Changing from RAID to AHCI

Hi I have a Dell One XPS 2710. It has an mSATA 32 GB SSD and a 2 TB HDD with RAID configuration. I understand that it uses Intel Rapid Start Technology which uses the SSD as a cache to increase boot up performance. I'd like to replace the 32 GB SSD with a 500 GB SSD and boot off the new SSD and have OS and other documents in new the SSD and only use the HDD for media files. I plan on cloning the HDD then replacing the SSD (I do not want to reinstall OS and program files).

1. do I somehow need to clone both the current SSD and the HDD onto the new SSD? Is that even possible.
2. I presume I will then need to change the BIOS from RAID to ACHI and select the SSD as the boot drive (right now I can only see the HDD as boot drive choice). Correct?
3. Before I do this does anyone see any issues with this and will I need to edit the registry and noted in this tread?

Your help is greatly appreciated!!

This is an old thread but there is some advise that I came across when I was having the same dilemma with changing the AHCI/RADI/IDE settings in the boot set-up of my HP Z420 Workstation and W7.                               The (Bios) boot settings that you want to have operating after the OS is loaded (and running) MUST be set BEFORE you load the OS . Many of the (bios) BOOT settings can be changed after the OS is loaded , but , the SATA settings such as your preference of IDE/AHCI/RAID cannot be changed after loading the OS (W7) . If your Bios is set to 'Legacy BIOS' and your SATA is set to 'RAID' (in boot settings) when you load your OS then you are stuck with bios and RAID . If you go back into the boot settings after the OS is running and re-set the boot to 'UEFI' or re-set the SATA to AHCI , your PC will not boot up because all the (ACPI and other) drivers were instated for LegacyBios and RAID in response to the initial loading of the OS . It may be the same for other settings in the bios such as UEFI V's Legacy Bios , especially in a W7 load which can run either UEFI or BIOS in the boot options , as well as either IDE,AHCI and RAID in the SATA options . Of course the variety of options in the boot and SATA settings of the (bios) BOOT will depend on your manufactures MotherBoard . UEFI is a hardware chip . I loaded W7 then upgraded to W8.1 and didn't like the W8.1 for the lack of legacy device support (and no MPEG2 support) so I tried to revert back to W7 --- BIG GRIEF ! Even though the W8 load was on the same HDD as I had previously loaded with W7 (after taking a week to find the obscure driver configs to 'upgrade' the W7 HDD to W8) , the subsequent W8 load delete's some vital drivers in the ACPI system and I couldn't get back to W7 because the W8 load deletes drivers at the firmware level and they were gone . It was a real challenge to do the W7 to W8 to W7 manoeuvre on one computer without loosing a file nor flattening a HDD , but I learned a lot about something . Can't remember what it was , but it was something . Oh yeah , biosuefiraidsataahciideacpidriversfirmwaredevicesataatapiefi. SETTHEBIOS then LOADTHEOS

That is 100% correct. HP products have set themselves to boot up in RAID as default...grrr. Something called RaidXpert or something like that...especially desktop models...laptops I'm not too sure about those as they usually only have one hard drive [some have a space for another] but the desktops for sure.

There's an earlier post on this that shows all the registry settings that need to be changed if you are already in the HP 'RAIDXpert' mode..that registry list will show you which registry files to revert the settings back to ALL the ACHI modes...like about six or so registry settings.

A few years back was trying to migrate my HP OEM HDD to SSD and the Samsung Migration Tool kept telling me I wasn't in SATA III and for the longest time couldn't figure out why....even talking to HP IT specialist they couldn't figure it out...come to find out ALL of the ACHI registry settings have to be re-set for it to function in SATA III...and what that did is when rebooting it put the standard Microsoft SATA drivers in thus enabling SATA III speeds. 

I found a notepad I made listing them all:

REG ADD HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\msahci /v Start /d 0 /f /t REG_DWORD

REG ADD HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\atapi /v Start /d 0 /f /t REG_DWORD

REG ADD HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\amdsata /v Start /d 0 /f /t REG_DWORD

REG ADD HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\nvstor /v Start /d 0 /f /t REG_DWORD

REG ADD HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\nvraid /v Start /d 0 /f /t REG_DWORD

REG ADD HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStor /v Start /d 0 /f /t REG_DWORD

set these six

msahci

atapi

amdsata [if u have AMD]

nvstor

nvraid

iaStor

Back up ~ flatten all ~ disconnect all drives ~ SET THE BIOS ~ load the SSD with (new DVD/ios download) OS ~ connect the (as is) HDD . With the boot left in RAID . RAID setting enables both AHCI and RAID .  The set up that you are going for is great . OS on the SSD , storage on the HDD . You have your work cut out to get it cooking without flattening and re configuring nor re-load/re-config the os . Not sure that cloning is for the light hearted . May need a VERY reliable tech guy who will want a few hungie with no promises . Two different Drives may not RAID together but the system is faster/cooler and safer in RAID . Can that SSD RAID with the HDD ? Research topic . Because there is a fatal flaw with re-setting the boot to AHCI in that doing so will disable the HDD's OS from booting . Of course it would be more simple to 'buy' a new OS DVD or download the iso and load the dvd onto the SSD and partition the HDD to retain the original OS for multi-boot and all your files/software/programmes . Would definitely save time , retain your HDD goodies and the new iso/DVD may even be cheaper than a clone tech guy .