Configuring SSD as a RAID0 caching device in Windows 8?

I just finished setting my XPS 8500 to do exactly what you're trying to do.  First, you will need to change AHCI-mode back to RAID mode in the BIOS.  The reason you can't see the hard drive is simple; you need the SATA /Intel Rapid Storage Driver when installing in RAID mode.  

You need to find the IRST driver for your machine and download it on to a USB key so the driver will be available when installing Windows 7.  You'll have to show Windows 7 the folder (64bit) it needs on the USB key when it scans for the driver.  

Once Windows 7 is installed you will then need to open the IRST program in Windows 7 and accelerate the drive.  Don't worry if disk management doesn't see the msata as long as the IRST program sees it everything is fine.  That's a general direction to go.  I hope it helps.

By the way the same process works with Windows 8.

Thanks very much for your help so far.

However, I am now trying to Load Driver for Intel RST (RAID controller). I booted in RAID-mode to the Windows 7 DVD. It does recognize the driver, and loads it. However, after that and Refreshing, It still only sees Disk 0 Unallocated Space of 29,8GB.

What am I doing wrong?

So to clarify have you been able to install the Operating System?

I have now installed the OS on my SSD drive, which runs smoothly. However, now the system does not recognize the 2 TB HDD drive, whereas the BIOS ánd the Intel RST App do list the HDD...

It remains absolutely unclear to me how to set up the system like it used to be...

Your msata 32 GB is going to fill up very quickly.  I think I would call Dell support so they can walk you though it because they could provide immediate answers to your questions.  But first, check out this thread about msata and caching the OS.  Read down the thread to see if it helps.

en.community.dell.com/.../20253042.aspx

Okay, for everyone else out there with the same problem:

I fixed it, somehow.

First, I installed my OS on the SSD in RAID mode (because the HDD wouldn't show up).

I then downloaded and installed the Intel RST GUI, which did see my HDD, showing the RAID-array structure was bad. I then created (a second!) 29,8GB-RAID0 volume as to test whether or not the SSD was bad. But it worked.

Then, in the Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM (Ctrl+I) I deleted both RAID0-devices, and kept the BIOS set-up to boot in RAID mode. I chose to reset both drives to Non-RAID devices.

I booted the Windows 7 installation Disk and, suddenly, both my SSD and HDD showed up as Disk 0 and Disk 1 Unallocated space. I made a New partition, during which the installation automatically created a 100 MB System Reserved partition. I formatted the second (big) partition. There, I installed Windows 7.

After numerous updates from Windows Update, I upgraded to Windows 8 from Desktop (keeping my documents, settings and apps) and installed all updates after that.

Then, I downloaded the Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) and GUI from here (downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx). Installed it, rebooted and opened the App Intel Rapid Storage Technology.

Now finally it showed the 'Accelerate' tab, and everything pretty much went smoothly from there.

I hope anyone can benefit from all the trouble (and insight!) this has given me ;-)!

Ivar

That's great.  Glad you got it working.  Cool.