Question *STABLE* NVMe - USB Adapter?

[cyberjedi]

I'm looking to buy a *RELIABLE* NVME-USB external adapter, that doesn't disconnect randomly, can keep up the close to 1GB/s speed.
So far all adapter's reviews contain frighteningly high % of reports of malfunction, random disconnects, sub-par speeds, falling to even under USB 2.0 speeds, etc.
There are 3 main chipsets in the market: JMicron JMS583, Asmedia ASM2362, and Realtek RTL9210 (no product has surfaced with the latter yet, so no REAL reviews, experiences yet UPDATE: it is on the market already).
Also ASUS has a new product, ROG Strix Arion, but there isn't enough feedback about it yet, and I mean real life feedback not just being able to run a few benchmarks, but real stress test to see if the device (adapter) can keep it up, without disconnecting or slowing down hard.
I would really appreciate any feedback from those who have GOOD experiences during stress-tests, like tons of random 4k writes with a stable speed, cloning 100's of GB-s at a stable high speed close to 1GB/s.
I know SSD's very well, so please stick to the point and don't start to educate me on how their speed falls after some writes, etc. I'm aware and this is NOT the point.
You can help if you can point me to a STABLE and RELIABLE NVMe-USB-C adapter that WORKS as expected.
Thank you in advance!

 

[apoelistasaudi]

what is the OS in the Pi?? Linux, Android, or Windows??

if you are booting windows 10 from NVME then you have no choice other than rtl9210. JMS583 will be always hot.

otherwise if you will use jms583 you will need an Enclosure with better heatsink and maybe a fan.

can PI boot from external usb drive or just from SD card?

then spec wise says it supports only up to usb 3.0. Not interesting at all for year 2020. This info for the next gen PI.

 

[Andalu]

JMS583: https://www.jmicron.com/products/list/13
RTL9210 (no official source unfortunately): https://www.tomshardware.com/news/realtek-ssd-controller-flash-memory-summit,40147.html

Both are USB 3.1 Gen2x1... It seems there is some misunderstanding here when PCIe 3.0 x2 is mentioned, that's x2 PCIe 3.0 lanes, not USB 3.2 dual-lane. This is describing the amount of PCIe 3.0 lanes available to the M.2 connector, thus it'd have a maximum bandwidth of ~2GB/sec, more than enough to meet the needs of 10Gbps (~1.2GB/sec) for USB Gen2x1. Just like SATA, these are maximums, so hitting close to 1.1GB/sec is fine when considering other factors like additional overheads.

So if you want to test the difference between Gen2x1 and Gen1x2, you'd probably want to ensure you're using such a setup in the first place. Chances are Gen1x2 will perform slower than Gen2x1 all other things equal for the cited reasons earlier regarding performance optimizations that Gen2 brings.

Have you read a post where I told about PCIe 3.0 x2, x2 lanes PCIe 3.0 or USB 3.2 dual-lane????
I will tell you the answer in advance: NO!
But you mention a post of mine that talks about something else

Please read my posts carefully, even better if the whole thread, thank you.

 

[Polarathene]

But you mention a post of mine that talks about something else

I responded to your previous post on page 19, the exact one I quoted a line from.

What was wrong with my response in regard to that? Perhaps I should have quoted earlier post on page 19 from RTL near the top where he specifically mentions the two chipsets, where the inaccurate information of JMS583 is cited as Gen1x2? I provided a source that confirms it's Gen2x1.

Your post I responded to was from what I gathered trying to confirm a higher speed claim by using a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 capable host controller, but to my knowledge while the earlier claim of 10Gbps being better via Gen2x1 vs Gen1x2 is accurate, the speed claims were not, rather Gen1x2 should be under 1GB/sec IIRC. As both chipsets you tested were Gen2x1, the only verification you'd be making was claims of RTL9210 being faster than JMS583, but that claim (ignoring performance figures associated to it) was based on JMS583 being Gen1x2 (which is obviously incorrect and requires no tests to confirm).

My response wasn't to single you out or anything, but further clarify/expand on your own post. Yours was the last on that topic in the thread, and it didn't bring up the fact that both chipsets are Gen2x1.

Have you read a post where I told about PCIe 3.0 x2, x2 lanes PCIe 3.0 or USB 3.2 dual-lane????
I will tell you the answer in advance: NO!

