D830 Flash Cache Module Enabled for Windows 7

Did a little more research on the issue and sure enough it's related to the Advanced Format Drive feature found on all modern large drives.

I put an older 80GB 2.5 drive in the laptop and used the Lenovo driver/console software (7zin85ww) to finish the setup.  Sure enough, the driver went in, the software configured Ready Boost and Ready Drive flawlessly.  The big test came when WUS, BITS and Windows Search were found to all be in working condition.

Now I'm looking for the largest 2.5 SATA drive without AFD so I can have my cake and eat it too.

Thank you for posting.  I read your original post and while looking for a possible solution I found the document on Turbo Memory but it looks like you beat me to it.

Reading the document I wasn't sure that Windows Seven would be compatible, there are a number of posts that mention like you do that there is a problem with Advanced Format and Turbo Memory.   Since doing this have you noticed a problem with Windows updates, as I came across a few posts that Turbo Memory broke Windows updates.

TB

Terry B,

Per my last post, WUS, BITS and Windows Search all work as they should even with the Intel Turbo Matrix driver/software installed.  The only caveat is it only works on drives without AFD which leaves fine drives like the Toshiba MK6465GSX 650GB SATA 2.5 as a choice.  Granted, it isn't among the latest 7200 RPM wonder drives, but it has good performance and supports 512bit sectors.

There is a utility that is supposed to "align" the AFD sectors, I thought this was mostly for Windows XP holdouts, but it may prove useful in this case.

I will post the results after my research.

You know I read that and I just didn't register you where referring to the Windows Update Service.  Nice, so no problems other than not being able to detect drives  with AFD. I am looking forward to your next post.

TB

Terry,

With non-AFD drives, everything works (Turbo Cache, WUS, BITS, Windows Search, etc.). Yippie!

With AFD, Turbo Cache works, but WUS, BITS and Windows Search doesn't.

There are a few problems with AFD drives other than enabling Turbo Cache.

If you clone a non-AFD drive and restore it to a modern AFD drive, you can get the same symptoms (WUS, BITS and Windows Search don't work).

answers.microsoft.com/.../3c566bf3-71b7-47d7-a686-9ef0e9ac5c25

I originally when down this path, but none of the solutions worked for me (mine was Turbo Cache related) and not many other people either. 

I think the Intel Turbo Cache Matrix SATA driver/software isn't AFD aware and needs to be updated.

Did you ever find an updated driver?  Do you think the "flash cache" would do any good if you have SSD?  I've got a 500gb SSD for boot and a 1tb SSD for data, it's all quite fast, but faster is better.

Also, how did you install 8gb of ram?  Dell says max is 4.

Thanks!

Thanks!  I guess this is why the FC was only around for Vista. My D830 is all SSD now.

There is no updated driver as the Flash Cache is intended to work with spinning hard drives that have 512b sectors (or less).  Modern 2.5 drives (spinning hard drives) have 4k sector sizes, so the driver doesn't work.

Flash Cache is an "old school" technology meant to supplement a real spinning hard drive.  The largest old 512b sector hard drive is about .5T and is about 7 years old now.  Like this:   500GB Hitachi Z5K500

So, if you have a modern big spinning hard drive they already spin faster than the old stuff and don't need the flash cache (plus the flash cache doesn't work).  And if you have SSD, that's as fast as it gets already. 

Hope this helps.

Well, lo and behold.

I got the Turbo Cache to work with a modern drive.  When I built a D830 for my wife last year, I got her a more modest 320GB 2.5" drive:  Western Digital's WD3200BEKX Black.  This drive has all the hallmarks of a modern drive: 7200 RPM, SATA 6, 16MB cache, etc.  Most importantly, it lacks Advanced Format (the largest of WD's Black drives to do so!).  What luck!

The Turbo Cache takes a few reboots to configure itself and the Power Option to spin down the hard drive after 1 minute needs to be set, but the cache is working.  No problems with WSUS or BITS.

