Is this a SandForce problem or defective SSD?

Hi, I have a Dell M6600, and I recently bought a new Adata XPG SX900 SSD. I'm really bummed and Wish I would have got the Samsung 830! Here are the problems i have, and I've been searching forever without resolution to fix it. Yes I have AHCI enabled with a fresh install, and the latest firmware on the drive.


More than 50% of the time:

No bootable devices--strike F1 to retry boot, F2 for setup utility, Press F5 to run onbard diagnostics

No boot device found. Press any key to reboot the machine.

Hangs at welcome screen after password

Hangs when waking up from sleep more or hibernate

 

Building a Dell M6400 with 2x Intel SSD's, I ran into a similar problem.

What solved it for my client (and me!) was to install all the software/drivers/utilities available both from the CD's the system came with and with all the updated software available for that model on the Dell website.

Sorry I can't be more specific (it has been close to two years since I did that job...), but I think you would be on the right track by going down that route.

(Oh! The auto monitor/keyboard dimmer 'utility' also had a huge impact on hanging and overall responsiveness on that system too...).

If you have already done these things; I would say either that specific SSD is borked (try to replace it), or, it is the model itself that is not compatible with your system setup (get a different type of controller/nand model SSD).

Good luck.

 

After searching I found a quick fix to the booting issues. If I have a USB device plugged in, it does not have boot problems at all or sleep problems now. I tried different combinations of rebooting and all were 100% normal. BUT.... It still has issues comming out of hibernate, not a big deal since I don't use hibernate. If anyone is having these same issues, leave a USB jump drive or something usb in and that will fix the problem. It still bothers me though that I have to have a usb device plugged in, and I will probably just get a non sandforce controlled SSD.

 

I highly doubt that installing drivers and utilities will do anything for these two problems, at least from a cold boot. The machine is still in the BIOS at those points. Windows/OS isn't even loaded yet. However, a BIOS update might resolve things.

If Windows/OS has been loaded once during a power on session and those boot problems are hit at reboot, then yeah, perhaps a driver or something is putting the hardware into a bad state.

As for having a USB drive plugged in making things work, that's odd. Perhaps there's something about the CMOS settings (e.g. drive settings, boot order, disabled/enable boot devices, etc.) that's off/wrong? I'm thinking adding the USB drive might also be changing the timing of something, allowing the SSD to "work".

The OP having an off-brand SSD is yet another reason why I don't buy SSDs from small companies that to me, don't have the expertise and resources to properly validate their drives and firmware.

 

Yeah it does happen when I do a reboot, also just now from a off state to on it froze at a black screen for a minute before the password screen. HD light was solid. I have messed with the boot order, USB boot, NIC etc...Lastest drivers and bios... All seem to have no effect on things. I actually even called Adata today, and they didn't know how to fix it. They said to contact Dell to see if there was a solution. Haha!! (Good luck well Dell, I thought to myself)... Not going to waste my time, I ordered a Samsung 830 to use as the main drive. I will just use the Adata for a storage drive. Hopefully it wont have problems with that lol.

 

The Samsung 830 is working perfectly. I moved the Adata to over to a storage drive and it is working fine as that. No issues booting or comming out of sleep or hibernate.