This wasn't specifically to you (although I quoted you), it was clearing up any potential confusion based on what others were citing earlier. The "x2" in the product description referred to x2 PCIe 3.0 lanes, not x2 USB 3.2 lanes (eg Gen1x2). I further followed up with that being plenty of bandwidth to cover the 10Gbps (x1 PCIe 3.0 lane wouldn't quite be enough), I further support your results by stating 1.1GB/sec is perfectly acceptable/expected for Gen2x1.

I was not accusing you of anything. It was purely for the benefit of anyone else who was reading along and perhaps got confused, just like your own response was to benefit others who may have been confused/misled from earlier discussion claims.

Please read my posts carefully, even better if the whole thread, thank you.

I read the post I responded to carefully. I've not read the entire thread and have no reason to. If you'd like me to review an earlier post, feel free to link me to it directly, I'm not going to waste time going through 17 more pages when I don't need to.

 

[Andalu]

I responded to your previous post on page 19, the exact one I quoted a line from.

What was wrong with my response in regard to that? Perhaps I should have quoted earlier post on page 19 from RTL near the top where he specifically mentions the two chipsets, where the inaccurate information of JMS583 is cited as Gen1x2? I provided a source that confirms it's Gen2x1.

Your post I responded to was from what I gathered trying to confirm a higher speed claim by using a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 capable host controller, but to my knowledge while the earlier claim of 10Gbps being better via Gen2x1 vs Gen1x2 is accurate, the speed claims were not, rather Gen1x2 should be under 1GB/sec IIRC. As both chipsets you tested were Gen2x1, the only verification you'd be making was claims of RTL9210 being faster than JMS583, but that claim (ignoring performance figures associated to it) was based on JMS583 being Gen1x2 (which is obviously incorrect and requires no tests to confirm).

My response wasn't to single you out or anything, but further clarify/expand on your own post. Yours was the last on that topic in the thread, and it didn't bring up the fact that both chipsets are Gen2x1.

https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/stable-nvme-usb-adapter.2572973/post-40364040

This wasn't specifically to you (although I quoted you), it was clearing up any potential confusion based on what others were citing earlier. The "x2" in the product description referred to x2 PCIe 3.0 lanes, not x2 USB 3.2 lanes (eg Gen1x2). I further followed up with that being plenty of bandwidth to cover the 10Gbps (x1 PCIe 3.0 lane wouldn't quite be enough), I further support your results by stating 1.1GB/sec is perfectly acceptable/expected for Gen2x1.

I was not accusing you of anything. It was purely for the benefit of anyone else who was reading along and perhaps got confused, just like your own response was to benefit others who may have been confused/misled from earlier discussion claims.

I read the post I responded to carefully. I've not read the entire thread and have no reason to. If you'd like me to review an earlier post, feel free to link me to it directly, I'm not going to waste time going through 17 more pages when I don't need to.

I don't think I wrote that you reported incorrect information. Simply if you talk about "misunderstanding" quoting one of my posts, it seems normal to me that I invite you to read carefully what I have written and what reported by another user, the true beneficiary of your quote and clarifications.

 

[yass95]

While likely a separate concern, do note that NVMe disks can require up to 6W (or more for certain models), that's drawn at peak performance. I'm not sure if this would result in lower performance or if the disk attempts to draw that amount and fails, not unlike HDDs used to with externals usually needing to supply an extra boost for that power to spin the disk up initially (highest peak power draw for HDD).

I've not tested such to know what behaviour to expect in that situation. On a PC you'd usually get the desired power output from a USB root port, for USB 3.0 (or 3.1 Gen1) that's 900mAH @ 5V, a total of 4.5W.

SBC's have historically been known for not handling this peak output reliably/consistently, especially when other components or connected devices are drawing power as well. Your RPi4 is powered by USB-C 3A@5V(15W)? Seems a max of 1.2A is available to USB ports:

Raspberry Pi Documentation - Raspberry Pi Hardware

The official documentation for Raspberry Pi computers and microcontrollers

www.raspberrypi.org

That allows for 4.5W on a USB 3.0 port that the RPi4 offers, while PC users with USB-C ports will enjoy 1.5A@5V (or potentially 3A or more if negotiated) providing their devices with up to 7.5-15W, usually more than enough for these NVMe SSDs.

