An approach is provided that loads software files, such as an operating system, on a hybrid storage device. The hybrid storage device is a device that includes a nonvolatile storage device and a nonvolatile memory cache. The nonvolatile memory cache has less storage capacity than the nonvolatile storage device. The nonvolatile memory cache is preset (“pinned”) to data corresponding to an initial set of address ranges of the nonvolatile storage device, such as all or part of the operating system that was loaded onto the nonvolatile storage device. A system usage metric is initialized along with a threshold value. The nonvolatile memory cache remains pinned to the initial set of address ranges until the system usage metric reaches the threshold value. When the system usage metric reaches the threshold value, then a caching algorithm is used to determine what data should be cached to the nonvolatile memory cache.