Can PrimoCache rival the Intel Optane System Acceleration ?
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2018 12:34 am
I have a Z370 motherboard with Intel Optane System Acceleration support and a 32GB M2 NVMe Optane module and a slow 4TB mechanical SATA drive.
I cannot use the Optane module to accelerate the mechanical disk with Windows7 x64 because Intel's Rapid Storage Technology driver(v15.9.1) GUI displays:
"Your system appears to be Intel Optane memory ready but no Intel Optane memory modules were detected in your computer. Please install a compatible module"
The above message is blatantly incorrect because the M2 Optane module is installed and visible in BIOS (in RAID/Optane mode) and in Windows 7 Disk Management. I can even format it and write/read files to/from it.
Also, I have temorarily test-installed Windows 10 x64 and then the Intel's RST driver GUI does not complain and does not display this inaccurate message and the Optane System Acceleration works as adverised.
However, Windows 10 is shite and I will not use it. So, I wiped the SATA mechanical drive and reinstalled Windows 7 x64 on it.
The Intel's Optane FAQ states that System Acceleration is NOT SUPPORTED on Windows 7 and on Windows 8 despite these Operating Systems not having reached their end of life. See below:
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en ... pkw=optane
What differences in driver API would make it possible for Optane System Acceleration to work with Windows 10 x64 but not with Windows 7 x64 ?
...or is withholding support for older versions of Windows a result of some kind of collusion between Microsoft and Intel aimed at coercing people to migrate to Windows 10 ?
Anyway, all of the above nonsense brings me to this forum with the following questions:
Q1: Can the performance of PrimoCache with Windows7 x64 rival the performance of Intel Optane System Acceleration with Windows 10 x64, in the system outlined above ?
Q2: If "yes" - how should PrimoCache be set up with Windows 7 x64 in order to rival the performance of Intel Optane System Acceleration with Windows 10 x64 ?
P.S.
I do not have RAM to spare...
I cannot use the Optane module to accelerate the mechanical disk with Windows7 x64 because Intel's Rapid Storage Technology driver(v15.9.1) GUI displays:
"Your system appears to be Intel Optane memory ready but no Intel Optane memory modules were detected in your computer. Please install a compatible module"
The above message is blatantly incorrect because the M2 Optane module is installed and visible in BIOS (in RAID/Optane mode) and in Windows 7 Disk Management. I can even format it and write/read files to/from it.
Also, I have temorarily test-installed Windows 10 x64 and then the Intel's RST driver GUI does not complain and does not display this inaccurate message and the Optane System Acceleration works as adverised.
However, Windows 10 is shite and I will not use it. So, I wiped the SATA mechanical drive and reinstalled Windows 7 x64 on it.
The Intel's Optane FAQ states that System Acceleration is NOT SUPPORTED on Windows 7 and on Windows 8 despite these Operating Systems not having reached their end of life. See below:
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en ... pkw=optane
What differences in driver API would make it possible for Optane System Acceleration to work with Windows 10 x64 but not with Windows 7 x64 ?
...or is withholding support for older versions of Windows a result of some kind of collusion between Microsoft and Intel aimed at coercing people to migrate to Windows 10 ?
Anyway, all of the above nonsense brings me to this forum with the following questions:
Q1: Can the performance of PrimoCache with Windows7 x64 rival the performance of Intel Optane System Acceleration with Windows 10 x64, in the system outlined above ?
Q2: If "yes" - how should PrimoCache be set up with Windows 7 x64 in order to rival the performance of Intel Optane System Acceleration with Windows 10 x64 ?
P.S.
I do not have RAM to spare...