SSD Thread (Benchmarks, Brands, News, and Advice)

Hey Guys should I be concerned about my new intel x25m 80gb. I noticed first that the bottom of my drive has some scratches on it. I then compare the # on the box to the drive and they are different. On the drive model # "SSDSA2MO80G2GC" and on the box its "SSDSA2MHO8OG2R5". Is the "drive sa" on the drive the same as the Serial # on the box cause both numbers does not match. Should I be concern about this? I read in this thread that someone else had this issue. I got the drive from amazon. Thanks

 

i called intel on this issue for different S/N on box and SSD, and was told to get response yesterday but have yet to receive their call. for G2R5 vs G2RC i guess that's not an issue.

 

the R5 vs RC is just packaging - I'd be more interested in the part of the model number I bolded.

Its:
SSD
SA2 - size SA1 is 1,8", SA2 is 2,5"
MO - no idea right now
80 - size in GB
G2 - Generation 2, G1 for Generation 1
XX - packaging

 

thanks for the fast reply. You also have this issue too? I guess I will give them a call too. Thanks

 

well, how about this site, notebookreview.com ??!?!?!

 

first off all, trim, it should really delete data after you delete it in windows 7
why ?
it should do it because, once every cell is used, writing a new data on used cell is slower couse there is old only-index-deleted data ?
right ?
jeah, but, unused cells are all zero-filled, and, as we all know, not all data is just 11111111, it can be 11010010
and if you wanna to trim it, you actually don't need to trim all cells, only ones that contains bite 1, not 0...
so, as you can see, it's not so simple
further more, trim is command that keeps drive in fresh, never used state, but, drives can degrade further than all-cell-used-state, and, I don't know if trim fix that, but I do know that so called "GC" does, and it does it very freakin fast, about 10 mins for full recover, and I know that couse I've been tested it myself, and posted results in old new ssd thread, and same stuff I've been test on slc and on brothers mlc sammy, and it works on both drives

and, those bad/not bad data marking, I really don't see what are you trying to say, couse, trim only fills deleted 1 into 0, so...

 

I just called intel and asked them about my concern about the R5 vs RC and he told me not to worry about it. He explained that the packaging # will always be different from the one on the drive. He asked for my ISN, SA and PBA # and ran it though their system and Im good to go. Warranty is 3 yr. and its a Gen2.

 

darQ96,

so wrong, on so many levels.

Have a shoot to run to... but hope nobody is buying what you're selling here.

Cheers!

 

Just wondering how you guys think I should install Windows 7. Should I first, apply the new firmware before doing a installed or just install the OS and then flash the drive? I want to know whats the best way. I dont believe I have the latest firmware. On the drive it states that it has FW; 02ha. is there a software i could use that will tell me what firmware I am on. Planning on working on it tonight when i get home.

 

You can check the firmware from an OS with CrystalDiskInfo - just update it before you install the OS :9

 

jeah ?
like what ?
show me where I'm wrong on, let's say, level 1

In the mean time, here is another stuff for you to explain
if samsung is selling drives in degraded state, how was I able to degrade mine even more:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5059053&postcount=6662
?




I can do that with every ssd, but, afaik, only GC ones are able to refresh them self very quick...

 

2nd time: Can anyone say how to check if TRIM is working and be 100% sure it is working?

Why anyone thinks that GC writes data to disk? What is there to be written to SSD when GC works?

 

I'm thinking this is level 1 -- free space on SSD's is marked with 1's not 0's, 0's = data.
http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=471954&postcount=38

 

were you able to flash your Supertalent with the new firmware Tomy B.?

 

I think TRIM is working on my drive because GC alone only restores performance to about 85%. When I re-enable TRIM and use the computer normally for a few days, performance is about 95% of what it was new out of the box.

 

Price for this OCZ Vertex is probably going to skyrocket in the next few days, but it looks like a good buy. Problem is when I looked at reviews for it--Newegg--it seems there's a lot of issues with reliability. I've had OCZ mice die twice on me, so I'm wondering if their SSD would conk out on me as well.

 

Here is a screenshot of some free space on my drive with hex editor.

 

__________________
I don't know, but if you run AS Clean with FF checked it will write FF's to all of the free space and then delete it. My drives performance will not recover from this process until GC kicks in. I guess I will have to look with hex editor before and after GC the next time I run AS Cleaner.

 

Yes, I flash it with VBM1901Q and flasher from Muskhin, Super Talent didn't release any new FW, checked few hours ago on their web page.

So if GC writes to SSD to restore performance then TRIM is writing too, or I'm wrong?

