OCZ SSD question.

[ingeborgdot]

Does anyone know anything about the
OCZ Agility 3 AGT3-25SAT3-240G 2.5" 240GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)?


I can get it for a real good price but some of the reviews on newegg are pretty bad because once you get it you need to do a firmware upgrade. Anyone?

 

[Idontcare]

Don't read much into newegg reviews unless you feel your skill level and technical competence is as low as that of the average newegg review submitter.

For competent feedback on the Agility 3 you should check out some professional reviews like those on the Anandtech front-page.

I bought a V3 240GB and updated the firmware on it before installing my OS, it was very easy. I had no idea how to update the firmware on mine when I first got it, but I knew enough to at least go look on the manufacturer's own webpage to see what all was going to be involved. The OCZ toolbox is easy to use.

Have you checked the OCZ support forums to gage the feedback of customers there, as well as the support advice they were given?

 

[Puppies04]

I have the 120gb version, haven't had to update the firmware and it is running smooth and fast. Check the bottom of the first page in the "i will buy a 320gb ssd in 1 year for $100" thread in this forum for my full WEI readout on it.

 

[ingeborgdot]

But if you go to the ocz forums you find a lot of issues??? So, you guys have had no problems whatsoever?

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

Many people have had issues. Sure, it's better in reliability than the Vertex Plus, but that's not saying a lot. OCZ is almost synonymous with SSD problems, and if a Crucial M4 256GB can be had for a comparable price pick that instead.

IDC, professional reviews don't take into account problems you may be getting in the long run or about reliability unless the drives present problems in only a week.

 

[ingeborgdot]

Actually, 100 bucks difference.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

Actually, 100 bucks difference.

Then it's worth it. It's mostly draw of the luck, so if you get a good one stay with it and if you get a bad one RMA. If the price difference were only $20 or so, then I'd say get an M4 to avoid any potential hassles.

 

[Puppies04]

Then it's worth it. It's mostly draw of the luck, so if you get a good one stay with it and if you get a bad one RMA. If the price difference were only $20 or so, then I'd say get an M4 to avoid any potential hassles.

Seriously... so if you buy an M4 you "avoid any potential hassles" Go over to their forum and check out the people having problems with "stuttering" on the drives and people unable to get windows to install on them. Geez what a load of crap, are you a crucial rep or are you just talking crap.


Hi,

Re: "Geez what a load of crap, are you a crucial rep or are you just talking crap"

Adding that line to your post was unnecessary. It is unnecessarily inflammatory, and goes against the spirit of the forum guidelines that exhort us all to preserve an atmosphere of mutual respect to encourage a healthy debate.

Please avoid this behavior in the future, you made your point already before saying "Geez, what a load of crap".

Moderator jvroig

 

[zCypher]

People have issues with all SSDs, and people have issues with all regular hard drives as well. In some cases the failure rates might be higher on SSD because it's a younger technology, but this shouldn't scare you away. You should not be using the SSD (or any primary drive) as storage for important data. That should be stored elsewhere and backed up externally, regardless of SSD.

You could spend more and get an Intel SSD and still have it fail despite its better reputation for reliability. I say if you're getting a good deal on the Agility 3, go for it. When I had issues with my Vertex2, the RMA process was quick and painless.

There are some things to keep in mind with SSDs.

- When you install it, make sure your BIOS is set to AHCI mode.
- Unplug any other HDD, install OS on SSD while SSD being the only drive plugged in.
- Avoid sleep/hibernate (this has been a serious issue for some people).
- Make sure you have the latest drivers installed for your motherboard.
- Keep the OCZ Toolbox installed and if you have any issues try updating the firmware.

I'm of the mind that you shouldn't necessarily update firmware unless you have a reason to. Opinions may vary on that.

 

[Broheim]

Seriously... so if you buy an M4 you "avoid any potential hassles" Go over to their forum and check out the people having problems with "stuttering" on the drives and people unable to get windows to install on them. Geez what a load of crap, are you a crucial rep or are you just talking crap.

compared to sandforce drives, the m4 is pooping rainbows and lollipops...

also, OCZ is a terrible company that will screw you over for a quick buck, make no mistake.

 

[Puppies04]

quick tip, if you are planning on updating the firmware then do it before you install windows on the drive. If you want to update while the OS is running on it you will need to boot linux to enable the update.

Btw now we are talking facts, crucial had a 0.72%lower return rate than OCZ on the last generation of drives. Quite how this enables fanboys to claim they are some sort of wonder SSD that never goes wrong is beyond me as they were still replacing 2.25% of all units sold. This data can pretty much be taken with a pinch of salt for gen 3 drives though as i haven't seen any data out for the current run of SSDs.

I agree with zCYPHER if you want to minimise the chance of having to RMA your drive by about 1.5% (and pay extra for the privilidge) then buy an intel drive but be aware you will still run the chance of recieving a drive that will either be bricked out the box or become faulty while under warranty.

