Guide On ExpressCache: "I Want My ExpressCache Back!" Edition

Ok, I've proven otherwise, the system partition did install to the iSSD... The only thing I at this time do not remember whether I did was to create a partition to the iSSD and leave the SSD unpartitioned. But now it is too late as I've put back the HDD and am about to return it to the store.

FYI the computer is brand new, I booted it with the normal HDD and played with it for a couple of hours before I wanted to swap to the SSD and do a fresh install.

Now I have no idea which computer to buy. The UX31 is great in almost all aspects except the horrible keyboard which makes it useless, and all other sub 15" machines have a useless 1366x768 display.

 

So sad about it. I'm waiting for SSD price to drop a little bit before buying one for my machine. If I were you, I would just keep the laptop and figure out the way to install Windows into the SSD correctly.

 

Warning: For Series 5, please use DVD to install Windows 7.

 

Yup. That goes for the 7-series as well. Have been struggling with USB install for weeks, but with DVD there were no problems except that the "Extracting files" process took about 30 minutes from DVD to SSD, as opposed to less than one minute from USB to SSD. I thought the extract process was done internally on the hard drive (the step before is copying files and that went ultra fast).


/r

 

Hello everyone, quick noob question: how do you remove the back cover after removing the screws? Just pry the plastic away? Could someone please post a closeup photo of those tabs?

Thanks a lot!

 

Follow this guide...
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sam...ies-7-chronos-np700z5a-disassembly-guide.html

Pictures...
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sam...nos-np700z5a-disassembled-parts-analysis.html

Pull horizontally, parallel to the ground.

 

Worked well thank you. After it started it was easy pushing a credit card along the gap.

 

A credit card was smart - I used my index finger and ended up with a deep cut ;-)

 

Hi,

I have reinstalled a new copy of windows 7 with the samsung softwares, including easy setting to enable express cache. In Easy setting, checking the express cache settings, the bar that represent how much it is used is alway empty, unlike before it has a blue section that is been used. I wonder if it is working correctly, anyone know how to fix it?

 

Gotta love Samsung....... I also have a Galaxy Note and dealing with their formidable update timeline..... not.

I have been an HP fan, only with their business products though. And I am learning the hard way dealing with Samsung and how they handle things on the customer service side of things.

With that said, I wanted to let everyone know that I decided to tackle the ExpressCache issue. I got a NP700Z5A-S0AUS a few weeks back. I swapped the HDD for a Crucial M4. I made the mistake to reformat the iSSD. I didn't care at first but wanted to see if I could fix it. I rebooted and reinstalled the Easy Settings and EC drivers so many times. So at last I decided to not rely on the Easy Software Manager and decided to get the software directly from their website. Manually installed the x64 version of the EC drivers and reinstalled the Easy Settings software. And guess what? No ExpressCache submenu but now a menu at the top called "Boot Management". I assume it is what Samsung decide to change it too. Anyone else experienced this?

By the way, I used Parted Magic: downloaded the ISO and burned it to a CD, then booted my laptop and used the partition tool to format the iSSD with the HFS+ file format).

I noticed that my laptop boots up even faster now. Ridiculously fast. Since I have been experimenting with the process of reloading my laptop from scratch with Windows 7 x64, and in my opinion now I don't think it qualifies as a "clean install", I am probably going to reload it one more time with the right steps.

 

The Boot Management menu is a feature of the latest version of the Easy Settings which was released a few days back. It might help in your case but that update screwed up the Intel Rapid Start Technology on my NP900X3B. When it is working properly the latest tweaks to the boot management optimise the loading of files during the Windows boot process to make it appear that the computer is starting up more quickly.

John

 

My HDD failed recently, so I replaced it at the service center since it's still within the warranty. They installed Win7, and all drivers to the new HDD, don't know what and how did they do but ExpressCashe IS visible in Easy settings (which I installed). There are several issues that make me doubt EC works properly:

1. First of all my boot time is about 55 sec. I seem to remember that it was faster before?! What is your boot time?
2. There is no difference in boot time when I turn ExpressCasahe ON/OFF?!
3. The cashe usage bar in EasySettings is just 10% full, partly green partly blue.

Thank you for your help!

