mSata with sata

[Rock Danger]

So first post etc howdy all, sorry if this has been asked, but....

 

I have a second gen Dell XPS15 on win 8.1. It currently runs a 32gb msata drive used for cache and a 1tb mechanical WD drive for the OS etc.

 

I'm going to replace that 1TB drive with an SSD, so my questions are.

 

1. Can I just clone the 1tb drive and swap it out with Intel RST enabled on the cache drive? (basically leave it as is now)

 

2. Change the Bios from Intel smart Response to ACHI (after changing reg keys first) and disable RST in windows, effectively making the msata redundant?

 

3. Remove the msata, punt it on ebay and put a larger one in some day and use that as an OS drive.

 

 

I kinda know what I'm doing, would just like a few opinions on the best way to go - the only thing I'm unclear on is how option 1 will help / hinder performance.

 

Thanks in advance, 

 

R.

 

 

[ZetZet]

why not just get bigger msata and keep the storage

[Rock Danger]

why not just get bigger msata and keep the storage

 

That's for another time, the issue right now and for the next few months will be my original post. (3)

[ZetZet]

That's for another time, the issue right now and for the next few months will be my original post. (3)

I don't get it. Do you already have an ssd? because if you are buying it it doesn't really matter which one you buy msata or normal. If you change your main hdd to ssd the cache msata ssd is basically useless.

[Rock Danger]

I don't get it. Do you already have an ssd? because if you are buying it it doesn't really matter which one you buy msata or normal. If you change your main hdd to ssd the cache msata ssd is basically useless.

 

In a few days i'll inherit one yes. So one of my questions was will replacing the 1tb with a new SSD render the msata useless AND if so will I have to reset the BIOS to ACHI or leave it as is?

[Rock Danger]

So on my travels throughout the interweb with all this intel stuff I have concluded that.

 

When my laptop cam back from the Dell repair it had Intel Smart Connect technology installed, which actually isn't possible with my config so it must have been cloned from an image they had. 

 

Intel Rapid Start won't install because it needs a primary SSD. 

 

Intel Rapid Storage works as normal and as it should due to this machines config. 

 

 

1.What I don't know is when I clone this HDD to an SSD will I have change the BIOS to AHCI and uninstalling / disabling Intel Rapid Storage in Windows.

 

2.Remove the mSata 32gb SSD and leave the BIOS in Intel Smart Response Technology (which is what it's set to now) in case of some bizzare and most likely pointless caching. 

 

3.Leave all as is and just disable Intel Rapid Storage in Windows and download and Install Rapid Start Technology.

 

I'll say this intel or Dell don't exactly make these things easy - I had stopped fixing and building systems before UEFI bios came on the scene, so admittedly I am a bit behind. But if anyone can shed some light on the above that would be cool - cheers.

[Rock Danger]

Remove the msata, punt it on ebay and put a larger one in some day and use that as an OS drive on ACHI / UEFI