Edit: just checked and Super Talent released VBM19C1Q with TRIM. Check here and click on SSDs

 

my x-25m got filled 00 with all free space, but two P256 got filled in other way from near the end of drive, both start from same sector(see two image of two P256). any idea why?

 

After you flash your drive, can you look at it as a slave with hex editor?

 

lol

and how do you explain your hex view

 

exactly...must be something different at the controller level vs. how the OS reads and write to it. I do know if you overwrite your SSD's free space with CCleaner "wipe free space" with 00's it will be slower than a snail.

 

same thing on slc though, check attached image, I think those zeros must be free space

at the moment, me and tomy are trying to update fw on his ST, but, guess what, since he updated it already with muskin gc fw, new ST flasher is not seeing it as ST drive so it won't flash it with ST flasher
next idea is to flash it with new ST fw using muskin flasher, fingers crossed

edit: drive flashed, CDI said trim is up, w7 said trim is up, but, how can we be sure it is working ?!?!

by the way, if ssd is filled with 1s and not with 0s while it is empty, it is because of nand memory, it uses reverse stuff from what OS see, if I can recall correct from microelectronics class I've been listening to few years ago...

 

OMG!!! one of the screw that is on the cover to my internal hd is strip! now I cant remove the cover to install the ssd drive...sigh........ anyone know a way i could remove the screw? Sorry if this is off topic but I didnt want to create a new thread. Thanks

 

if you fill all your ssd available space with some big iso files then delete them, then check with HxD to see if the free space got filled with 00s?

 

I don't know but GC does not work on this TRIM enabled FW the same as it did with just GC on the previous firmware. If you need GC to work like it did previously, you have to disable TRIM by typing fsutil behavior set disabledeletenotify 1 from an elevated command prompt and reboot. I would just leave it enabled and use the computer normally and see how it goes.

 

drill it out carefully with a small bit

 

Thanks will give it a shot

 

With Muskhin flasher it worked fine, tried to fill free space, delete file and run CDM and results for 4 KB random writes are around 0.4 - 0.5 MB/s.

With HxD I can see lot of "41" and zeros.

Now going to sleep, it's 3:35 AM in Croatia and probably won't be here until next year.

BTW: No, I wont sleep two days

 

your TRIM seems not work...

testing trim: http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3667&p=2

 

Sorry to ask again, but is there any info on the reliability of the OCZ Vertex 250GB? A lot of the reviews on Newegg tell of premature death.

 

sure to avoid them imho. not worth the risk and hassles...

 

Okaydokes. Let's see if I can nab that 160GB X25-M.

 

http://www.itptek.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=69_70_71&products_id=470

 

I have no problem with vertex, and their service is the best

 

they said specifically which product from them. and in the test, nowhere was an SLC samsung in use, as it's actually an ancient product, not sold or supported by samsung anymore anyways.

it doesn't matter how the disk reacts on trim. the disk makers know best. you shouldn't bother. but having the os telling "hey, save some data there / hey, you can forget about it now" is better than just "hey, save some data there, and remember it even while we won't need it anymore". what the disk makes out of this, is then it's own job (hdds f.e. just don't care about it).
you agree with that part? that it's better to have it?

second: there are no other degradations besides filled cells, except if the firmware has a bug. obviously, if you fill the disk, performance goes down, too. but that can't really be fixed much. you won't agree here, i guess..

third: 10 minutes is VERY SLOW in computer terms. in 10 minutes, your disk can handle 60GB worth of data writes. which is, afaik, about the whole disk?
btw, the intel does it about instantly. and trim is always instant.


best is having both: a disk that can clean it's own mess up (gc), and one that understands when the os cleans it's mess up (trim).



oh, and samsung is notoriously bad about customer support. even if they, by now, put out firmwares. they just hide themselves from any public. which i don't like.

 

Just finish installing my new intel ssd x25-m 80 tonight. Updated to the latest firmware and I have trim enable on windows 7. My write speed seems low. What do you guys think?


--------------------------------------------------
CrystalDiskMark 2.2 (C) 2007-2008 hiyohiyo
Crystal Dew World : http://crystalmark.info/
--------------------------------------------------

Sequential Read : 232.611 MB/s
Sequential Write : 85.417 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 184.113 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 84.340 MB/s
Random Read 4KB : 11.363 MB/s
Random Write 4KB : 27.270 MB/s

