Z SSD Broken... Again

This thread has happened to my laptop again: http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/583489-z-ssd-failure.html This is the screenshot of the error I see: http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachments/sony/66025d1307128747-z-ssd-failure-dsc03801.jpg [screenshot from then, but exactly the same as now]

I thought when I sent it in last time for repairs, Sony replaced the failed SSD. The serial number on the one that is giving the error has the EXACT same serial number, so they only reset it? When I try to set the SSD to normal in the Intel Rapid Storage Technology application and restart the computer, the SSD fails again too. It must be faulty.

Also, this is weird: Windows still works - I am typing on it now and everything. Last time I couldn't boot into it. However, sometimes Windows reverts to the classic theme and I get an error saying Windows Update has been disabled. Since one of the SSDs has failed and I have 41.2 GBs free, is it possible the SSD that has failed is mostly empty and has some setting files on it that are corrupt? Or is this nonsense theorizing?

Anyways, so what should I do to fix the problem? Reinstall Windows? Delete the RAID? Thank you in advance!

 

Did you update to latest Intel Matrix Software?

 

No, was I supposed to?

 

There is a version of Intel Matrix which fails any drive in an array.
If I am correct, v8.8 or v8.9. The issue has been addressed on Intel Forum.
I have run RAID on my desktop with that version and my drive failed ramdomly. I thought it was drive error and sent it for warranty. However, it was still happening until I search and found the problem was discussed on Intel Forum. I updated to the latest and problem gone.

 

If the serials are the same, they are the same drives.

First and foremost, make a good backup. Windows booting is in your favor, take advantage of it.

Install the latest RST, check for BIOS updates, inside the Intel control panel, run a verify pass.

Unlike desktops, the only way to update the Intel Option ROM (what showed you the error) is via a BIOS update. I don't think it has been ever been updated, so you'll likely be stuck there. The RST software is the Windows driver kit.

The verify pass will likely pass, but it it fails, there is some issue with the RAID stripe.

 

It was the driver caused the problem. It is not Option ROM.

 

Is this the thread you're referring to?:
Random drive fails with new Rapid...

The download link in the thread doesn't work. Do you know what I need to download and where? Thank you!

BTW, I currently have Intel Rapid Storage Technology version 9.5.4.1001 installed.

EDIT: I installed this one: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?lang=eng&DwnldID=20215
After installing, restarting, resetting the drive to normal, and then restarting the computer, the error message is gone! Let's see if it stays gone now.

EDIT 2: And after restarting again, we're back at square one - the drive says it has an error again. -_-

 

If you still have warranty, I think you should send it in to get it fixed.

 

I do not have the warranty anymore. Does this really do anything to my laptop anyway other than displaying an annoying error? It seems like almost everything is working correctly.

Also, the program doesn't let me try to verify the volume. The link to do it is greyed-out.
EDIT: I reset the volume to normal and then it let me do the verify. It says "Blocks with media errors: 14."

 

Sony Service time

 

If you are out of warranty then just buy some nice aftermarket drives. I love my Intel X18 drives, they are so damn fast and brand new.

 

I would actually reach out to Sony to comp the out-of-warranty service. You sent it in for SSD replacement DURING the warranty period and they did not replace the SSD's? If you can't get anywhere, perhaps you can make a deal with an NBR user who's swapped there SSD's and is no longer using the Sony drive. Cowboy comes to mind.

 

^ I already sold mine

 

I had the exact same problem and stumbled into the fix. It was like magic - problem gone! And the fix has held for a couple of weeks now. I wouldn't go spending a lot of money for new drives until you have tried the software fixes a few more times. Good luck.

EDIT: Now I recall that, in the process of troubleshooting the exact same problem you are experiencing, again, I did end up doing a restore to factory settings. That did NOT fix the problem, but then I never experienced any drive problems, just the startup error message like you are getting. In any case, it was after the restore that I installed the latest version of RST, and then the "magic" fix was in, and has remained so. I had a full image so doing the restore was a non-event for me. Sounds like you need to first get your data copied if you can, then you might want to try restoring to original factory image, then updating to Intel RST 10.

Here's a bit of additional data, in case any of our tech wizards can make more sense of this:

Like Surfer Jon, I had 3 SSDs (fairly uncommon config, I believe), but mine was 384GB total and his is 192, I believe. Also like SJ, I recall that my error message showed that 2 of the 3 drives had identical model #s and the third had a radically different number. However, it was not the "odd" drive that had the error, as I believe is also the case here.

It's a little unsettling when things like this occur, but I'll take strange but strangely fixed itself over straightforward but required expensive repair/replacement.

 

Hey surfer, when's the last time you got your SSD replaced? If you're within 90 days of that repair even if your warranty ended, you are still covered because they warranty their work for 90 days. Otherwise, consider the software fixes, seems like RST is just freaking out or something else.

 

I think it's been a bit over 90 days. Would they still repair it even if I've opened the laptop numerous times since then?

