that though.

It seems easy to change configurations...
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2601&page=7

[Aussie Allan]

Regarding the use the onboard iSSD along with my SSD OS drive...I could always try out my system doing some benchmarks...:

1) without the onboard SSD utilized (no SRT used)
2) with it - 20 GB accelerating (cache) my 120GB SSD (OS drive)
3) with the 20GB accerelating my mechanical data drive, (not the OS drive)

It will be a few days before I do that though.

It seems easy to change configurations...
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2601&page=7

Good Boy!.... Uncle Goggle to the rescue......Would love to read your findings and benches when your through......

  And DM!...... that's the thing! those figures I posted over to you earlier......I didnt have Ramdisc active......scared to turn it back on till I work out whats going on..........If I can get to the bottom of it and replicate it for others to test............Huge!

  Aussie Allan

[EyeDontKnow]

I think the original poster might not be back, he/she may have sorted it out by now. (I saw he posted the similar question elsewhere on the net.)

What he did right was to set the Z68's SATA mode to "RAID" in the bios.
What he did wrong was  "I configured RAID vis the CTRL-I menu during boot".
You just need RAID enabled in the bios, but do not setup a raid array.
I believe the "Trim" function still works with RAID enabled, as long as there is no array configured.
He should have left it un-configured, installed windows, then entered the needed settings in the Intel SRT software (or giga's "EZ version).

BTW, here is a LONG review and discussion on SSD caching....much of it over my head...
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4329/intel-z68-chipset-smart-response-technology-ssd-caching-review

And here is another thread describing a workaround on how to use a single  120 GB SSD to include both an OS partition (no SRT), and a SRT 19GB partition that is used to cache a second HDD. (It's a workaround, and you'd only see improvements on that second drive if that second HDD contains programs and stuff that would benefit from SRT caching.)
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2172381

Which still leaves me with a decision.......do I really need SRT if I already have a 120gb SSD ?...maybe not.
I'll see if I can find out if I can use the onboard mSSD as scratchdisk space for Photoshop and Lightroom.....just to add another option to my setup. I am not a gamer.

Back to google.....and a beer !

[Dark Mantis]

Yes I would concur with your ideas there and I also wouldn't think that you would make any gain in performance out of using the SRT in conjunction with a decent SSD. It only really comes into it's own when caching a slower magnetic drive. For that it does seem to have massive benefits for the right type of program though.

[EyeDontKnow]

I believe the "Trim" function still works with RAID enabled, as long as there is no array configured.

I'm not sure about what I said above, I may be mistaken.

[Dark Mantis]

I believe the "Trim" function still works with RAID enabled, as long as there is no array configured.

I'm not sure about what I said above, I may be mistaken.

Well I must admit to being curious as to your statement but being unsure I thought it prudent not to challenge it. Where did you get this information from ?

[Aussie Allan]

 Trim support with an active Raid partition ...............The only people that have cracked that is OCZ..........Not even sure if it's on the shelves yet.

  Will be interesting whether it's hardware or software (firmware) based..........if it is via firmware........there's going to be a lot of happy OCZ bunnies out the soon.........including me

  To be totally fair..............I just leave my PC on longer when not in use for garbage collection to do it's thing.........seems to work pretty well!

  Aussie Allan