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    XPS 9550 SSD Cache Problems

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by Andrevas, Mar 21, 2016.

  1. Andrevas

    Andrevas Newbie

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    I just bought a certified refurbished 9550 and when I received it, the OS was installed to the 32GB cache disk. I ran recovery off the included USB stick, and it did the same thing, installing to the SSD cache. I disabled the cache, and now it's installed to the 500GB disk, but Intel RST will not allow me to install Smart Response, no matter how I format the drive or configure things. Has anyone else had issues with getting Smart Response to work correctly with the base model 9550s?

    specs:
    i3 6100H
    Intel HD 530 (no dGPU)
    8GB RAM
    500 GB + 32 GB cache
    Win10
     
    Andrevas, Mar 21, 2016
    #1
  2. GoNz0

    GoNz0 Notebook Virtuoso

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    I think you may need to delete the partitions off both and enable smart response in the bios under sata settings.
     
    GoNz0, Mar 21, 2016
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  3. Andrevas

    Andrevas Newbie

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    RAID (Intel RST) has been enabled since deboxing. There are no other settings I can find except SMART error reporting under a different submenu and enabling/disabling the SATA and M.2 ports
     
    Andrevas, Mar 21, 2016
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  4. Andrevas

    Andrevas Newbie

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    So no solutions to this? I posted over on Intel chipset support forum, and got nothing. I called Dell Tech Support (after they failed to call me when they scheduled it) and the TSR, after admitting that he had no real experience with Intel SRT, pointed to Windows write-caching being enabled under the status tab as meaning SRT was working (WTF).

    So I gave up and bought an 850 EVO M.2. Problem solved (by elimination). Sooooo...anyone know where I can get a 6 cell?
     
    Andrevas, Apr 18, 2016
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  5. GoNz0

    GoNz0 Notebook Virtuoso

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    Having heard from others you do not have a smart cache option in the BIOS this is all done by software.

    Click my sig, get the ISO I built and use that to wipe the partitions and then install to the correct drive.
     
    GoNz0, Apr 19, 2016
    #5
  6. Andrevas

    Andrevas Newbie

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    I'll test that out if I feel like it, however putting a 850 EVO in the unit has probably been a better solution from the start. This 9550 is a lot nicer when things just work.
     
    Andrevas, May 3, 2016
    #6
  7. GoNz0

    GoNz0 Notebook Virtuoso

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    indeed, or better than that replace the SSD with a faster NVMe one.
     
    GoNz0, May 4, 2016
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  8. Googs

    Googs Notebook Enthusiast

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    I'm having the same issue and re-install using your ISO did not solve the issue. I still see both as one drive and cannot delete the partition or install SRT :(
     
    Googs, May 4, 2016
    #8
  9. jeff@work

    jeff@work Newbie

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    sorry I misread... you already tried installing on the metal drive like i suggested.
     
    Last edited: May 4, 2016
    jeff@work, May 4, 2016
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  10. GoNz0

    GoNz0 Notebook Virtuoso

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    You need to use a recovery console and wipe the disks then. Google it.
     
    GoNz0, May 5, 2016
    #10