Kingston V300 505 vs 506 firmware

[Diagrafeas]

I had a V300 120GB SSD
which after three months stopped being recognized
and was replaced by a new one a week ago.
Also i bought another one one day ago.
The first two had 505 firmware.
The third has 506 and is way slower than 505.
I tested with CrystaldiskMark and AS SSD and the difference is between 30-80MB/sec!!!
(I use SATA2 by the way).
Is there something i can do to put 505 firmware instead of 506 or is there a new firmware around?

 

[Berryracer]

According to the tech guy I spoke to from Kingston, downgrading a firmware can only be done by sending the drive to Kingston as the firmware updater cannot downgrade (I hope he's wrong)

 

[Diagrafeas]

Kingston doesn't have a firmware updater for v300 not even v200...
It doesn't have a utility to secure erase either...
I read that Sandforce has released 5.0.7 for other Manufacturers...
Lets hope that Kingston updates or else i will never buy from them again...

 

[Maxgadgetguy]

I purchased several of these drives on sale from a local large retail chain. Interestingly, Kingston sells two slightly different versions of the V300 presently in the exact same box. This subtle difference can be seen on the label of the retail box that the drives ship inside.

Some drives have (small white) box labels to indicate "Made in Taiwan." These units all ship with 5.0.5 firmware and it will show "SSD firmware: 505...." on the same label. These drives ship in the kit version with a pre-assembled, one-piece 2.5 to 3.5" adapter and one software CD (Acronis True-image OEM).

The others have "Made in China" on the same label. These units all ship with firmware 5.0.6. and are also marked as such on the outside box label. These drives ship in a kit version with a un-assembled 2.5 to 3.5" adapter (two side rail pieces) and two software CDs (one with install instructions and the other with Acronis True-image OEM).

Having bought three such units several months ago and recently, you can find either series of V300 SSD for sale. I prefer the 5.0.5 hands-down! Yes it's got an older firmware, but the drive seems to benchmark dramatically faster quiet during sequential read I/O. In AS SSD, the sequential read is 479 MB/s in 5.0.5 (Taiwan) vs. only 179 MB/s for the 5.0.6. (China)! This test is from a direct SATA-3 (600 MB/s) Intel port off a Z68-chipset motherboard. I verified a similar huge drop on an older Intel 975 board w/ SATA-2. This begs the question as to why the two series with two different firmwares and what is the methodology Kingston will use to update them to the newer Sandforce firmware - across the board? The toolbox software for download is version 1.0 and appears to only provide drive info and smart status presently. There is no optimization (force trim) nor firmware update provision as yet in this software (like Corsairs' Toolbox). As such, there may be subtle internal part differences that require different "tweaks" before either the China- or Taiwan-made units can be firmware upgraded. Kingston would have to track this origin info for all units - likely by serial # or some other "digital ID" footprint field in the current firmware in case the newer firmware requires "tweaks" for each these two series be made independently. Let's hope these do provide an update soon!

Update: As of 12-10-13, Kingston now lets you download Toolbox 2.0 for this drive, but there is still NO updated firmware for either firmware. I own 3 of the Taiwan drives (5.0.5) and couldn't be happier. Also, note that Kingston tech support went out of their way to be upfront and responsive to my questions.

 

[jayjr1105]

I received the 60GB version of the V300 after RMA'ing a V200 that was bad. My box shows Taiwan and confirmed the firmware is 505.

 

[SSBrain]

No 5.0.7 firmware yet?

 

[code65536]

No 5.0.7 firmware yet?

You could try asking Kingston for it.

They seem to produce different variants of the same model. I had a HyperX 3K last year that the latest firmware was incompatible for, even though the firmware worked fine for another HyperX 3K that I had gotten just a couple of months earlier. Turns out Kingston had multiple hardware versions of the 3K, and the firmware they posted on their website (which had since been removed, probably because of this confusion) was applicable for only one of those hardware versions. But they did have updated firmwares firmwares for all of them, available to people who ask--they determined, through a code that was printed on the label, which hardware version I had and thus which firmware I should get.

Although this thread is old, I'd like to add that the speed difference the OP saw was likely the result of different hardware (maybe a different NAND supplier?) instead of different firmware.