Besides this, also account for any potential voltage drops (may be less of an issue on a RPi4 than prior generations?), as this can also occur from the SBC port, where on a PC it's typically only an issue over the cable. Quality of a cable for power delivery (even when not using USB-PD or other charging protocols) is impacted by cables resistance to voltage drops, getting a lower number for AWG rating helps maintain the initial voltage from one end to the other, 20AWG IIRC is preferable, and it might have been 28AWG that performed poorly losing a fair bit of voltage to the device that the total power needed was insufficient. Distance of the cable can also play a role, less cable length equals less resistance to go through thus less voltage drops. That's why it's common to get products like Samsung T5/T7 with thick(better AWG rating) 0.5M short USB cables.

I believe some users blame chipsets for disconnects, and while that may partially be true, sometimes it can also be due to lack of sufficient power being available. There are some power efficient NVMe SSDs like SK Hynix P31 I think, these might fair better.

Since you're considering it a thermal issue, which is generally related to power activity, it could very well be related that the RPi 4 is not able to meet the power demands of your 970 Evo. Should be easy to confirm if due to the device or RPi4 by testing against a PC as well? Your 970 Evo can use 6W on average for 1TB model, and up to 10W:

Samsung 970 EVO | Consumer SSD | Specs & Features | Samsung Semiconductor Global

Samsung 970 EVO delivers PCIe® Gen3 NVMe, M.2, and capacities ranging from 250GB to 2TB. Download 970 EVO firmware, driver, and more.

www.samsung.com

That far exceeds 4.5W. There are some products which can sit between the USB port and your USB cable to monitor power activity and verify if this is also bottlnecking it. Like the chipsets discussed here though, quality/reliability can also vary..

Oh wow! Thank you. This has to be it. I previously used the Sabrent Rocket 256 GB (until it died one morning...) and figured it would be an easy drop-in replacement with an even bigger drive. I guess that's the lesson learned here. And it was already sometimes having minor issues with the Rocket. The power specs on the Rocket are 5.1 for Read and 3.1 for Write. And yes, connecting the adapter to the PC has the Samsung Evo 500gb drive working flawlessly. Still the adapter would get warm, but I guess it's a moot point since I wanted it for USB booting the Pi. Thanks again for the info. Was driving me mad because it worked what seemed like randomly.

 

[yass95]

what is the OS in the Pi?? Linux, Android, or Windows??

if you are booting windows 10 from NVME then you have no choice other than rtl9210. JMS583 will be always hot.

otherwise if you will use jms583 you will need an Enclosure with better heatsink and maybe a fan.

can PI boot from external usb drive or just from SD card?

then spec wise says it supports only up to usb 3.0. Not interesting at all for year 2020. This info for the next gen PI.

RPi4 finally added USB booting a few months ago officially. Much faster and better than using/booting off the mSD. I guess I'll stick to my USB flash drive for the Pi.

 

[apoelistasaudi]

Just because the analysis given above is different from my point of view I will persist that one should look at this from the view that jms583 is generally hot if used as a boot device, that is to say no standby will kick in, jms583 which is power hungry will cause high heat and will eventually reach higher heat as time elapses up to the max which is burning hot.

Rtl9210 is power efficient and dissipates less heat than jms583. That is the recommended external nvme enclosure for pi as a boot device but maybe still not the best in terms of heat dissipation and in addition will only support 5Gbps anyhow so you may check the below option if you want to downgrade, or depending, to reach your PI specs.

Alternatively you could also consider an m.2 ssd with usb 3.0 5gbps usb enclosure (about 460mb/s R/W the m.2 ssd I have tested on usb 3.0). Isnt Pi usb 3.0 (5GBps) only??? Did you consider getting jms580??? They are sold for just 10 usd (Orico) , that is value for money, and never get hot and you can firmware update the m.2 ssd directly from enclosure unlike nvne enclosures. Received two of these lately "ORICO M2PF-C3 Typ-C M.2 SSD-". If used with usb 3.1 gen 2 they reach about 540 mb/s but comparing usb 3.0 m.2 ssd vs nvme, nvme has no competitive advantage over m.2 ssd (nvme probably hotter). After checking for standby capability on jms580 with a usb amperage device, I observed that jms580 standby feature is enabled (cant remember if it is 5min or 10min since I did not use a clock) however a customization standby firmware with 1 min is not available, e.g. no firmware updates are made available. The only fw update available is the backup I have made available to download.

eBay item no: 184409932155

Will check its amperage just to confirm.
jms580 has amperage of 0.05-0.08 when on idle, on usb 3.0 port, which is pretty much the lowest of all. This is your best choice I believe.
Rtl9210 has amperage of 0.11-0.14 when on idle on usb 3.0 port, which is pretty much twice the consumption of jms580.
Your conclusions. Now you know why I also use jms580 as a back up usb drive.