A

 

Some videos claimed that with EC and no other significant application run at startup, Windows would boot around 30-35s. Somehow the way you described tell me that EC is not working at all. I had this problem before and just really ignore it because I got SSD after that. The 10% is the reserved for System, so if EC is working, then the rest should been filled out. You might want to install the new Easy Settings and try to reset or resintall EC to see if it is working or not. I highly doubt about the fail of EC, because in my case, I could format and even use the iSSD of EC for NTFS partition. Also, that wouldn't be the case of motherboard. The problem must be in the Easy Settings because sometimes when I checked the EC option, it had been turn off although I did not do that.

 

Hm seems my iSSD is dead
After installation of the new EasySettings I don't have the ExpressCache entry in Easy Settings nor the iSSD in Device Manager, before that it was working just fine.

On reboot I also have a long black screen, doesn't matter if I use fastboot or not.
I already tried reinstalling Easy Settings and ExpressCache but no luck.

Has anyone the previous Easy Settings version, maybe the new one screwed something up for me

 

I would try uninstalling Easy Settings and re-installing an older version. The last Easy Settings update upset the IRST on my Series 9. I ended up restoring a backup image. The time difference between the newest files in the installation package and the release date suggest that Samsung aren't spending much time on QA.

John

 

EDIT:
After a day of usage Express Cash started filling up. Now, after couple of days, EC it's almost 50% full, and it's visible that it's working. Boot time is down to 30-35 sec, with Boot Optimization ON...

A

 

You have to use the computer for a while before EC knows what to cache.

 

if you format an SSD to HFS and the iSSD to NTFS, will the expresscache pick and work with the SSD formatted to HFS and if so, will it use the whole drive to cache or only 8gb?

 

I just installed a Samsung 830 SSD into my Samsung 17" Chronos 7.
Im wanting to use the internal integrated express cache for storage of files, since I don't think it's needed with a SSD.
I see the 8gb expresscache in device manager, However when I go into computer management, I can't assign a drive letter to the drive. Any suggestions? it's all grayed out.

 

I have a Chronos 7 NP700Z5A-So4US, and I am running intosome weird Expresscache issues. The settings, and the cache itself disappears sometimes, only to come back when I put the laptop to sleep. Also, the express cache is empty except for the 1st 50MB of reserved system area.The laptop is as slow to boot as any other other laptop I have owned in the past 4 years. Has anyone seen this? I badly need help solving this issue ...Thanks!
I have had this laptop since May 18, and this Express Cache issue is driving me bananas...Samsung Support is not very useful, and they want me to send the laptop for service. I think I am going to return it to the store, and get a different laptop. I got 10 days left on the return policy ...

 

You need to go into diskmgmt.msc or Disk Management to delete the HFS partition and format as NTFS in order to use for storage.

 

Did a fresh Windows installation on my ultrabook. Like other I had problems with the ExpressCache to get it working.
I have a Samsung Ultrabook 5 Series (NP530U3B-A01NL). The original solution didn't worked for me. This is my workflow based on the solution of yknyong1.

I already had Easy Settings and the ExpressCache drivers installed.

1. Remove ExpressCache drivers (then reboot)
2. Remove Easy settings (then reboot)
3. Remove the iSSD using the Windows Disk Management and reboot
4. Install MacDisk and format the iSSD to HFS+ (this ultrabook has an iSSD of 16GB)
5. Reboot.
6. Install the ExpressCache drivers from the Samsung Support website.
7. Reboot
8. Install Easy Settings from the support page also
9. Reboot the for the last time.

 

Your iSSD is dying already, so see if you want to return and buy another.

 

I am not sure I understand the statement that the iSSD is dying already. Isn't it supposed to last for the life of the laptop? Also, I am thinking of swapping the hdd for an ssd. What physical dimensions the ssd must have? Thanks, and I appreciate your help greatly.

 

I mean that the iSSD is intermittent detection, so likely your iSSD is dying.
SSD can be any 2.5" 9.5mm or 7mm.

 

Hi largi02,

Sorry to hear about your iSSD issue. You absolutely correct that the iSSD should last a lot long then it did on your laptop. However, it is entirely possible that the particular iSSD you have is defective - that this is why Samsung Support requested the laptop - to see for themselves what the particular issue is in this case.

Think about it like this: Say you and a friend both bought the exact same flat screen for your computers. His died a week later while yours is still working perfectly. He can complain that the screen was meant to last much longer then a week, but the true is that because it's a piece of hardware, sometimes these unexpected situations occur.

