Mini SSD OEM Partitions and How to Use Them

This is a forum frequented by intelligent folk.

So, we have started to receive mobile devices containing small (16gb) SSDs, with larger HDDs. The factory build comes with the SSD partitioned with an OEM part type, so you cannot assign a drive letter, so its totally inaccessible.

The factory build comes with some software that seems to use it as a cache drive for app pre-caching and faster boot up times.

If creating a custom build (SCCM in my case), does anyone know how to utilise these disks, simply installing the software client does not work (nor is it available from the OEM). Presumably there is some kind of standardisation with this approach? Is it an Intel technology (rapid start) or summat?

Any advice or ideas appreciated.
 
Hi mcompton,

Several options come to mind. If it's an Intel SSD, Intel's own Smart Response Technology ("SRT") will do what you want. They used to limit it to Intel SSDs only, I'm not sure if that has changed (I think it might have). It's by no means a perfect solution though, the last time I checked only a certain size would be used for cache (4GB, I think?) and the rest would be literally gone to waste.

If you were booting any OS other than Windows, I'd tell you to set up a ZFS pool — caching in RAM or on SSD for a larger backing store is built right into that filesystem (the non-Windows world moves at a breakneck pace).

16GB is at the point where your smartest bet for SCCM would be to get Windows to install to and boot from the SSD itself, and configure the machine so that everything else is done off the the spinning platters of rust.
 
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