My conclusion on usb 3.0 ports jms580 is my first choice. (corrected above info, to standby feature is supported on jms580 too).

 

[apoelistasaudi]

Please delete

 

[like2watch]

Hi guys, this thread seems to have the all the latest info about NVME enclosures!

I got Orico M2PJM-C3 that is RTL9210B chipset and it randomly overheats when idle for a longer time. SSD is Kingston A2000 NVME. The flash tool gives me following dump:

FW Ver : 1.17.4
FW Build Date : 2019.09.10
IC Ver : 0xa0010002
IC Pkg Type : PCIE_SATA

Now, the link in the post #405 is dead, could someone kindly share the new 1.23.9 FW update file?

 

[Andalu]

@like2watch
Firmware v1.23.9 for RTL9210 / RTL9210B chipsets re-uploaded here.

Use it at your own risk!!

 

[Orbss]

Hey guys,
I hope this is the right place to ask as I've seen there's a lot of info/solutions in this thread to everything about NVME enclosures.

I'm trying to run my RTL9210 adapter with my WD SN550 1tb nvme on my Odroid N2+ which is running on Ubuntu 20.04 with Linux kernel version 5.9.
I've flashed the adapter to the newest FW but for some reason whenever I connect it to my Odroid/Windows PC thorough USB 3 it's always stuck on USB 2 transfer speeds which gives me approx. 45 MBps r/w.
What is even weirder is that after I flashed the adapter on my windows pc, it used the correct USB 3 connection with 480-500 MBps speeds but only for a couple of minutes, then it disconnected and connected by itself with USB 2.0 speeds.

The flash tool gives me this dump:

**************************************************************
Device : [Port4] : Realtek RTL9210B NVME #0
**************************************************************
U2PHY : 02 f4 9b e0 e1
U3PHY : 02 d4 09 00 d5 00 80
VID : 0x0bda
PID : 0x9210
MANUFACTURE : "Realtek"
PRODUCT : "RTL9210B-CG"
SERIAL : "012345679005"
SCSI_PRODUCT : "RTL9210B NVME"
SCSI_VENDOR : "Realtek"
DISK_HOTPLUG : 0x00
LED : 0x01
PINMUX1 : 0x00000000
PINMUX2 : 0x00000070
U2_MAXPWR : 0xfa
U3_MAXPWR : 0x70
ASPMDIS : 0x00
PCIE_REFCLK : n/a
DISK_IPS_THRES : n/a
SWR_1_2V : n/a
EN_UPS : n/a
PD : n/a
CUSTOMIZED_LED : n/a
SUSPEND_LED_OFF : n/a
FORCE_USB_SPEED : n/a
FORCE_PCIE_SPEED : n/a
FORCE_USB_QUIRK : n/a
FORCE_PCIE_QUIRK : n/a
FAN : 0x00000001
DIS_SHOW_EMPTY_DISK : 0x01
FORCE_SATA_NORMAL_DMA : n/a
UART_DBG_PIN : 0x05
FINGER_PRINT_EN : n/a
RM_INTERNAL_RD : n/a
HS_AUTO_SWITCH : n/a
EFUSE :
       00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0A 0B 0C 0D 0E 0F
       -------------------------------------------------
   0   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  10   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  20   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  30   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  40   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  50   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  60   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  70   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  80   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  90   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  a0   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  b0   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff

Boot Mode : Flash NM
FW Ver : 1.23.9
FW Build Date : 2020.10.05
IC Ver : 0xa0010002
IC Pkg Type : PCIE_SATA
UUID : ffffffff-ffff-ffff-ffff-ffffffffffff

Disconn_ForceUSB2 : 0x00

Did anyone encounter this issue and have a solution?