 

I called them and they said the 90 days expired two days before I called. -_- There's nothing they can / will do about it. -_-

Anyways, I'm a bit confused. Do I need to do a system restore and then install the latest RST to get it fixed? Or do I need to delete the RAID / do something to the RAID first? Thanks for any help you guys can provide.

 

Before I get started, I think you have a hardware problem. Bad sectors are, well, bad. You need to replace the drive.

That said, I've got a theory involving low power states.

Check this post: http://forum.notebookreview.com/7922346-post1561.html

The patch from the Z2 is here: Sony eSupport - VPCZ21SHX/X - Software & Drivers

I don't see why the Z1 wouldn't be subject to the same issue, they share the same fakeRAID, give or take a revision or two. Of course, I'm not aware of any Z2 owner having problems like yours.

The patch shouldn't cause you problems, but PLEASE make a complete system backup if you want to try it.

 

But Zoinks, if the hard drives are almost full and all the data is accessible, doesn't that mean it's still working? The ONLY thing indicating anything is wrong are the annoying error messages. Everything else is totally normal.

That said, I'll do the above, but I want to reset everything first. I'm currently backing up my files. Next, would I delete and then recreate the RAID? And then install Windows again? Also, what about my recovery partition - is there a way to back that up too, or would it not go bye-bye when I delete the RAID? Basically, can you help me out with what steps I need to do to put the laptop back in a "fresh" state?

 

SurferJon, could you please download a program called Hard Disk Sentinel and post a screenshot of the S.M.A.R.T. statistics pages for both your SSDs?

 

Bad sectors indicate that one or more of the NAND cells are physically bad.

I wouldn't rebuild. The patch can be installed over your current SATA driver install.

 

Since I can't boot into Windows, I'll have to reinstall it first. So, I'll do what you guys suggested after that happens and post back here.

 

Is this what you want to see?

 

Alright Zoinks, I installed what you told me to. Restarted, nothing changed. Reset the disk to normal, restarted, and now all the error messages are gone! Let's see if they stay gone. Thank you Zoinks!!

BTW, what did that program do?

 

I've had the exact same circumstance and since resetting the drive to "normal" (months ago) it has been fine. I've run numerous tests on the array and everything comes back normal. It was weird, RST report an error condition and from within it you can just say: it's normal, and the response is "ok boss, if that's the way you want it, you got it. FWIW, I hadn't downloaded the patch.

 

Oif, the error message resurfaced again. -_- Any ideas, Zoinks?

 

Looks like you need to send it in.

 

It may be inevitable that you - and I - will have to send these in eventually, but I want you to know that I did that reset to "normal" in the RST ctrl panel a couple of months ago and it was perfect until about a week ago, when that same error message on one drive showed up. I reset it to normal again, and it hasn't come back after 10 days and lots of rebooting. If it fixes that easily, and you have everything completely backed up, may as well just reset it and move on. It's been about 17 days since you reported that all was back to normal and for me it held for about 2 months before returning; seems like long enough to suggest it's some kind of electronic glitch that randomly shows up in some of the Sony SSD RAID0 arrays rather than a problem with the hardware - though this could be my wishful thinking. A concern about sending it to Sony: they might just reset it to normal, pronounced it fixed, and ship it back to you.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Same thing happens with me, and its driving me nuts, the whole system just freezes at times, with no response from keys or mouse, then the fans start spinning like crazy, and I can only force it to shutdown using power button, after the restart, I'm thrown with RAID Error in Disk member 1, followed by No Operating System.

tried Factory recovery using recovery DVDs
tried to break Raid and use JBOD, then recreate Raid from within Intel RST, after setting up Windows Cleanly, happens again.

Opened laptop to make sure that the SSD cables are perfectly fitted into the Drives, in vain.

Its just Faulty and Crappy Toshiba SSD, that Sony decided to go with instead of the Samsung ones, this was introduced through the Z12 lines, Pre built and CTOs as well.

Let alone the Toshiba Performance when compared to Samsung SSDs, there is a noticeable HIT in performance too between both.

Too Too Bad, and with the lame proprietary drives, I'm stuck, and No warranty of course.

If the Z1 had 6G or Sata 3, then I would dumped the raid 0, but it does not, and SATA 2 performance is capped upto 150 MB/s per drive/interface.

 

Hi Zoinks. I recently reinstalled everything on my Z from the hidden partition, updated Windows completely, used the Vaio Update program to download all of Sony's Z patches and updates, and also installed your patch. I did all of this in a day. I noticed that before I applied all of the updates and installed all the programs, my fan sounded much smoother and calmer and wasn't making even an iota of noise. Now, after installing everything, it's making a much more "clicky" sound when it's idle. I'm not sure at which point it happened, but I'm trying to see if there is a way to uninstall the patch you recommended to see if that will fix it. If it's not your patch, then it could be the "BIOS Update, Version R3031C3" or the "Intel(R) ICH8M-E/ICH9m-E/5 Series/6 Series SATA RAID Controller Driver" patches that Sony Update made me install. Either way, the patch you recommended unfortunately hasn't made the error message go away. Windows reports the SSD has failed every other day or so, the error message pops up on boot, and resetting the message makes it go away for a day or so.