SSD for Z68 Msata slot using Smart Response technology

[Oclair]

Hey all,

I have been researching about adding a SSD. Since I have the Gigabyte GA-Z68AP-D3 I am eager to find out if we can use the "Smart Response" technology (board supports) in OSX. Basically having a smaller SSD in the Z68's MSATA port as a caching mechanism for a Normal hard drive?

This concept is very similar to a hard drive I just added to my Macbook Pro
Seagate Momentus XT 750GB
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/laptops/laptop-hdd/

Hopefully someone has some experience with this.
Thanks in Advance,
Oclair

Some background info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Response_Technology

In computing, Smart Response Technology (SRT) (pre-launch name SSD Caching) is a proprietary caching mechanism introduced in 2011 by Intel for their Z68 chipset (for the Sandy Bridge–series processors), which allows a SATA solid-state drive (SSD) to function as cache for a (conventional, magnetic) hard disk drive.[1]

SRT is managed by Intel Rapid Storage Technology software version 10.5 or later[2], and implemented in its device driver and the Z68 motherboard's firmware (option ROM). It is available only when the (integrated) disk controller is configured in RAID mode (but not AHCI or IDE modes) by implementing a style of RAID-0 striping. Write-back (Maximized mode) or write-through (Enhanced mode) caching strategy can be selected by the user. The maximum utilizable cache size on the SSD is 64 GB. Caching is done at the logical block addressing (LBA) level, not the file level.[3]

Shortly before the announcement of the new chipset, Intel also introduced the Intel 311 (Larson Creek), a 20 GB single-level cell (SLC) solid-state drive, which it markets as suitable for caching.[4][5] TRIM garbage collection is currently not supported for SRT caching devices, so the SSD's performance is solely maintained by its own firmware.

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/motherboards/2011/10/11/gigabyte-ga-z68ap-d3-review/1

The one useful feature the more expensive chipset has is Intel Smart Response; a feature that lets you use a small SSD as a high speed cache for a larger mechanical hard disk. This didn’t make much sense when Z68 boards cost £150 - if you can spend £150 on a motherboard, it’s a good bet you can afford a decent sized SSD too - but it becomes a more compelling idea when the motherboard costs £82. We’ve said all along that Smart Response is a technology better aimed at the lower end of the market, where people aren’t likely to be willing to stump up for a high-capacity SSD.

Gigabyte is aware of this too, as the Z68AP-D3 sports a handy little mSATA port next to the CPU socket, which would make an ideal home for a small and cheap SSD, such as OCZ’s 30GB Nocti drive. This could happily function as a dedicated Smart Response drive and give a PC built around it the pop and feel of a system with a true SSD boot drive.

 

[bigO_tx]

Nope, driver necessary.

 

[Gordo74]

You cant do it. It isn't supported under OSX.

 

[Oclair]

Thanks guys for clearing that up for me!

Upon subsequent investigation I determined that this would require raid mode and since Raid mode does not seem to be supported (Yet?) in OSX. It also may be the case if it were to be possible it would require the device to have its own garbage collection as trim may not be possible.

I hope others may benefit from from this thread perhaps, who knows someone may tackle the challenge!

Oclair

 

[Gordo74]

You can still use the mSATA slot for a SSD boot drive and use the hard drive as a data drive.

 

[bigO_tx]

RAID is supported my Mac OS, its just janky on a hackintosh. There is a physical driver present in the OS to decide which LBA's (Logical Block Addresses) to sync between the drives. Intel could have EASILY made this all a ROM based program, but they were lazy and they didn't. If i made it, i would have had a bios module that would roll the hard drive and SSD altogether into a drive and have the bios handle the syncing calls on the drives.