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.