In the mean time while we are all slating each others preffered manufacturers see if you fancy having to do this with your new crucial (This is from the official crucial forum and please note the in most cases your SSD can be returned to normal operating condidtion)

I would suggest a power cycle of the drive. Below is the procedure for a power cycle, in most cases your SSD can be returned to normal operating condition by performing the steps listed below:

1. Find a computer that you can use for approximately 1 hour. We recommend that you try to perform this procedure on a desktop computer because it allows you to only connect the SATA power connection. This will improve the odds of the power cycle being successful. A USB enclosure with an external power source will also work.

Apple desktop users please follow the same steps as Windows desktop users. If you don't have a desktop, a laptop will work as well. With a laptop you will want to have the drive connected and navigate to the systems BIOS menu. Please refer to your system manufacture’s documentation on how to access the BIOS. Letting the drive sit in the BIOS will improve the odds that the power cycle will work. It is not recommended to use a USB enclosure that is powered via USB. Apple laptop users will want to boot the system to the open firmware.

2. Once you have the drive connected and sitting idle for a desktop it is simply powering the computer and waiting. Laptop user will need to be in the BIOS menu, or open firmware as stated above. The computer will need to stay powered on for 20 min, and it is recommended that you don't use the computer during this process.

3. Power the computer down and disconnect the drive for 30 seconds.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 one more time.

5. Reconnect the drive normally, and boot the computer to your operating system.

6. Update your firmware, if you are not already at the latest on your drive. Please visit the following link for our firmware updates:

 

[Puppies04]

compared to sandforce drives, the m4 is pooping rainbows and lollipops...

Proof? All i see is complaints on their forum (exactly the same as OCZs, people don't tend to post on a manufacturers forum to say "heh everything is fine")

also, OCZ is a terrible company that will screw you over for a quick buck, make no mistake. __________________

Proof? Oh and also proof that you can't accuse crucial of the exact same thing.

Want a seriously possible reason why you see more OCZ problems on these forums..... They are chaeper and people buy more of them.

 

[Broheim]

Btw now we are talking facts, crucial had a 0.72%lower return rate than OCZ on the last generation of drives. Quite how this enables fanboys to claim they are some sort of wonder SSD that never goes wrong is beyond me as they were still replacing 2.25% of all units sold. This data can pretty much be taken with a pinch of salt for gen 3 drives though as i haven't seen any data out for the current run of SSDs.

the c300 had some serious firmware issues right off the bat that had to be worked out, the m4 doesn't.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

Seriously... so if you buy an M4 you "avoid any potential hassles" Go over to their forum and check out the people having problems with "stuttering" on the drives and people unable to get windows to install on them. Geez what a load of crap, are you a crucial rep or are you just talking crap.

Reported for trolling and personal attacks.

Also, statistically the M4 has a lot less problems. There's a reason why OCZ drives have a reputation for being notoriously unreliable in comparison to Crucial, Intel, and Kingston.


Play nice, guys. Don't make a post to 'scare' someone that you reported them, especially when you are having a debate with them. This isn't your Facebook wall, nobody wants to know who you reported, or ignored, or whatever that should remain private.

As a general rule: debate like mature adults, or stop debating and put each other on ignore if you are not capable of doing so.

Moderator jvroig

 

[Broheim]

Proof? All i see is complaints on their forum (exactly the same as OCZs, people don't tend to post on a manufacturers forum to say "heh everything is fine")



Proof? Oh and also proof that you can't accuse crucial of the exact same thing.

Want a seriously possible reason why you see more OCZ problems on these forums..... They are chaeper and people buy more of them.

where were you during the 25nm vertex 2 clusterf**k?

 

[Puppies04]

Reported for trolling and personal attacks.

Also, statistically the M4 has a lot less problems. There's a reason why OCZ drives have a reputation for being notoriously unreliable in comparison to Crucial, Intel, and Kingston.

Show me the statistics then.....

BTW i'm not trolling just trying to get the point acroos that the statement you made was both misleading and completly untrue in any sense of the word.

 

[Puppies04]

If you don't know what a statistic is let me demonstrate with some gen 2 data

For the first time, we are including SSDs in our returns rates. Here are the figures by manufacturer:

- Intel 0.59%
- Corsair 2.17%
- Crucial 2.25%
- Kingston 2.39%
- OCZ 2.93%

Taken from behardware.com.

Ohhhh 2.25% vs 2.93% I don't call that either a "lot less" or "notoriously unreliable" would you like to clarify what you mean.

 

[Broheim]

If you don't know what a statistic is let me demonstrate with some gen 2 data

For the first time, we are including SSDs in our returns rates. Here are the figures by manufacturer:

- Intel 0.59%
- Corsair 2.17%
- Crucial 2.25%
- Kingston 2.39%
- OCZ 2.93%

Taken from behardware.com.

Ohhhh 2.25% vs 2.93% I don't call that either a "lot less" or "notoriously unreliable" would you like to clarify what you mean.

as I already told you, the c300 suffered from initial firmware issues that needed to be fixed, after which reliability improved. The M4 doesn't.