I think it's great that Samsung is willing to take a look at your laptop and make things right for you. I feel like if I was in your shoes, I would take them up on their offer.

Hope this helps!

-Alex

 

I agree, except that for a computer that's almost new then Samsung should be arranging for it to be replaced by the store, not go for repair for some unknown period leaving the purchaser without their new computer.

John

 

Hi, I have read this thread, but Im little bit confused about reinstalling W7. I would like to make clean install of W7, to remove bloatware and change partitions size on HDD. So probably I will delete exististing partitions and create new ( with liked size).
Will I encounter this problems with express cache, if I dont touch my 8GB SSD disk? I will format just my 750GB HDD.

Thank you for answers

 

Follow the instructions are still not

 

I do not know where I'm wrong. My workflow was:

1) Installed Windows 7 Professional and all drivers;
2) Boot with Gparted and format the 16gb iSSD Sandisk as HFS+ (unique HFS+ partition);
3) Reboot Windows and installed Easy Settings. The iSSD didn't appear.
4) Uninstall ExpressCache driver and Easy Settings, reboot and reinstall ExpressCache driver and Easy Settings. Didnt work,

Samsung Series 5 (NP530U3B).

 

Have you tried calling Samsung technical support? Sometimes general fixes don't work because there is a specific issue happening on your computer that needs to be addressed first. Samsung can determine this and proceed further.

Hope this helps!

-Alex

 

Hi All,
I got my laptop (530U3C-A01UK) manually reinstalled with Win7 Ultimate 64bit and all drivers including ExpressCache working again using the diskpart fix listed in the thread.
It appears to be working fine but when I reboot the laptop every time I get an error saying "Samsung has stopped working" and the event log shows that the ExpressCacheRun64.exe version 1.0.0.2 has failed calling ecapi64.dll

Has anyone else this issue, it does look like ExpressCache is working (currently using 3.6GB of the 24Gb partition).

I disabled ExpressCache inside Express Settings, rebooted and reenabled and rebooted again.
But once its enabled I get that error on startup, appears to be working but I want to fix that error on startup if anyone has any advice?

 

Have you checked that ecapi64.dll exists?

Have you tried to manually run ExpressCacheRun64.exe (i) normally and (ii) as Administrator?

John

 

Hi,
Yes the file exists, I have manually installed the ExpressCache driver which installs fine as well.
Right now its installed from Easy Software manager and is working (I think but this error is really odd every time I turn on.

 

Hi,
I noticed something odd...
My 24GB SSD is now disk 1
The 500GB HDD is now disk 0

It used to be disk 0 for the SSD (boot) and disk 1 for the HDD (windows).

Has anyone else noticed the drive order changing, now if I goto install windows it see's the HDD as the primary disk to install the bootloader and not the SSD...!

 

Hi,
Has anyone any advise, I think this might be causing me an issue but now to do a clean install the disk order is incorrect. The SSD should be showing as disk 0 but from diskpart and windows setup it now shows as disk 1, so the boot partition is written to the HDD now as its disk 0 instead of the SSD.

Anyone...?

Thanks!

 

I think removing the HDD, booting, then putting it back would change the order.

 

a question: can I expand my expresscache on samsung seriers 7 gamer? if yes do you know any how-to guideline?

 

Hi,
Thanks I tried that, I removed the HDD and booted up the lapto, it takes you to a menu screen for APPS or BIOS which was odd.
I then re-seated the HDD and the order remains the same...

Any other advice?

Thanks,
Mark

 

Hi,
No I don't think so as its soldered memory and not user upgradable the same as a normal SSD.

 

Same for me. My 512GB boot SSD is disk 2 I think. 750GB spinner I use for backing it up is disk 0 or 1.

I was confused as to why that had happened , but the boot device is correct so I just ignored it.

 

A quick question from a windows newbie with a new NP700Z5C-S01UB. I'd like to disable the expresscache so I can used the SSD for boot and/or swap when I run Linux. I've never enabled "fast boot mode", turned off and reset the express cache in Diskeeper but it still shows 70 mbyte in use. The windows disk partition software doesn't understand the expresscache. How do I keep windows 7 from using the SSD?

TIA

 

@writeback: just uninstall the express cache software in win7 programs and features, then delete the partition on the iSSD. That way you can use it for whatever you want.

 

Thanks. Will Windows recover from blowing away the 70 mbytes of "System Reserved Area" in the express cache?

