Question Intel SSD apparently wonked out

Nov 17, 2019
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Was working fine, then it wasn't. No access by any of the usual means. Disk Management shows a size of 8Mb instead of 160Gb

Any ideas on how to regain access?
 
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blckgrffn

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Sandforce based, I am guessing?

I just lost one a couple months ago in my mom's machine. I don't know if we are getting to some EOL on the controller or what. Cherryville? Pulling that from memory.

I was pretty disappointed because I had under allocated this one by ~15% to stave off the full drive issues but even then it crumbled. Even more disappointed because I had purchased the replacement 860 EVO drive for her for Christmas but hadn't taken the time to Macrium Reflect it over so I got to spend time dorking getting files (some corrupted) and rebuilding windows instead of spending ~15 minutes swapping SSD drives.

I've got no help for you but to put it in a machine that and install the Intel SSD toolkit and see if it gives you any other info. For the tool kit to work, it needs to be on a SATA connection, it won't work with a USB dock.
 
Nov 17, 2019
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Sandforce based, I am guessing?

No idea what that means.


I've got no help for you but to put it in a machine that and install the Intel SSD toolkit and see if it gives you any other info. For the tool kit to work, it needs to be on a SATA connection, it won't work with a USB dock.

I had a second new never installed SSD and a week old back up, so I got that part dealt with.

SSD in question is now in another notebook awaiting ideas from whoever. Intel's Toolkit didn't tell me anything.
 

blckgrffn

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No idea what that means.




I had a second new never installed SSD and a week old back up, so I got that part dealt with.

SSD in question is now in another notebook awaiting ideas from whoever. Intel's Toolkit didn't tell me anything.

The controller technology on older Intel consumer drives was based on controllers from that company.

It was featured in early OCZ drives as well that had a bad reputation of failure, especially when written full.

Intel supposedly had better firmware that wouldn't allow that to happen, but the bug you have is straight out of the OCZ handbook of failed drives.

I would lookin into OCZ drive failures and see if you get better results that are more like the issue you are seeing.
 
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Shmee

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What is the model? If it is an older one, like a Sandforce based SSD, probably not worth worrying about. Probably not in warranty, but you could check. Anyway, SATA SSDs are plenty cheap for anything under 1TB.
 
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What is the model? If it is an older one, like a Sandforce based SSD, probably not worth worrying about.


INTEL SSDSA2BW160G3


Out of warranty, but that's not really the issue. I'd like to get at the files I worked since last week's backup.

More importantly, I'd really like to know what happened as I have three other of the same drive, one is the C drive in this notebook.

Newegg has SSDs under 1Tb for cheap, some in the $40 range for 500G or less, but I don't know which brands to trust any more.
 

blckgrffn

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INTEL SSDSA2BW160G3


Out of warranty, but that's not really the issue. I'd like to get at the files I worked since last week's backup.

More importantly, I'd really like to know what happened as I have three other of the same drive, one is the C drive in this notebook.

Newegg has SSDs under 1Tb for cheap, some in the $40 range for 500G or less, but I don't know which brands to trust any more.

It's actually pre-sandforce but is a 2011 model, it appears.


Written by Anand the Man himself!

Critically, these drives have large DRAM cache that requires an external capacitor to flush writes when power is cut. If that capacitor is not operational, every time you shut it down it could cause write data loss.

I'd just consider them all close to failure and act accordingly. I've been EOL'ing small SSDs like that as I can, and like I mentioned been burned when they've beat me to the punch. It's trivial to clone to a new drive when they are operational.

I even bought a cheap USB3 to SATA SSD cable and it's worked really well, I've even used it with USB2 and just had to have way more patience.

I would go with Samsung EVO SSD drives. Samsung has continued to update this line of drives somewhat, they use reasonably good flash with solid controllers and are capable of saturating a SATA3 link and still have good lifetime write levels. These and Crucial are the only SATA SSD vendors I go to anymore, but Crucial seems to have let their older models really languish, though it is hard to fault them.

Look how tiny the insides are now!

 
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VirtualLarry

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This is a "known" (but generally-considered to be rare) firmware bug. A secure erase should restore the full drive size. Unfortunately, I don't know if any sort of data-recovery is possible in that state. Basically, the controller punted.

There are firmware updates that supposedly greatly reduce the frequency of occurrence or likelyhood that you would encounter that bug in the future.
 

Insert_Nickname

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Was working fine, then it wasn't. No access by any of the usual means. Disk Management shows a size of 8Mb instead of 160Gb

This is a known bug affecting Intel 320 SSDs:

https://www.techspot.com/news/44694-intel-confirms-8mb-bug-in-320-series-ssds-fix-available.html

Any ideas on how to regain access?