 

[Puppies04]

As I already told you, head on over to crucials official forum and take a look at the people having problems with the M4. Then come back here and explain what you mean. It is irrelevant and impossible to know if the issues are being caused by firmware but if they aren't crucial is shipping broken SSDs with stuttering problems and various other issues which anyone with an ounce of sense would blame on firmware before they start looking at hardware.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

If you don't know what a statistic is let me demonstrate with some gen 2 data

For the first time, we are including SSDs in our returns rates. Here are the figures by manufacturer:

- Intel 0.59%
- Corsair 2.17%
- Crucial 2.25%
- Kingston 2.39%
- OCZ 2.93%

Taken from behardware.com.

Ohhhh 2.25% vs 2.93% I don't call that either a "lot less" or "notoriously unreliable" would you like to clarify what you mean.

You're using old data. The Crucial M4 series has demonstrated more reliability than the C300 series, which as mentioned earlier had a few firmware issues while the M4 has been pretty much perfect. At the same time, OCZ's third-gen series (Solid 3, Agility 3, Vertex 3) has shown even LESS reliability than the second-gen with more reported problems. Then we have the OCZ Vertex Plus series, which has probably been the worst SSD to date.

Also, keep it up with the personal attacks and you probably won't be here long.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

As I already told you, head on over to crucials official forum and take a look at the people having problems with the M4. Then come back here and explain what you mean. It is irrelevant and impossible to know if the issues are being caused by firmware but if they aren't crucial is shipping broken SSDs with stuttering problems and various other issues which anyone with an ounce of sense would blame on firmware before they start looking at hardware.

Crucial/Micron and OCZ are in no way close when it comes to reliability.

 

[Puppies04]

You're using old data. The Crucial M4 series has demonstrated more reliability than the C300 series, which as mentioned earlier had a few firmware issues while the M4 has been pretty much perfect. At the same time, OCZ's third-gen series (Solid 3, Agility 3, Vertex 3) has shown even LESS reliability than the second-gen with more reported problems. Then we have the OCZ Vertex Plus series, which has probably been the worst SSD to date.

Also, keep it up with the personal attacks and you probably won't be here long.

I'm not wasting my time talking to you, so this will be the last time I say this then you can continue with your personal crusade against everything not crucial. FACTS AND STATISTICS without them everything you say might aswell be ignored. You haven't given anything other than your opinion in this thread and unless you have some sort of divine guidance i'm going to take it all with a pinch of salt and suggest everyone else does the same. Oh and if you don't like being called out for being a liar then don't make statements like this...


"Then it's worth it. It's mostly draw of the luck, so if you get a good one stay with it and if you get a bad one RMA. If the price difference were only $20 or so, then I'd say get an M4 to avoid any potential hassles."

That is your FULL post by the way, there is no way anyone can misinterpret it as anything other a bare face lie when crucial are having to give out full page guides on how to "power cycle" faulty drives to maybe get them to work normally aswell as dealing with many various other problems. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and if you were posting one I wouldn't mind but what you are doing is posting your opinions and dressing them up as facts which i find extremly disturbing on a site where people come for serious advice.

 

[Broheim]

snip

you still haven't answered me where you were during the vertex 2 fiasco...

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

I'm not wasting my time talking to you, so this will be the last time I say this then you can continue with your personal crusade against everything not crucial. FACTS AND STATISTICS without them everything you say might aswell be ignored. You haven't given anything other than your opinion in this thread and unless you have some sort of divine guidance i'm going to take it all with a pinch of salt and suggest everyone else does the same. Oh and if you don't like being called out for being a liar then don't make statements like this...


"Then it's worth it. It's mostly draw of the luck, so if you get a good one stay with it and if you get a bad one RMA. If the price difference were only $20 or so, then I'd say get an M4 to avoid any potential hassles."

That is your FULL post by the way, there is no way anyone can misinterpret it as anything other a bare face lie when crucial are having to give out full page guides on how to "power cycle" faulty drives to maybe get them to work normally aswell as dealing with many various other problems. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and if you were posting one I wouldn't mind but what you are doing is posting your opinions and dressing them up as facts which i find extremly disturbing on a site where people come for serious advice.

Yeah... whatever. Go troll somewhere else.


This is not Off-Topic. This is not the way to conduct yourself in the tech forums.

If you have no facts, links or statistics to continue the debate, then stop debating, but certainly do not post like this.

Moderator jvroig

 

[Puppies04]

you still haven't answered me where you were during the vertex 2 fiasco...

I was here, i was also here when the MD (or whatever his title was) of OCZ did a full and frank interview with anand explaining exaclty what happened and appologized. I was also reading reviews like this...

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ocz-vertex-2-25nm-ssd,2867.html

Which if you actually read, you will notice that the word clusterf**k as you so sweetly put it earlier doesn't really apply unless you want to focus on all the bad bits without taking anything else into account.

I would ask where you were at the same time but i already know you were busy getting that OCZ=Satan idea stuck in your head without bothering with those little annoyances called facts that keep springing up in this thread.

Am I claiming OCZ are perfect... No and i never have done. Am i posting lies rumours and opinions dressed up as facts about a company i have a personal vendetta against....No. Am I claiming the M4 is a bad drive...No.