Intel’s Smart Response Technology is a a great feature that is available for Intel based computers that run the Z68, Z77 and Z87 chipset based motherboards and a few of the newer Q77/87 and H77/87 based systems. The feature allows a small solid state drive to act as a cache for the hard drive making frequently accessed programs, data and booting of the system much faster than a standard hard drive. I personally have been using the feature since its introduction and did a . For the most part, it is extremely easy to setup and works with almost no problems. When it does encounter a problem though, it can be tricky to get it fixed and working again.

How Smart Response Technology Breaks

Essentially, there are two ways that you may find that the caching system stops working within a computer system. The first is that the system just is slower when you boot it up and try to load programs. The second and much more annoying instance is where the system won’t boot at all and looks like you have a failed drive. The issue is that the cache drive has somehow become desynced with the data on the hard drive. In one case, it just gets deactivated but the hard drives still loads the OS but the other disrupts the access to the hard drive even though the hard drives are fully capable of working on their own.

If Your System Is Not Booting

If your computer does not properly boot into Windows, you are in the unlucky situation that will cause panic as the system will just appear to be dead. (Note: It may actually be dead if the hard drive has failed and it is not just a desynced cache.) In my case just recently, the screen should just go blank and not load. Hard rebooting the system does not help at all either. In fact, when it happened to me, I could not even access the Intel RAID setup in the BIOS. This situation requires that the SSD cache drive be temporarily removed. So power the system completely off and then remove the power and data cable going to your SSD cache drive.

Once the SSD drive is removed from the system, it should be able to boot into Windows. If it does not, you unfortunately probably have a dead hard drive. After loading Windows, you will see the message from the top of the article if you launch the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver up and switch to the Accelerate tab. Next to the inaccessible, there is a link to Disaccociate the drive. If you attempt to use this, you will get the follow pop up box:

You can attempt to do this but with the drive detached, it will likely get an error message with an unhelpful link to search for Help. Don’t worry, this is just a formality as it may work in some instances. In any case, the system is in a state to do the steps as if the system was slow for a desynched cache. Just remember that after you power down the system next, reattach the power and data cables to your SSD cache drive.

Steps To Reset The Cache

If the system is properly booting up, and you can get into the Rapid Storage Technology driver and the disassociate function is not working (which I have never gotten to work properly), it will be necessary to destroy the cache drive configuration from the Intel RAID BIOS during the boot up sequence. Be sure to back up any critical data from your system before proceeding just in case of an error.

Once you have saved any critical data to a backup drive, the system needs to be shut down and powered off. When it is next powered on, you will use the keyboard commands (often Cntr-I) during the boot sequence for the Intel RAID BIOS to enter its configuration. If you were unable to get into this, shut down the system after it finishes booting and try again. This can be very tricky to do at times ad there is a narrow window to press the key combination. The Intel RAID Configuration should list all your drives and the cache drive will probably be listed as Disabled or De-Synced. In order to correct the problem, the drive has be be removed from the caching system.

You will first want to attempt and remove the SSD caching setup if it will let you. This is done by selecting the Disable Acceleration menu option. You may get a message that there is no acceleration setup or that it was unable to remove it. Don’t worry about this as it is won’t impact the system at all.

The next step it to remove the cache drive from the RAID mode. Select the menu option to Reset Disks to Non-RAID. At this point, it should list all of the drives in a RAID mode. You want to be absolutely sure you know which one is the cache drive. It should be listed as Cache Drive in the right hand column. Highlight the drive and press the space bar to select it. Once selected, press Enter to then delete its RAID status. Note that this will cause all the data on the SSD to be erased but since it is cached data and the system booted properly there should be no consequence here. Exit the RAID configurations and allow the system to boot.

Finishing Up

At this point, the system should be functional and ready to setup the Smart Response Technology cache just as it was originally done. All that should be required to get the cache working again is to enable it in the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver. Once you have it opened, you can setup the cache by selecting the Accelerate icon and then selecting the Enable acceleration link in the window. Simply select the cache drive, the full disk capacity, the hard drive you want to cache and leave the button on Enhanced Mode. Press OK and it should be setup and ready to cache your hard drive.

Summary of Steps

Here is the rundown of the steps for those that need a quick reference of steps. If the system won’t boot:

1. Power Down the System
2. Open The Case and Disconnect the SSD Cache Drive Cables
3. Power Up the System to Verify It Will Boot
4. Open Intel Rapid Storage Technology Program
5. Select the Accelerate Tab
6. Press The Disable Acceleration Link
7. Shut Down the Computer
8. Reattach Cables to SSD Cache Drive

Once the System Is Booting/SSD Drive Is Connected:

1. Power Up The Computer
2. Press Cntrl-I or Other Key Combination to Get Into Intel RAID Configuration
3. Select Option To Disable Acceleration
4. Select Reset Disks To Non-RAID
5. Highlight the SSD Cache Drive and Press Space to Select
6. Press Enter To Switch the Drive Mode
7. Exit the Intel RAID Configuration
8. Boot the System Into Windows
9. Launch the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Program
10. Select the Accelerate Tab
11. Click the Enable Acceleration Link
12. Select the SSD Cache Drive, Size of the Cache, Hard Drive to Cache and Enhanced Mode
13. Click OK

I hope this information helps those who encounter any problems with the Intel Smart Response Technology. From my experience, the problem seems to be more common with people who have setups of a RAID hard drive array that is then cached with an SSD rather than a single hard drive setup with a cache.