 

All I can say is I've deleted and re-created my ExpressCache many times and never had problems. ExpressCache is just a piece of software that caches frequently read files and saves them on that iSSD. Once that software is un-installed, the iSSD is just another disk.

Edit: wait... This assumes that your series 7 boots from HDD and not from the iSSD (dunno how it could). Does your iSSD contain a 100MB SYSTEM partition? If so, don't delete that!

 

No the 100MB partition is on the HDD and I just realized the BIOS doesn't support booting from the iSSD. Unfortunately this complicates using it as my Linux boot device. Thanks.

 

If you install Linux on the iSSD, EasyBCD should be able to add it to your windows boot menu. Might cost you a second or so of extra boot time, but hardly more.

Or I'm sure there is a way you can grub the 100MB partition and make Linux on iSSD your primary. I couldn't tell you how, though. Not my expertise

 

Hello to all. Sorry for my english. I`ve bought a Samsung Series 7 NP700Z5A-S0AUS Laptop with 8GB SSD and erased all the partitions including the Samsung recovery one to install a fresh Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 x64 with my own configs . Everything works fine except for Express Cache. I`ve tried every procedure in this forum with no sucess. I`ve uninstalled and reinstalled and rebooted laptop with the EC drivers and Easy Settings software several times, using macdisk and other programs. I wonder if someone has the same problem or the same computer so they can send me the samsung recovey partition contents.I am sure it would be possible to reverse this with total recovery of the system. This laptop was really faster than now with EC working. My other question is if there is a way to create a new Samsung recovery partition to work with F4 boot function.

 

@Magorei:

Sorry to tell you this, but if you didn't make a backup of your Recovery partition, I am afraid it's too late. It IS possible to create a new F4 accessible Recovery partition, but you need a so-called USB Admin Tool -- which had to be created by entering Management Mode in Recovery. And you don't have that anymore. And besides, you wouldn't have your original Windows image files, even if you DID create a new Recovery partition.

As for someone sending you the contents of their Recovery partition: It's 23GB; it would have to be the exact same model; and I believe the Windows Product ID is buried in there, so you wouldn't be able to activate.

You may want to read the discussion between mattwd6 and myself, starting at THIS post:

We should focus on getting your ExpressCache working. Personally, I have deleted and re-created my ExpressCache many times and never had any problems. And I never used the Mac-whatever thing.

Here is what I suggest:

1) Download the latest versions of ExpressCache and Easy Settings from the Samsung support page for your model.

2) Un-install your current Easy Settings using Windows Programs and Features.

3) Un-install your current ExpressCache using Windows Programs and Features.

4) Delete the partition on your iSSD using Windows Disk Manager (Under Computer Management). DON't create any new partitions there, just leave it empty.

5) Reboot

6) Install ExpressCache

7) Reboot

8) Install Easy Settings

9) Reboot

10) After login, wait AT LEAST 2mins, then open Easy Settings. Go to the ExpressCache tab and enable it (if it isn't already enabled).

11) Reboot

Let me know how that goes. Several of these steps (including some of the reboots) are probably unnecessary. But since we're trying to fix things, let's be as thorough as possible.

Edit: Do note that ExpressCache will not cause an instant speed improvement. Only after using the computer for awhile, when it has cached your frequently read files, will you start to see improvements. If you see significant slowdown compared to your original installation, I suspect other issues could be the cause.

Oh, almost forgot: Your English is fine, no problem

 

@Dannemand ,
Thanks for the support!
I`ve tried your advice with no sucess again! Thats so disapointing...ive tried every step in sequel, exactly as wrote.
I got say after several attempts the drive changed from 0 to 1 and the HDD from 1 to 0. But i have tried with the SSD in partition 0 with no sucess too.
I uninstalled easy settings, and express driver in control panel and using ccleaner, then installed the newer versions from this drivers, that were from 06/08/2012 in samsung website. And I rebooted all the times.The SSD is there, disk management sees it, and I do delete the entire partition before installing both driver and easy software. The Express cache instalation asks for reboot and detecs the SSd, but Easy Settings does not!
I `ve called Samsung Support, they`re kind lame here in Brazil, they said it may take 2 days to install the recovery partition in the notebook. I don`t want to leave my brand new computer in the hands of lame technicians. So I might wait for a solution, since every other function in this pc looks fine.
Thank you again for you attention,