Hi paolo norberto,

The ‘mSATA’ slot is a small slot; you will not be able to connect normal SSD on it. You will need ‘msata’ SSD to connect to ‘mSATA’ slot.

You can disable the ‘Intel RST’ from BIOS and use the existing mSATA drive as one partition on your computer and install the operating system on the mSATA partition.

You will not be able to use the recovery disks on the system after disabling the ‘Intel RST’ as you would have created recovery disks when the Intel RST is enabled. So you will have to do a manual operating system installation on the computer.

You will be able to upgrade to Windows 8 on the system.

Please reply for any queries.

Ravi, thanks but I have other questions:

1) Can use the mSATA drive as the Windows 7 boot disk if even I do not disable Intel RST?

I thought it would be sufficient "to not use the Intel RST RAID option"

2) If this is not possible, can I disable Intel RST from BIOS, then create a second time the Dell recovery disks?

Then use those disks to install everything on the new mSATA drive as the boot disk?

3) The Dell "Windows 8 Upgrade Troubleshooting Guide" reads:

"Intel Rapid Start Causes Blue Screen.

Problem: Disabling the Intel Rapid Start Technology in the BIOS produces a black screen

and ultimately a blue screen that indicates system failure.

Solution: Do not disable Intel Rapid Start Technology in the BIOS."

Ravi,

sorry, maybe there is a misunderstanding.

My XPS One 2710 does NOT have a mSATA drive. It only has 1 TB HD. As I got it from Dell, the SATA option in BIOS is set to AHCI, not to RAID.

What do you mean by "disabling Intel RST in BIOS", in this case? What would you do to disable RST?

Does my PC currently have Intel RST enabled or disabled?

Note that the Intel RST SW came preinstalled in my PC, even though the BIOS settings are as above described.

Thanks, I really have to find a solution: I bought Dell becasue it is upgradeable, otherwise I would have bought an iMAC.

Hi,

I have almost the same question. I have a 2TB HDD version with i7 processor and no SSD drive included as this model was not available.

The question is if the motherboard supports mSATA or a second hard drive to upgrade it with SSD? What is exact model of the mother board is used in my XPS one?

Or the only option is to take out the HDD and insert SSD?

Thanks

A-Lien

Hi paolo norberto,

Dell XPS One 2710 can be customized for ‘mSATA’ drive while purchasing it. I thought your computer came with mSATA drive and informed the details to convert the mSATA to AHCI mode and you will be able to use the mSATA HDD as a normal hard drive.

Intel RST would be disabled as the computer did not come with an ‘mSATA’ drive.

You can purchase mSATA SSD for your system and install it on the mSATA slot. You can attach is 32GB/256GB mSATA SSD for Dell XPS One 2710.

Intel RST software installed on the system is not only for mSATA drive. It is installed on all Intel chipset motherboards as Intel storage application.

Please reply for any queries.

Great!

So I can install the mSATA using the Dell Rocovery Disk. Correct?

You'll receive many of these questions. Unfortunately in many countries Dell does not sell the XPS One with the mSATA drive installed at factory, not even as a cache

.

Hi paolo norberto,

The Dell recovery disk that you have created was when there was no mSATA setup on the computer. So you will not be able to use the recovery disk with mSATA enabled.

Please reply for any queries.

So, can you please confirm that I can do this in this order:

1. Keep Intel RST off as it is now
2. Shutdown
3. Install the mSATA SSD
4. Power on
5. Create the recovery DVD disks
6. Reboot
7. Select F2/F12 and boot from DVD (recovery disks)
8. Install Windows 7 from the recovery disks to the mSATA SSD
9. Reboot
10. Select F2 and change the boot sequence putting the mSATA SSD in the first position

Thank you

Hi paolo norberto,

You can go ahead try doing the above steps but you will not get a prompt from the recovery disks on which partition it is installing the operating system. Please check if you are able to install the recovery image on the mSATA drive. If not I am afraid you will have to do manual operating system reinstallation on the mSATA drive.

Hi guys,

I bought XPS 2710 without SSD drive. Before I order new mSATA drive I want to ensure that my XPS support this drive. My question is, Does every XPS 2710 support mSATA? (I have i5, 1TB default configuration).

I removed back panel and tried to find mSATA connector. I found only 2 connectors that seems like PCI Mini Express Mini Card. May be one of them is mSATA.

Thanks for answer.

Hi guys,

I bought XPS 2710 without SSD drive. Before I order new mSATA drive I want to ensure that my XPS support this drive. My question is, Does every XPS 2710 support mSATA? (I have i5, 1TB default configuration).

I removed back panel and tried to find mSATA connector. I found only 2 connectors that seems like PCI Mini Express Mini Card. May be one of them is mSATA.

Right?

Thanks for answer

Ravi,

I start to see some light at the end of the tunnel. If the recovery disk does not install Windows 7 on the mSATA drive, how can I create Windows 7 installation disks to then perform a manual installation?

What is the utility to create those disks?

Hello Paolo,

I just purchased the XPS One 2710 and want to make an upgrade to the msata drive too. I find an information from the following link and it may be useful to you.

Moreover, I find another Mini PCI-e port which is empty, can I use this port for another mSATA drive? Can any people help me?

Here below is the link :

http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.aspx?imodule=CT256M4SSD3

"This drive is a MUST for anyone who purchases the new Dell XPS One 27 system (even if configured with the 32GB cache SSD).  Simply use the Dell software to make a system restore USB drive, remove the small cache SSD (if supplied), and install your OS on this drive, you will NOT be sorry."