Seems you'll need professional help. Unless there is important data on it, I doubt if it's cost effective.

https://www.gillware.com/ssd-data-recovery-service/intel-ssd-8mb-bug-data-recovery/#:~:text=Since its first appearance, the,to a measly eight megabytes.

Edit; ninja'ed by VirtualLarry
 
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Nov 17, 2019
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From that article:

"Update (8/18) -- Fix now available: Three weeks after replicating the so-called "8MB bug," Intel has published a firmware update (4PC10362) that solves the issue."


From the Intel SSD Toolbox for two working drives:

23-26, Firmware Version, 4PC10362
27-46, Model Number, INTEL SSDSA2BW160G3

23-26, Firmware Version, 4PC1HPG0
27-46, Model Number, VO0160ECHPL

Is the second one 'safe'?


I'm not sure I can get that information from the suspect SSD
 
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Intel offers a tool:

Intel® Memory and Storage Tool GUIDrive management software with a Graphical User Interface for Windows* that allows you to view current drive information, perform firmware updates, and run full diagnostic scans.

Is it worth bothering with?
 

Shmee

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You could give the tool a try, so long as you aren't dumping any real time, or any money into this. It may be able to detect and update the drive, but I doubt this, and even if so, recovering data is another thing once that is done.
 

VirtualLarry

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Did you remember to run it as Admin? Also, are you using the standard Microsoft SATA drivers, or have you loaded the Samsung Magician drivers onto your system? I think possibly, Intel IRST might conflict too. Or maybe they're required.
 

blckgrffn

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Also WD and SK Hynix along with those first two choices, and then it's all the rest IMO.

Except for Adata, because they switch inferior components at will (and without disclosure).

Fair enough. I forgot the WD Blue SSD line, which is solid and I have personally used a few times.

I don't know if I would include SK-Hynix, personally. I know they make a bunch of flash themselves but when it comes to controller technology and desktop applications to maintain your SSD they are 2nd tier in my limited experience with them.

To be honest, where the budget demanded it, I have used Inland Premium (always replace with Kirkland Signature in my head for comedic effect), Lexar (super Chinese-ium) and Hyundai (lol, is there anything they don't make???) SSDs recently as well without issue but they are really for times where either supply was terrible (hey COVID!) or the price was crazy ($30 500GB SSD drive? yeah, fine for Steam/Epic drive)

Given how close all the prices are, I don't really feel like compromise is needed for the work machines being described. I would just get 870 Evo drives and call it a day.
 
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I don't know how well this page will display for any one else:


I selected 2.5" FF, under $60.00, sold by Newegg, 180Gb to 1Tb, sorted low to high

Low is an SP 256G for $35. There's a Samsung EVO 870 250G for $45, a WD Green 240G for $40, a Crucial 240G for $40, a WD Blue 250G for $53 ....
 

UsandThem

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Fair enough. I forgot the WD Blue SSD line, which is solid and I have personally used a few times.

I don't know if I would include SK-Hynix, personally. I know they make a bunch of flash themselves but when it comes to controller technology and desktop applications to maintain your SSD they are 2nd tier in my limited experience with them.
Their newest consumer SSDs (the P31 NVMe and S31 SATA) are really good drives, and they are among the very few who make their entire SSDs from in-house components).

I've mostly purchased Samsung drives over the years because of their quality and performance were above other manufacturers. However, the last 3-5 years companies like WD, SK Hynix, and Crucial have largely matched their drives in most performance metrics (and warranty). If the 870 EVO is on sale and only a couple dollars more, I'd go with it. However, if the other brands above were 10-20% cheaper, I'd go with one of those.
 
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SAMSUNG 870 EVO 250GB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-77E250B/AM)


Two in the chute from Jeff for a little under $44 each. Using their 'equal pay' thing, it's about $14/mo for 6 months.

Passed on their 3 year data recovery gig for $15 though, but could add it within the next 30 days.
 
Nov 17, 2019
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The two Samsungs should be arriving today.

Clone/Restore from backup from the two Intels and install the Samsungs, keeping the Intels for spares?

Leave the Intels in place and keep the Samsungs for spares?

This is an older (about 10 years now) Gateway laptop running Win7 with 8Gb RAM.
 

blckgrffn

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The two Samsungs should be arriving today.

Clone/Restore from backup from the two Intels and install the Samsungs, keeping the Intels for spares?

Leave the Intels in place and keep the Samsungs for spares?

This is an older (about 10 years now) Gateway laptop running Win7 with 8Gb RAM.

Speaking from my recent experience, I’d use the new ones. They’ll be faster, and very likely use less power. We can also hope that in the last decade or so they’ve made the controllers more reliable. I don’t know that is a given but I hope so!