Disabled mSSD on new dv7 Quad Core!

I just bought a customized, dual-hard drive HP dv7 Quad Core Edition Pavilion laptop. Since I had my own copy of Windows 7 Ultimate, I choose Windows 7 Home Premium to save some money. The laptop has two hard drives 750 GB each. In addition, it has a 32 GB mSSD for hard drive acceleration cache. Windows was installed on the first HDD. Here is a timeline of the steps I followed, which seems to have put me in bad shape:

• Attempted to install Windows 7 Ultimate using the setup DVD. That did not work at all. Setup persistently prompted me to choose the second HDD, as a dual-install perhaps.
• Then, I decided to remove all partitions off all the drives using a Linux tool (gParted). I removed the partitions, created one partition in the first and second HDD. I marked the first partition on the first disk as bootable. I formatted all disk parititions as NTFS. When I rebooted with Windows 7 setup DVD, it showed me only the first HDD and even when I tried to proceed with setup, it gave me the error - Couldn't find boot disk on this BIOS based computer.
• This step I probably regret the most (since I should not have done what I don't understand), but I went back into gParted and created a MS DOS partition table on the mSSD drive (/dev/sdb). When I rebooted the system, instead of taking me to the BIOS or trying to boot off the first HDD, I see only a screen that has something to do with RAID configuration. After a second of flickering, the RAID/volume configuration screen shows up.
• Finally, I did something that I don't understand again, but it helped me install Windows 7 Ultimate on the first HDD. I installed Ubuntu Linux 12.x, wiping both hard drives and letting Ubuntu take care of using partition default set up. After installation, I booted with the Windows 7 Ultimate DVD again, and this time, it allowed me to see both HDDs and actually delete/re-create partitions and install the OS. But I still have the problem with the Intel RST screen showing up with the 32 GB mSSD disabled (see screen-shot).

I have attached some screen shots that hopefully describe the current state in better detail. BTW, I don't need RAID. I want to set up Windows 7 Ultimate in the first HDD and keep the second HDD for data/storage alone. The 32 GB mSSD is supposed to help with caching, so I would like to make that usable again too.

Please help!

 

The only way to format that drive that has the 32 GB mSSD cache on it is to open your computer up and physically remove the cancer and then un-bind your drive from the RAID configuration. You cannot format your own HDD with the mSSD module attached to it. That's why Win 7 wanted to only install/format the 2nd drive that didn't have it on it.

That module is complete garbage. Avoid at all costs.

Read this thread that contains both mine and someone else's same problem and solution: http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-...7-ult-install-no-drives-were-found-error.html

 

Actually, it sounds like the OP managed to disable RAID without removing the mSATA SSD and format the first drive. This apparently is preventing him from using the mSATA SSD as cache.

 

So we can't make the msata ssd cache the second drive if we have one? I have a second caddy and an ssd on the way. So i am hoping that we can as i would hate to have it just go to waste.

 

I'm not sure and don't have a second HDD to test this. From what I understand, Intel RST does support caching secondary drives, but the DV6/7's BIOS might be unable to setup RAID with the second harddrive. You'll have to let us know what happens when you get your caddy .
Also let us know if your caddy works. Some person said he had issues with it, but another mentioned using one.

 

I bit the bullet and ordered it from hp and it was the part number that they said i needed. So i hope they are right. The expedited shipping was only 5 bucks more than normal. So with 2 day shipping on both i should have them monday or tuesday .. depending

 

Yes, you can. The problem seems to only be if you're trying to do a fresh install of Windows. If you just use the recovery disks you create, you won't have a problem. It's super easy. When you switch out the OS HDD with your SSD and install Windows via the HP recovery media, the mSSD will be automatically disabled. All you have to do is use the Intel RST to disassociate the mSSD from the removed drive, and associate it with the storage drive. About 5 mouse clicks in all.

 

Actually, I was able to see both 750 GB HDDs, partition and format the first HDD and successfully install Windows 7 Ultimate. The whole time, the mSSD was disabled (according to the Intel RST OROM utility). All thanks to a vanilla Ubuntu install that seemed to resolve the HDD inaccessibility problem. My main concern now is to re-enable the mSSD and have it serve as an acceleration cache for Windows 7, like it was originally functioning. Does it involve removing one or both HDDs from the laptop and doing something before re-attaching them?

Thanks for all the opinions and comments!

 

Check out this SRT user guide from Intel. It may hold the clues you need to get this working.

Chipsets — Intel® Smart Response Technology User Guide

 

Hi,
This is the solution for your problem:
+ Use Ubuntu to boot up your system (boot only not install)
+ Use Gparted to partrition ur mssd (there's a drop down in partrition section, select the 29), and your harddisk
+ Format both
+ Boot with your windows installation disk and install on the hard disk (not the ssd)
+ Go to HP website (HP official website, not intel website, it won't work), install Intel Rapid Storage Technology
+ Go to Intel Rapid Storage Technology, go to Accelerate -> Enable
+ Enjoy

PS: DO NOT INSTALL BETA DRIVER for 650m, it will give you a lot of BSOD

 

Actually, you SHOULD install the latest beta driver for the 650M.

However, you must do it in this order:
1. Install latest Intel GMA drivers from Intel web site
2. Reboot.
3. Install latest NVIDIA beta driver for GT 650M from NVIDIA web site (under BETA drivers section)
4. Reboot.
5. Enjoy.

 

Thats what I did, and it does give me a lot of BSOD, reversed to HP official driver (GMA + Nvidia) -> all good

 

I'm running the Nvidia 304.48 Beta driver fine. I have the dv7tqe with Nvidia GT 650m 2GB. No BSOD's or any issues what so ever. Ran quite a few graphics benchmarks using 3Dmark 06, 11, and Vantage.

 

I just want to add that if you only want to say...install Ubuntu, the partitioning is a little different.

All you do is create a new partition table on the mssd, and then reboot. When you get to the intel rst screen, just make sure both drives are enabled but not in a raid array. Install ubuntu, load back into windows, and you can then turn intel rst back on.