 

[SSBrain]

Thing is, last Friday ordered from Amazon a 60GB Kingston V300 and while I was aware it is a budget drive with sub-budget performance, now I'm unsure whether I should upgrade the firmware if it's still at version 5.0.5. Since a 5.0.7 firmware version would presumably fix problems many people seem to have with 5.0.6 (from discussions in different forums it seems it's a firmware problem, not hardware. That is, as soon as the firmware is updated, drive performance get even lower), I wanted to know in advance if it finally got released by Kingston. I'll find out this for myself eventually, anyway.

This answer from Kingston to a user from another forum doesn't inspire much confidence, though:

http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1040192747&postcount=7

"Thanks for your reply. Please note that random speed is not guaranteed for SV300 SSD. We currently do not have firmware update for this drive and downgrade firmware is not available. We will have the firmware update on Kingston site if the new firmware is released."

Kingston do not offer to date any firmware upgrade (not even 5.0.6, which one can install through their update tool) on their website for the SSDNow V300 SSD.

 

[Brammie2005]

first post ever:

I'm a value searcher and I reviewed this drive thouroughly before purchasing, altough a few months too late..I even bought/assembled one for my father the lucky sob has the 505 firmware and is not willing to switch the bastard

wanted it for the colours and perfo/€ (80€=100$) you guys get it 60-80$? :-s
samsung pro 135€

I mailed them again + posted a fat polite message on their facebook wall..not removed untill now I wait in humble answer..

if not i say we get together and start a riot..why not relase firmware 505 again as 507..
because now the drive performance as the price..you want to get beter perfo buy a more expensive drive..I don't think so. the goods are inside, you are just cockblocking me..for reference I'm not gay I'm belgian..we do al sort & kinds of crazy things..

anybody with me?? report for duty!!

edit: "We have received your email and we will reply to you within 48 hours" => they did not comply...the humbleness is starting to fade..if I have to dedicate a website to this I will...
will now also get the troops from overclock.net together!
http://www.overclock.net/t/1449815/downgrade-kingston-v300-ssd-firmware

edit2: after about 60h i received an "answer" :
Please accept our apologies for the late reply, we are currently experiencing a high volume of queries.
(I WONDER WHY)

With regards to your request we would need the following information in order to forward your case to our technical department:

- Part number of SSD (S......../...GB) found on the sticker of the SSD
- Revision number of SSD (99..........-....A......) found on the sticker of the SSD
- Quantity of SSD's
- Where and when did you buy the SSD?
- For how long did the SSD work without problems?
- What is the operating system?
- Make and model of the computer
- Have you installed the SSD in a different PC? What was the outcome?
- Problem description
- Were you able to test the SSD's externally through a USB port with 2.5" SSD enclosure? If yes, what was the result?
- Your name,email, address and telephone number

let me be so kind to send them the required info.
- For how long did the SSD work without problems? NEVER
- Have you installed the SSD in a different PC? What was the outcome? THE SAME

keep you guys updated

 

[dbk]

Kingston Rep *apparently* admitted to the bait and switch..
ie. synchronos NAND production to asynchronos

Reddit thread on it.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that Kingston might be guilty. Reddit thread has a bunch of screenshots of people comparing 505 to 506.

I've owned numerous Kingston products over the years.. (V100 and HyperX SSDs, Memory, flash drives, etc.) and have never had issues. Very surprising.

 

[bbhaag]

sans

 

[vectrexer]

I have had other Kingston SSD products in the past. Their support is usually good.

HOWEVER, you have to take their support with a grain of salt because Kingston seems takes advantage (more than most) of statement most manufacturers use that the specifications and components used are subject to change without notice. And not always for the better.

Thankfully they are good at replacing hardware if you want to try warranty swapping in order to get better components.

It s either warranty swap or return back to the vendor you bought it from.

 

[Dman8777]

This problem is all over the newegg reviews for kingston ssd's. Working as intended seems to be the manufacturers response. They specified performance in one benchmark and the new drives meet that regardless of the fact that in real world performance they are much slower.

 

[Cerb]

^ Which is pretty underhanded. How many people run ATTO all day, or care about ATTO performance at all? Hardly any. They care about performance for the rest of their tasks, and expecting that a drive of the same model number will meet the performance of another drive with the same model number is not at all unreasonable.

