Upgrading M17x's 1TB RAID0 Hard drive to SSD

Greetings, I'm new to the site and I recently purchased a M17x and I will receive it soon. This model to be specific: Here

The M17x listed here has very nice specs for its price, but my main problem with it is the hard drive. However, I'm not fully well-read on laptops enough at this point to fiddle with it. From what I understand, the 1 TB RAID0 drive is two 500 GB drives linked together to function as a single drive. I want a single 500 gig SSD instead, though. Can I remove one drive and install the SSD as my primary hard drive? I'm also fine with removing both hard drives to use the SSD as my primarily drive. However, I want to keep my Alienware factory settings once I get it. I would appreciate it if anyone can explain how I can go about with breaking up this RAID0 configuration and swapping a SSD in its place while keeping my factory default settings. Thanks.

 

Hi there, congrats on your purchase.

If by keeping the factory default you mean retaining the RAID settings then it's quite straight forward. Once you have your new drive, go into the RAID config (hotkey on screen at boot) and turn off the RAID. It will then say non-raid drives but the RAID controller is still active. Replace the primary (slot 0) with your SSD and boot from the AW Win DVD to reinstall windows. Get all the drivers first to ease the setup.

You could also use imaging software to make a copy of the installation before breaking the RAID and restore it to the SSD but most reccomend a clean install. Just don't change the disk access method in the BIOS and you're good.

One advantage of keeping the RAID BIOS is the you can still use SSD caching. This means that you could sell the spare 500GB drive, get a small SSD msata drive and use it to accelerate the remaining HD to SSD speeds

Good Luck

 

But do I need to break up the 1 TB hard drive into a single 500 GB drive first in order to install the SSD msata drive? Sorry, but I'm a little confused.

I mean from what I understand, you're saying I can replace a single 500 GB hard drive in slot 0 for a SSD, while keeping the 500 GB hard drive in slot 2. So alternatively, if I want to keep my 1 TB mechanical raid0 config. I can buy a msata drive to speed it up my existing hard drives, right?

 

No problem, I've yet to see anyone that does not get confused by the options RAID give

If you use an msata SSD then you do not need to break the RAID at all. Just install it and change the boot order before installing/re-imaging the new drive. I was assuming you was removing one of the 500 drives to use an SSD in it's place?

Caching is a feature of the Intel RAID controller, it creates a special hidden drive that is invisible to the OS. All calls to the cached drive are redirected through the SSD cache, recently accessed files will be there by virtue of the algorithm used.

If you install the OS to the msata SSD then your original installation can remain on the 1Tb RAID drive and will not need any reconfiguration. You even get to swap the boot order back if it all goes badly and have the machine back to original (with an extra drive). Once you are happy with the new installation you just format the HD to clean it down.

Ask away

 

I think I understand it now. Thanks for your replies, I really appreciate it.

 

Cool. Here's a bit more info in IRST. This shows windows configuration but remember it's all in firmware and is independent of the OS, that's why you can configure it before the machine POST's if necessary.

Chipset Software — Intel® Smart Response Technology User Guide

All the BIOS stuff mentioned can be ignored as your machine comes pre-configured with the required options

 

Here is also a reinstallation guide and how to restore the system to the Alienware way.

Installation

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