New sandforce firmware to fix compatibility issues and speed up your drive

[groberts101]

Just thought I'd share with those here who actually like their OCZ Sandforce based SSD's. Hey!.. another free speed upgrade too!!! :thumbsup:
http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?86385-Firmware-1.32-Released-at-OCZ.com

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Will Flash my Laptop's 60gb Agility 2 tomorrow and report back. If all goes well the 120gb Vertex 2 in my main rig will get the treatment as well!

 

[OlafSicky]

I never flashed an OCZ drive do I have to image the ssd than flash and copy my data again. Is the flash going to kill my data?

 

[Termie]

I never flashed an OCZ drive do I have to image the ssd than flash and copy my data again. Is the flash going to kill my data?

It's easiest to flash it as a slave drive on another computer. When I flashed my Agility 2 with a previous update while it was mounted as the boot drive, it screwed with my BIOS settings and made it appear that the flash had corrupted the drive (which it hadn't).

Read the instructions carefully. You shouldn't lose data, but if you can, flash it from another system. That's what I plan to do this time.

 

[OlafSicky]

Do you think ist's worth flashing? The banchmarks are nothing special I have 1.29 firmware and no problems

 

[Termie]

Do you think ist's worth flashing? The banchmarks are nothing special I have 1.29 firmware and no problems

The OCZ tech I spoke to when I had the flashing problem stated that OCZ really only recommends that people flash their drives if they're having problems. I'm going to wait this one out a bit longer to see some more user responses. Not sure yet that a 1-2% gain (from a posted benchmark in one of the OCZ forums) is worth it to me.

The Agility 2 is already one of the fastest drives out there.

 

[OlafSicky]

The OCZ tech I spoke to when I had the flashing problem stated that OCZ really only recommends that people flash their drives if they're having problems. I'm going to wait this one out a bit longer to see some more user responses. Not sure yet that a 1-2% gain (from a posted benchmark in one of the OCZ forums) is worth it to me.

The Agility 2 is already one of the fastest drives out there.

True I only want to flash it if it's going to improve stability/longevity I’m not interested in 1% speed increases over reliability

 

[groberts101]

While I too only usually upgrade when absolutely necessary, this newest version has much to do with long term reliability.

Nothing wrong with waiting a bit for others to post results and do some guinea piggin' for ya,.. but you definately want this one as it's got the most comprehensive glitch repair list of almost all the previous ones combined.

It is non-destructive too. I always recommend secure erasing before restoring any image as it can reduce issues(mapping/crossed registers) and future throttles. Good Luck with it guys.

 

[Starbuck1975]

I didn't want to start another thread on this, but I purchased an OCZ Solid 3 drive to serve as my boot drive.

I've had two instances where I was performing an operation, and my system simply froze...no blue screen of death, no error message, just simply froze...upon reboot, my bios does not recognize my SSD at all...I have to power down, wait a few minutes, go back into the bios, and reconfigure the SSD as my boot drive. I am assuming this error is consistent with problems reported with the newer Sandforce drives.

Apparently I need to flash the drive, but the OCZ website says you can't flash their SSDs when they are the primary boot drive.

How do I go about flashing the drive as a boot drive without having to completely reinstall WIN7?

 

[Idontcare]

How do I go about flashing the drive as a boot drive without having to completely reinstall WIN7?

Honestly the best advice you are going to get on this question is going to come from OCZ themselves. Hit their support forum and ask them directly.

 

[Termie]

Honestly the best advice you are going to get on this question is going to come from OCZ themselves. Hit their support forum and ask them directly.

Actually, the simplest way is to flash it from another system. That's what I've done with my OCZ drive. If the OP has another computer he can connect the SSD to, it will be fairly straightforward. If not...well, I haven't had to deal with that so a call to OCZ may be warranted.

 

[Puffnstuff]

The flash utility runs from within windows and is non destructive. I used it to flash my drive to 1.33 without issue.

