AW 17 mSATA Boot Drive Configuration

Thanks for all the help on spec'ing out the new Alienware 17 that I got for my son. It, along with a 256GB mSATA drive, should be arriving today.

My plan is to immediately pop in the drive and then do a clean install of Windows 8.1 (I have everything downloaded and ready to go for when it gets here.)

I've been reading that the Intel configuration utility is necessary for setting up the drive as a cache drive. I want to use it as a straight-up boot drive, and not cache with it. Do I need to run the utility before I install the OS?

Also, do I need to do anything with the BIOS?

Thanks!

 

I don't use the utility with mine at all, I don't think it does much with the SSD's if your not caching. Depending on what the specs are that you went with when you ordered it ( mainly does it have raid set up ) you might have to go into the raid configuration (Ctrl-I I think) and blow away the raid container when your ready to boot the system. You do not need to re install the utility afterwards if you don't want as I don't think it does much if you don't plan on caching but perhaps someone can enlighten us if I am wrong. I would usually suggest making recovery DVD's before you start any of this but if the machine is coming in raid and you make recovery DVD's and then take away the raid the recovery DVD's won't work anyways, so as long as it comes with a Windows DVD you should be fine, just make sure you have all your drivers, like the Ethernet and wireless driver as those won't work until you re install the driver software although again it should come with a drivers DVD, but I would just make sure you have the newest from Alienware.

If your worried about the Bios then you can just check when you get it , F2 upon boot and it should be listed in the first screen. The most current version out is A05 but some of the newer machines like mine have been coming with A06 although it isn't out on the website yet. If you have A05 your fine, anything older I would probably just download the .exe from Alienware and update it as it only takes a minute.

I assume you have a teardown for the 17? the mSata is kind of a pain to get at but it isn't to bad.

Hope your son enjoys his new toy

 

Sorry to hi-jack your thread but, just out of curiosity i'm gonna be doing a fresh install soon on my 17. If you can say where did you get 8.1? I hate the fact that when I install windows 8 with the recovery disc I then have to go to the store, do a shed load of updates, then get the 8.1 update and then wait for it to download etc etc

 

That's the best way to do it.