Can't activate Intel Smart Response acceleration

Question

Hi Everyone. I have a 2 days old XPS 14 (L421X) with 500GB hard drive + 32GB SSD. I find out about SSD caching, and I'm trying to activate Intel Smart Response within the pre-installed Intel Rapid Storage app.  But no matter which setting I use (Full capacity, or 18.6GB, Enhanced or maximized mode...) it won't activate. I always have an error: 'An unknown error occurred while an operation was in progress. The operation could not be completed' I have a Data partition on the SSD (which is around 20GB) that Dell created... but I don't think it can be a problem as the software should erase everything. It seems that something is accessing the SSD drive and don't allowed the app to do its job. Does anyone have the same problem or know a workaround ? I've searched a lot on the web and the forum and couldn't get close to an answer. Thanks in advance for your help Regards.

DELL-Sujatha K · Accepted Answer

Hi Petrolheader,

There seems to an issue with the way the SSD drive is set up. I recommend that we reset the ISRT manually. Please follow the below given steps to reset it manually:

Boot to Bios (F2)
Change Sata operation to AHCI
Save settings and Exit
As soon as the system boots up tap the F8 key to go into Advanced options
Choose option Repair my computer
Wait for 3 – 5 minutes on the black screen until the system shows up recovery options
On System Recovery option click next
On user name / password option click next (if password has been set for primary user please enter the right password)
On System Recovery Option screen ------> Select Command Prompt
At Command prompt type in Diskpart
Type LIST DISKà You should see 2 Disks listed like below
- Note down the right DISK number for the next steps. On some systems Msata HDD would be either Disk 1 or Disk 0

DISK ###	Status	Size	Free	Dyn	GPT
DISK 0	Online	29 GB	19 GB
DISK 1	Online	465 GB	5091 MB

- Type SELECT DISK 0(Whichever is msata drive
- It should say DISK 0 is selected
- Type Clean
  - This should clean the msata HDD
  - Type OFFLINE Disk
  - This should make the Disk Offline

DISK ###	Status	Size	Free	Dyn	GPT
DISK 0	Offline	29 GB	19 GB
DISK 1	Online	465 GB	5091 MB

Type EXIT
RESTART
On Restart go into BIOS (F2) and change SATA back to Intel Smart Response Technology
Click save and exit and Restart
Option Rom should pop up – Press Ctrl + I
Press R to disable acceleration and 6 to Exit
Boot into Windows Normally

Please check for the ISRT.

Petrolheader · Answer

HI.

Thank you very much for your well documented answer.

It worked. I can now use the ISRT. I set it up with the 18.6GB size so that I can use rapid start also (I had to reinstall the driver in order to get this one to work again).

So thank you. I thought I would never be able to solve this by myself.

However I have to say that getting into the advanced boot up is so much pain.

I still can't say if I have to press and hold for long the F8 key, or if it is better to tap it several times, neither when it is good to press it.

I had to try it 10 times before it worked... and when I tried to do it again, it didn't.

And sometimes it boot directly in a restore mode, sometimes not.

Anyway, hope I will never need the advanced options again.

Thanks again.

DELL-Sujatha K · Answer

Hi Petrolheader,

I am glad that the issue is resolved. F8 key works fine to go to Advanced Boot Menu in Windows 7. However, Windows 8 removed the need for F8 key. The Advanced Boot menu is redesigned. Windows 8 boots very fast, it boots so quickly there simply isn't time for a keystroke interrupt, which would normally allow users to go to ‘Advanced boot menu’ by tapping F8.

To go to ‘Advanced Boot Menu’ in Windows 8, bring up the ‘Charms Bar’ and click on ‘Change PC Settings’. Select ‘General’ from the left Panel and scroll down to the bottom of the right panel, click on ‘Restart Now’ under ‘Advanced Start up’. In the next screen click on ‘Troubleshoot’ which will bring the ‘Advanced boot options’ windows. Generally Windows 8 will automatically give Recovery Options after 2 to 3 failed reboot.

Petrolheader · Answer

Thanks for the update. It is indeed a lot easier when you know how to do it. I should have said at the beginning that I was on Windows 8 (I thought every XPS were). My bad.;)

By the way, I have to say that I'm a bit confused by several features of windows 8. Especially when it tries to do some repair without really asking me anything nor showing progression bar. And it put me into troubles (I had to restore to a previous state). Simple operations also seems more difficult at first (like shutting down the computer). Anyhow, I've to get used to it.

Thanks.

Regards.

0ls0n · Answer

Hello I dont really understand the last few steps.

Click save and exit and Restart

Option Rom should pop up – Press Ctrl + I

Press R to disable acceleration and 6 to Exit

Boot into Windows Normally

Could you be mor specific?

If i would know what this so called Option Rom is I could solve my problem probably too.

Regards

0ls0n · Answer

Another problem is, that list disk gives me 2x 29gb even though i only have a 500gb HDD and mSDD (30gb). Where does the second one come from???

Robin3 · Answer

en.community.dell.com/.../19511993.aspx

michaeldelamore · Answer

Please help! This is the closest answer I could find after days of searching the web. My situation is very similar here... I have the exact same model of dell xps laptop. I want to enable the same ssd configuration but both drives have been cleaned and have no partitions. What would be the process (step-by-step) as above to install windows from scratch Using Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. I have downloaded all of the drivers onto a usb drive. Also I am installing windows from a usb drive.

michaeldelamore · Answer

Thanks for the quick response! This is exactly what I want to do. However in following the steps provided I run into a problem...

When asked "where do you want to install windows?" I have both drives as un-partitioned, when I click on new partition on the HDD (not the ssd) it says "Setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition." Does this mean the driver is not working?

michaeldelamore · Answer

Could it be that my hdd is identified as disk 1 instead of disk 0?

cedricsi · Answer

Hi,

I have the same disk configuration on an XPS 14 : 500Gb HDD + 32Gb SSD.

At some time, I've decided to repartition the 500Gb drive. "C:" partition was reduced in order to create a new one.

With this new partition created, I was no more able to activate ISRT (got the same error message as in initial post above).

Once the partition was removed and C: resized to maximum capacity, then ISRT could be activated again, i.e. the acceleration of the "466Go" SATA drive was ok.

I've spent some time before figuring out this. Hope this could help someone ...

Cedric.

wowotou · Answer

I got my problem solved. 'An unknown error has occurred while an operation was in progress. The operation could not be completed', I had this message before. Then I went to disk management, right click on the SSD name, which is labeled 'disc1'. I mean the SSD name under the management but not the disc space bar. Then I changed it to MBR boot something. After that, I could go back to enable the acceleration now.

JNL22 · Answer

I followed these steps and it seemed to go OK until I got to the end. When I enter 'Ctrl + I' I get a screen titled 'Intel Rapid Storage Technology--Option ROM--' Under 'MAIN MENU it lets me choose '3. Reset Disks to Non-RAID' or '6. Exit'. What do I do now?

JNL22 · Answer

addition to prior post--when I have the screen that says 'option ROM' I pressed R and then 6. After exit, I get a screen that says 'Intel UNDI, PXE-2.1 (build 083).' Then it says 'Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller Series v2.44 (10/07/11) PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable. PXE-M0F: Exiting PXE ROM. No boot device found. Press any key to reboot the machine.' When I press key, it tries to reboot and I get the same message.

BJanos · Answer

I have a very similar problem, http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/disk-drives/f/3534/t/19623653, but seem to be running into a dead end steet with every attempt.

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