T61p with SSD 830 - uncommon issue

Hi,

I installedin my T61p new SSD 830 512D by Samsung (let's skip reasons why I get this particular model of SSD).
I didn't make fresh install, just did sector copy of my old HDD (which includes also some hidden partitions. I resize main partition, leaving 32GB space unallocated. Laptop works under Vista Ultimate 32bit, 4GB RAM.

Disk has been recognized by system, and overall I see speed up during startup process and some more disk-heavy tasks. However....

I observed two issues
- dedicated Samsung Magician software freeze immediately, then generate BSOD, complaining about iaStor
- there were some 20-30 seconds freezes during work from time to time.

Second issue with freezes I've started to investigate and I found some solutions and recommendations - changing registry, installing newer Matrix/Rapid Storage drivers. Actually I don't have this issue, I mentioned it because it is also related to iaStor driver/settings.
I have bios setting AHCI and test tools like AS SSD report I'm using it.

But I have no idea how to manage Magician software to be able to work with it. It seems to be important because I have Vista, which doesn't make native TRIM etc. This software is also only official way to generate USB stick for firmware upgrade (I manage to create it from other computer), and also do some performance/cleaning stuff. Just usefull soft I believe I should have working together with 830 drive.

What I've tried till now:
1) I've updated bios version to original .27 first, then to .29byMiddleton. Benchmarks shows big improvement (from 135 to 235MB/s Read). But nothing changes in regards to mentioned two issues. I'm running .29Middleton till now.
2) My controller is 82801HEM/HBM SATA AHCI Controller, driver from 2007 by intel (I've tried also Windows generic driver from 2006)
I've installed Intel Chipset Utility something, which update all drivers to newer version. They changed controller type to E/R, no issues. Magician still make BSOD. Small differences with performance.
3) I've played with enabling/disabling iaStor/Portx registry settings as guided, there are small performance differences, nothing important. Looks like it solved freeze issue, even later on I found these registries set up back after reboot.
4) I installed then Matrix Storage drivers 8.8 (2009) - I observed quite visible changes in benchmarks, but after few reboots I get very strange results - as read speed were still very good, the write speed drop dramatically to something like 20MB/s (from 200!).
However - Magician software stops generating BSOD ! It still stop working after 1-2 minutes, but in application crash mode. I was even able to play a little bit with screens. What I observed - SSD was not recognized by Magician at all (empty drop list)
5) I uninstall Matrix Storage drivers, which uninstall all intel drivers, and I have generic MS drivers from 2006. So I installed again original HEM/HBM driver from 2007, like mentioned in point 2). I'm again in starting point, having back performance and BSOD from Magician.
6) in the meantime I've tried install Rapid Storage drivers instead of Matrix, but installed refused with simple message "you didn't pass requirements"

Finishing - anyone has similar issue with Magician? (I didn't found any single post in internet about it). Anyone can give me some driver's list which is working with 830 SSD on his T61p?
I'm afraid to do SSD firmware upgrade, I'm not sure what can happen with current configuration, when some soft has an issue with recognizing SSD properly....

Any support will be helpfull. I've read a lot over internet, but I cannot get any better idea.
In long term I'll maybe move to win7 and reinstall everything from scratch. But for now I'd like to resolve current config.

Thanks in advance, hope you managed to read all these informations.

 

Why are you running Windows Vista?

 

I would do a fresh Windows 7 installation on the SSD (that will be formatted by the installation procedure itself).

 

I have a lot of stuff installed and configured on this laptop, using them from few years without any troubles. New installation with necessary attention will take me number of evening I don't have.
That's reason I'd like to try resolve issue first.
I have another 500GB drive already, so most probably I'll do 1:1 copy again, to have current system working, then I'll try to do fresh w7, but not earlier than 3-4 weeks from now.
As I mentioned - SSD is working without issues, except fact I cannot use Magician at all. I was thinkink is it any good confirmed 3rd party software like SSDlife I could use? Or simply forget about it and just leave issue as it is? I'm using this drive from 3 months already, without any visible slowdown (and also tests are moreless the same). But I don't like to have such things unresolved....

Any try?

one more point. When I did clone of my old drive with clonezilla, I run some tests, which point me new drive is optimally created (sectors, clusters). So I assume there is nothing different then I'll do fresh installation and formating. Don't remember details but I've checked it that time.

I still believe this issue is just wrong combination of drivers. Not sure why I cannot run Rapid Storage driver (my controller type is not good enough?), which from some posts looks like could give some improvement.

 

Are you reffering to ssd partion alignment?

Speed Up Your SSD By Correctly Aligning Your Partitions
http://forum.acronis.com/forum/31581

 

Like Kaso, I'd recommend a fresh, clean install of Windows 7 over a cloned install of Windows Vista.

But frankly, for the price of that SSD I would probably have purchased a T420 instead.

 

Yes, partition allignment. It was time ago, but as I remember it was just ok after clonning. Looks like original partitions where good enough. What I mean - I don't expect any issues on that level. It is related to Windows/drivers only. Still could be case there is no valid driver at all. however number of people report here they have T61p working with 830 series (typically smaller SSDs, which shouldn't make a difference). So it should be the way to make it working,I hope... To be honest, it will be easier for me to replace this SSD with HDD, however I like this silence....

I know putting 830 to old T61p is not the best combination. But this is kind of duty equipment, and having opportunity to play with SSD.. why not. Doesn't cost me anything. That's why I wrote at the begin - don't concentrate about reasons of hardware setup.

 

How about using an original lenovo BIOS?

 

I had exactly the same with original old bios (.21?) and newer .27
One of the reason I've tried to touch the bios was just hope it could change something.
I didn't try to upload latest .30, from release notes it doesn't provide any important changes for me. Bios doesn't seem to be reason of the problems.
Drive has been properly recognized by old bios as well, as there were no issues with AHCI settings (I have them with my old HDD as well).
Of course there is only SATA1 and speed mark from CristalDM is about 130M/s (original HDD had less than 60, but maybe because it was just full).
But Magician doesn't work at all from the begin - v3.0 I got with drive and newer v3.1. As I mentioned - I couldn't really find such case over internet. People have issues like message "cannot recognize SSD" or so, but nobody mention he cannot use this software at all.
Only potential change I could do is SSD firmware upgrade, but I don't believe it will help with this case.
I'm still afraid it is something with drivers/OS. I have some other small issues with this laptop, like ethernet is not working after hibernation and I need to disable/enable to make it working, some issue with wifi as well. Nothing very painfull, but there are some potential issues with OS. Still, I'd like to play a little bit with some options to resolve it, before I do some big steps like fresh installation.
One of the point I could ask is drives version are you using with T61p for AHCI controller.