She uses the laptop while unplugged and if the FCM can pre-fetch like it's supposed to, she should see better battery life.  The ReadyBoost part is supposed to help in memory intensive situations and act like extra RAM.

I'll ask later if she notices any difference.

Looks like I get my cake and eat it too!

Great thread!  I have a M6500 that I was attempting to install a FCM in and this saved me a lot of grief.

My wife's FC enabled D830 works pretty well.  Might be one of the fastest hard drive based D830s around; seeing as it has the T9500 CPU, FC and a modern hard drive.  It actually does boot a little faster and last a little longer on battery with the FC enabled.

I forgot to respond to an earlier item in the second to last reply about 8GB of RAM in the D830.

The D830 will indeed support 2 x 4GB PC2-5300 (333MHz) memory modules, but to make them work you have to first upgrade the BIOS to A17, then install the memory and then run a 64 bit OS.  The first boot with the 2 4GB modules will take some time as the system verifies the memory (probably 3 minutes), but subsequent boots proceed quickly as with less memory. 

If you insist on running a 32 bit OS, you will only ever see 3.5GB no matter how much memory you install.

My penny.

A couple of days ago I was setting up a clean install of OEM Win7sp1x64 Ultimate onto an old Precision M6300 equipped with same Intel chipset North Bridge: Crestline-PM PM965 & South Bridge: 82801HBM ICH8M-DO as D830, M4300 etc., a default 1GB FCM and Toshiba MK3261GSYN 320GB SATA300 16MB Cache HDD.

It seems that HDD wasn't an AFD one. At least all Win7 services mentioned in this thread including Updating, Search etc were tested to operate normally with the also mentioned above latest Intel TurboMemory & RST/Matrix 1.10.1.1002 & 8.9.2.1002 drivers dated of 2009-11-30 from Lenovo installed. Although it's maybe worth to mention that I've skipped to install both MS updates 93900864.msu & 93900886.msu as integrated into this Lenovo setup.

Also 2x4GB PC2-6400 800MHz CL6 SODIMM RAM is confirmed operating very nice at 333MHz with all CL5 timings 5-5-5-15 with this Intel 965 chipset. :emotion-4:

Rgds,

P.S. A BIOS was the latest available A15.

A penny?  Heck, it sure looks like your 2 cents worth!

I couldn't see online where the drive either had 512 byte sectors or AF, but if you are getting Microsoft updates, then it must have 512 byte sectors.  Everything else on the drive looked nice and modern:  7200RPM, SATA3, etc.

Good to know that the faster PC2-6400 memory modules work down to 333MHz speed.  I have the PC2-5200 memory with the same timings you state.

Hopefully, you have one of the faster CPUs (T9300 or T9500) to make the most of the setup.

I use my D830 every day at work and with the Blu-ray drive, it lacks for nothing.  Plenty of people point and comment that they remember the PC from the olden days, but are surprised at its performance.

I love this little black and silver laptop.

Oops, sorry I have no idea if this HDD either 512B sector or not but Win7 System Info is saying that it's 512Bps, although as far as I remember System Info of all my laptops & desktops around always showing all of my HDDs & SSDs around as 512Bps, including the HGST & WD 1TB size ones officially labeled as AFD. However this one isn't labeled as AFD... Yes it's 7200rpm but sata300 = sata2 3Gbps not sata600 = sata3 6Gbps.

And yes I have both M4300 & M6300 with T9500 & T9300 accordingly.

Maybe another day I'll buy X9000 to test if it'll be ok to operate in acceptable temperature mode with either standard M4300 or M6300 CPU heatsink. :emotion-10:

BTW, I guess you know that M4300 is almost same as D830.

Remove the Cache module and put  120 gig or larger SSD.  Larger than 120 Gig requires INTEL RST 9.6 or higher.  The Intel Matrix driver in WIN7 is version 8.XX.  MSM was replaced by RST

Intel recommends the installation of Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) driver v9.6 and above. End users who encounter this problem should use options described in the attached link in case repeated attempts of Installation fail.

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-031502.htm

If 10.X doesnt work revert to 9.6.1014

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/15251