Test Size : 100 MB
Date : 2009/12/30 2:17:28

 

yeah, but, anyway, he should not wrote that there newer will be an flasher for sammys, I mean, how for sake could he now such thing?
from mine point of view, that was very stupid move to make

as for slc sammy, samsung site say different:
http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/products/flash/ssd/2008/product/lineup.html
and there are some web shops where you are able to order some MCCOE64G5MPP-0VA

yes, I know what are you trying to say, trim is better than no trim, but, what I'm trying to say is that I don't like it being OS/user dependent, it should be able to do it independently

well, I won't, you're right, cause, see, here in Croatia, we have our topic on some other forum with ssd users and we created some IOmetre setup and tested it on few mlc sammys and slc-s, on few old/new fw powered intels, x and m series, and few others, and, they ALL degraded much more than plain every-cell-used state
everybody had to rerun some 1sec very small read IOmetre setup to regain performance back on top, but my slc was the only doing it himself, even x25-E didn't do it himself, and for the price it was payed, it should
however, new fw from intel did fixed that, but, you can still break it down a bit, and it will came back on hes feet himself

jeah, 10 mins are very slow, I agree, but, such a slowdown won't happen if you don't force it do happen, so, 10 mins are worst case scenario, so, my ssd is at peak of its performance all the time...
and, yes, 10 mins should be one big write on whole disk, 100MBps, in then secs it is about one gig of data, in 60 sec it is 6 gigs, and in ten mins it is around 60 gigs, yeah, good point

well, jeah, obviously the best option is to have it all, and trim and GC, but, for some reason, it can't be done at the moment, only trim or GC, and, for now, I chose GC, but, will do some test on new fw trim enabled ST that tomy b flashed last night, cause I'm a geek

as for samsung support, well, never had to use it actually...so, can't say anything from my own experience

 

Grabbed a Gen1 for $300 shipped on eBay.

Anyway, I know the one I have is a 50nm Gen1 Intel SSD. I know the G2 drives have firmware that allow TRIM, but do the G1s support it? I'd like TRIM, for sure (or something like Garbage Collection, if Intel SSDs can accept it), but I really don't mind regular cleaning using something like Tony-TRIM or CCleaner or whatever.

 

Seems right for an 80GB one.
Have you got AHCI off? You might get some more read speed out of it.

 

he said that so far nothing came, and from the info he got from samsung, nothing will come. which was true back then.

yeah, but still, they're the "old models", and mlc are the "new, hip ones, the ones everyone should buy".

no. as only the os knows what's used and what's free. it's the OS job to report that. it's the disks job to react on that.
the disk should handle it's OWN mess on it's own. but the OS's mess, it can't. it shouldn't. ever. it has to get information from the os. and the os should provide it.

how you can not get that is out of my understanding, sorry.

i only have good points

dunno, intel does both. and i'd prefer trim, as it doesn't require the ssd to guess. guessing is not free => it costs more power.

samsung tries to only sells to partners, which then sell the product. they never want to sell directly (it happens, as the ssds are popular). and why? because they don't want the support when there are problems. they even stated this somewhere, no clue anymore where. i had one on the phone one time about ssds, and he explained this, too.

they're a bit like apple: they don't want people to use their stuff in random hw they know nothing about. that way, they have much less compatibility issues to look for. if they sell to dell, it's on dells side to test and only sell to systems that work 100%, f.e.

 

seems not.

 

G1 has no trim. it does have something one could call GC. and they work well at it.

 

anyway, FW is out, so, whatever...

for me, it's better to have old porcshe 911 than new ford ka

I do understand what you are trying to say, but you are wrong, cause, you see, OS will tell to SSD what does it not need when you hit delete button, just like it was telling it to every other HDD...
trim is not the one doing this, trim is the one that actually zero fills after every delete, and, I don't like that

me 2

can you prove it ?
last time I checked, no one actually knows how you actually can test if trim is really working

well, all I know is that you actually can buy samsung ssd directly, and I've posted some links before, so, you're wrong here...
on the other hand, I don't really see why is bad teh support so relevant in ssd topic ?
that is company itself problem, not ssd performance problem, right ?!?!!?

 

This is what you paid for 80G G2 SSD

 

Even you buy it directly, it is OEM SSD, and Samsung will not give out any warranty on it.
lets say, if you get an samsung SSD from DELL, and it is broken, samsung will not care about your SSD, coz it is DELL OEM, so u have to deal with DELL directly. most of these product only carry 3 month return policy, after 3 month, you need to be lucky to get a replacement from dell.

 

...And apparently one of the eBay users accepted my $400 offer for a Gen2 160GB X25-M. Huh. I actually wasn't expecting that.

Well, looks like a TRIM substitute is moot now.

 

No AHCI is enable, so having it off will help my read speed?

 

Hmm... if its enabled then try out some matrix storage managers.
Or even the experimental rapid storage managers if your chipset supports it and you feel like experimenting.

I found on my laptop that in IDE mode (ACHI off) read speed is capped at roughly 230MB/s - 228MB/s I think was what I got...