 

[Termie]

The flash utility runs from within windows and is non destructive. I used it to flash my drive to 1.33 without issue.

I had problems attempting to flash from within Windows. It led to a bluescreen, due to the fact that it reset my hard drive priority. This was something others have commented on, and it took me a while to figure it out. Just a heads up. I always flash it from a separate computer now.

 

[groberts101]

either boot to another OS drive and run the toolbox from there with the SSD as secondary?.. or use the OCZ Linux tool to just boot from a USB stick.

Either way the SSD will be treated as a secondary drive and flash just fine. However, I would be VERY cautious about the bios config's/ports used to flash the drive and suggest reading this thread first. Some newer info is finally being released about these issues now. Bout time that cat gets let out cuase I think it's near dead.

http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/f...it-will-do-no-harm-though&p=676887#post676887

and this forced re-flash protocol has already helped many as well.

http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/f...re-we-are-with-Vertex3-Agility3-Solid3-drives

 

[Starbuck1975]

Can you educate me on how the OC Linux tool would work from a USB stick? Can I run the OC Linux tool solution from a USB stick on a WIN7 machine?

 

[Fallen Kell]

double post

 

[Fallen Kell]

I never flashed an OCZ drive do I have to image the ssd than flash and copy my data again. Is the flash going to kill my data?

Every other SSD that I have ever dealt with that needs a firmware update either wiped the data or required space to backup the data. It might be because some of the things changed with the update caused changes in the underlying drive data structures or databases. In any event, I would prepare for the worst, and assume it will wipe your data.

 

[abaez]

What? No it won't. At least not the last time I update the firmware on my Vertex 2. Maybe this fw is different.

 

[jellowiggler]

Anytime you mess with hard drive firmware there is a chance of data loss. Back up your stuff and you will never be sorry.

 

[groberts101]

while jellowiggler is right on the money.. I have flashed WELL over 50 times and never lost any data(even on 6 drive R0 array's. Although, better safe than sorry if there is any data of great importance.

@Starbuck. This tool works like a charm and will work regardless of the installed OS/data on the SSD since it is running from ram.
http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/f...rtex2-3-Agility2-3-Solid3-Revo-and-Ibis-SSD-s

 

[86waterpumper]

I talked to a tech at OWC the other day, and they have finally released a newer firmware update for their 2281 drives also, so I plan to apply it this weekend. It is non-destructive, so what I plan to do is make a windows image backup on another harddrive and then proceed. I see a few people on here talking about moving the ssd to another system to flash? Why do this? I see nothing on the owc instruction page at all about making sure it's not the boot drive? In fact it says it must be formatted with fat32 or ntfs and have a mbr? It says it will flash right from within windows. I am just wondering if I will be fine booting up from the ssd and flashing?

 

[groberts101]

I would follow the mfgrs advice as they surely worked with Sandforce on designing their tool.

FWIW, there was an OCZ toolbox version where you were able to manipulate firmware and secure erase while operating from the SSD itself but they felt compeled to remove the feature rather than having several prompts made to inform you that you were about to erase your entire drive. Apparently.. there were some dunnies out there who felt inclined to try it and then came and complained about it. lol

Point is.. it can be done.. and they(OWC) seem to have taken the user's time and ability into account when designing the process. Good luck with it

PS.. also kind of funny how OWC always say's they have no similar issues as OCZ does but then oddly enough seems to release new firmware shortly after OCZ releases theirs. Why are they spending the cash to revise it then? Of course this usually coincides with OCZ doing all the nasty business of testing and pushing users to apply workarounds for singling out the culprits responsible for the issue/s. Makes you wonder who's following who's forum's, eh? :hmm:

 

[86waterpumper]

HAHA yeah, you are right, same controller, same heartaches and grief Oh well we are all guinea pigs and "early adaptors" to the ssd craze here some what 3 or 4 years after they have been out? LOL