 

[daveybrat]

I was ordering the V300 drives for customer's at work for a while until i had heard about these issues several weeks ago.

Now i'm only selling Crucial M500's and Samsung drives.

 

[sockeye]

Is anyone up to speed other firmware numbers?

Mine reports:

user@amethyst:~$ sudo hdparm -I /dev/sda
[sudo] password for user: 

/dev/sda:

ATA device, with non-removable media
powers-up in standby; SET FEATURES subcmd spins-up.
    Model Number:       KINGSTON SV300S37A120G                  
    Serial Number:      50026B774A05DA4F    
    Firmware Revision:  583ABBF0
    Transport:          Serial, ATA8-AST, SATA 1.0a, SATA II Extensions, SATA Rev 2.5, SATA Rev 2.6, SATA Rev 3.0

Does this correspond to the 505 or 506?
Haven't done any benchmarking, but the PC is much faster than with previous HDD.

Anyone have an idea on how to benchmark within linux?

 

[VeryCharBroiled]

Is anyone up to speed other firmware numbers?

    Model Number:       KINGSTON SV300S37A120G               
    Firmware Revision:  583ABBF0

Does this correspond to the 505 or 506?

this is and Olde Thread, not sure if we are past that at this time.

I run the v300 240gb in my htpc on sata 2, same firmware and model number as above except for its the 240.

bought it on sale knowing it was not the nand the original v300s came with. didnt care just wanted the silence and speed boost over the spinner i had. happy with the drive as the htpc is mucho snappier. I dont run benchies just use the "seat of your pants" experience as my guide.

but I do not not how my firmware number corresponds to 5.0x either. unless we have 5.83, which is the 1st 3 digits. there is a 6.03 verion at kingston BTW.
hoping someone can answer that for sure.

 

[sockeye]

I have a 583A, and a 603A, and I did some benchmarking.
For the 583A:

user@place:~$ sudo hdparm -Tt /dev/sda
[sudo] password for user: 

/dev/sda:
 Timing cached reads:   8178 MB in  2.00 seconds = 4095.66 MB/sec
 Timing buffered disk reads: 524 MB in  3.00 seconds = 174.53 MB/sec
user@place:/$ sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=temp.file conv=fdatasync bs=384k count=1k; rm -f temp.file
1024+0 records in
1024+0 records out
402653184 bytes (403 MB) copied, 1.65429 s, 243 MB/s

For the 603A:

user@place2:~$ sudo hdparm -Tt /dev/sda

/dev/sda:
 Timing cached reads:   9622 MB in  2.00 seconds = 4814.57 MB/sec
 Timing buffered disk reads: 962 MB in  3.01 seconds = 319.48 MB/sec
user@place2:~$ dd if=/dev/zero of=temp.file conv=fdatasync bs=384k count=1k; rm -f temp.file
1024+0 records in
1024+0 records out
402653184 bytes (403 MB) copied, 1.19286 s, 338 MB/s

I got the 583A on Amazon in January 2015 through here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A1ZTZOG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
and the 603A on Amazon in June 2015 through here http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A1ZTZOG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00
The links aren't much different I know. But there it is if anyone finds it useful.

 

[hojnikb]

It seems that V300 went through loots of different revisions. I'm also noticing v300s that perform much better than they used to a year or so ago when the first switch happend. :\

 

[Falker]

According to the tech guy I spoke to from Kingston, D Bal is the real thing as the firmware updater cannot downgrade (I hope he's wrong)

I just found out this is true. You cant downgrade their firmware from home you have to send it back to them. Such hassle as it'll probably take weeks.

 

[JimmiG]

It seems that V300 went through loots of different revisions. I'm also noticing v300s that perform much better than they used to a year or so ago when the first switch happend. :\

Here's my V300 480GB, not sure how it compares to previous revisions. I'll check the firmware later today, though from what I understand, performance is a function of the NAND flash used, not the firmware. So downgrading the firmware wouldn't make a difference.

Edit: Apparently I've got the 605ABBF2 firmware

It's definitely slower than my 500GB 850 Evo:

However I can't say I notice the difference when running games and applications. Bought the drive during a sale, fully aware of the NAND switch.