supercala

The Dell Precision is a weird and funky computer as are most systems by large vendors. No USB3 install support, funky SATA support out the box with Win installers, etc.

Create your Windows 8.1 x64 USB stick on a 16gb unit
you can use the windows CD DVD USB tool
http://wudt.codeplex.com/

turn off the T3600
Put usb os key into the front USB port [*usb2_0*]
from left to right
this is port [SS] [*usb2_0*] [usb2_1] [usb2_2]

disconnect all drives, optical and hard drives included
connect the primary OS SSD drive to [*sata0*] the white SATA port on the motherboard
[irst0] [irst1] [irst2] [*sata0*] [sata1]

start the computer press F12 over and over until you reach the one time boot menu
goto BIOS settings
make sure you are in SATA mode
make sure SATA is enabled
uncheck MULTIPLE OSES boot

boot order
-----USB first
-----SSD hard drive second

save settings and reboot
install windows 8.1
choose customize
delete all partitions from windows 7 x64 on your sata drive that is still connected, the OS SSD
install from there, wait for install to get to the end, and it will reboot your computer
take out the usb key before it restarts, so it doesn't go in an install LOOP forever
continue the windows 8.1 installation as normal adding drivers and software as you like

drivers for irst and other things

*NOTE* if you only install the irst drivers and try to add optical drives to the IRST [1][2][3] ports, win 8.1 will stall forever
unplug them and install all the drivers below and then restart with the optical drives in and it will load without a hitch

Intel Identity Protection Driver
1.2.27.0 a05

intel unified amt 7 ws management interface driver
7.1.70.1205 a02

nec usb 3.0 host controller driver
2.1.39.0 a03

intel chipset driver
9.2.3.1023 a00

irst driver / application combo release
3.7.4.1004 a03

images of hardware