Symptoms

Intel Smart Response Technology - Drives not detected during Windows Setup

Cause

What You Need To Know :Windows setup may not detect the hard drives installed in the system if the Intel Smart Response is enabled and fixed drives are accelerated. Partition drives are not detected when ISRT is enabled in bios during windows setup

Resolution

Step by step Instructions how to resolve drives not being detected in Windows Setup during a OS reinstall in Windows 7/8: Intel Responsiveness Technology Overview HDD options requirement Description BIOS Settings Application used to configure Intel Smart Connect 1. SSD only 2. mSATA only Connect continuously updated while the notebook is on sleep Intel Smart Connect: Enabled Intel Smart Connect Intel Smart Response 1. HDD + SSD 2. HDD + mSATA Cache/Optimize performance 3x It dynamically monitors file, data, and application use, and stores frequently used content on a special partition on the SSD device for faster access SATA Operation : ISRT Intel Rapid Storage Intel Rapid Start 3. HDD + SSD 4. HDD + mSATA 5. SSD Only 6. mSATA Only Provides power savings similar to Windows hibernate state, while improving resume time vs. hibernate by ~2x. Intel Rapid Start: Enabled Intel Rapid Storage & Rapid Start What You Should Do : Option 1 1. Change the SATA Operation mode in the BIOS from ISRT to AHCI 2. Boot to the Win 7/8 OS Media via F12 Boot Options 3. Inside Windows Setup, all drives should be detected; Delete all partitions listed. Make sure it shows un-partitioned on all Drives detected. Do not continue, but restart the system 4. Go back to BIOS and change SATA Operation mode from AHCI to ISRT. 5. Boot to the Win 7/8 OS Media via F12 Boot Options 6. Inside Windows Setup, all drives should be detected again; Delete all partitions listed. Make sure it shows un-partitioned on all Drives detected. 7. Continue and complete the Windows Setup process. 8. Reinstall drivers (chipset, nic, video, audio etc…) 9. Install the Intel Rapid Storage Drivers Option 2 1. Make sure the SATA Operation mode in the BIOS is set to ISRT 2. Boot to the Win 7/8 OS Media via F12 Boot Options 3. Inside Windows Setup, hit "Shift" + "F10" . this will open the command prompt window 4. Enter these commands from the command prompt · Diskpart · Listdisk · Select disk 0 · Clean · Select disk 1 · Clean 5. The drives should now be detected; Delete all partitions listed. Make sure it shows un-partitioned on all Drives detected 6. Continue and complete the Windows Setup process. 7. Reinstall drivers (chipset, nic, video, audio etc…) 8. Install the Intel Rapid Storage Drivers Option 3 Note: This requires another computer that has internet connection and a USB thumb drive Download the latest driver for IRST from support website - www.dell.com/support/home?app=drivers - then extract the file to a USB flash drive. 1. Make sure the SATA Operation mode in the BIOS is set to ISRT 2. Boot to the Win 7/8 OS Media via F12 Boot Options 3. Inside Windows Setup, click on "Load Drivers" 4. Insert the flash drive and Browse for the Rapid Storage drivers and click "ok" 5. This will install the IRST drivers and the drives should automatically show 6. Continue and complete the Windows Setup process. 7. Reinstall drivers (chipset, nic, video, audio etc…) 8. Install the Intel Rapid Storage Drivers Note: These options are system specific, some options might not work on some Consumer systems, Options listed above must be tested one at a time.

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