 

[Andalu]

Hey guys,
I hope this is the right place to ask as I've seen there's a lot of info/solutions in this thread to everything about NVME enclosures.

I'm trying to run my RTL9210 adapter with my WD SN550 1tb nvme on my Odroid N2+ which is running on Ubuntu 20.04 with Linux kernel version 5.9.
I've flashed the adapter to the newest FW but for some reason whenever I connect it to my Odroid/Windows PC thorough USB 3 it's always stuck on USB 2 transfer speeds which gives me approx. 45 MBps r/w.
What is even weirder is that after I flashed the adapter on my windows pc, it used the correct USB 3 connection with 480-500 MBps speeds but only for a couple of minutes, then it disconnected and connected by itself with USB 2.0 speeds.

The flash tool gives me this dump:

**************************************************************
Device : [Port4] : Realtek RTL9210B NVME #0
**************************************************************
U2PHY : 02 f4 9b e0 e1
U3PHY : 02 d4 09 00 d5 00 80
VID : 0x0bda
PID : 0x9210
MANUFACTURE : "Realtek"
PRODUCT : "RTL9210B-CG"
SERIAL : "012345679005"
SCSI_PRODUCT : "RTL9210B NVME"
SCSI_VENDOR : "Realtek"
DISK_HOTPLUG : 0x00
LED : 0x01
PINMUX1 : 0x00000000
PINMUX2 : 0x00000070
U2_MAXPWR : 0xfa
U3_MAXPWR : 0x70
ASPMDIS : 0x00
PCIE_REFCLK : n/a
DISK_IPS_THRES : n/a
SWR_1_2V : n/a
EN_UPS : n/a
PD : n/a
CUSTOMIZED_LED : n/a
SUSPEND_LED_OFF : n/a
FORCE_USB_SPEED : n/a
FORCE_PCIE_SPEED : n/a
FORCE_USB_QUIRK : n/a
FORCE_PCIE_QUIRK : n/a
FAN : 0x00000001
DIS_SHOW_EMPTY_DISK : 0x01
FORCE_SATA_NORMAL_DMA : n/a
UART_DBG_PIN : 0x05
FINGER_PRINT_EN : n/a
RM_INTERNAL_RD : n/a
HS_AUTO_SWITCH : n/a
EFUSE :
       00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0A 0B 0C 0D 0E 0F
       -------------------------------------------------
   0   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  10   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  20   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  30   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  40   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  50   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  60   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  70   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  80   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  90   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  a0   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
  b0   ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff

Boot Mode : Flash NM
FW Ver : 1.23.9
FW Build Date : 2020.10.05
IC Ver : 0xa0010002
IC Pkg Type : PCIE_SATA
UUID : ffffffff-ffff-ffff-ffff-ffffffffffff

Disconn_ForceUSB2 : 0x00

Did anyone encounter this issue and have a solution?

The adapter you linked has the RTL9210 chipset, while your dump file comes from the RTL9210B, which is a different chipset. I assume the link is wrong

Only as a little note: you are another user reporting problems with the WD SN550 in this thread. I don't have such issues with a WD SN750 (and a RTL9210B enclosure) in windows even though I know they have two different controllers. Other owners of WD SN550, if I remember correctly, have solved by updating the firmware to v1.23.9, which you have already done.
Did you notice the same behavior before the update?

I don't have the final solution because you go by attempts (not in order of priority):
- check the availability of an updated firmware for the NVMe;
- try with a quality cable;
- ensure a proper dissipation for the adapter/enclosure to avoid thermal throttling;
- verify that the USB3 ports provide enough power for the NVMe device;
- try with a different M.2 NVME disk;
- try on another system or machine.

Surely in this moment I'm forgetting something else to try

 

[Orbss]

The adapter you linked has the RTL9210 chipset, while your dump file comes from the RTL9210B, which is a different chipset. I assume the link is wrong

Only as a little note: you are another user reporting problems with the WD SN550 in this thread. I don't have such issues with a WD SN750 (and a RTL9210B enclosure) in windows even though I know they have two different controllers. Other owners of WD SN550, if I remember correctly, have solved by updating the firmware to v1.23.9, which you have already done.
Did you notice the same behavior before the update?

I don't have the final solution because you go by attempts (not in order of priority):
- check the availability of an updated firmware for the NVMe;
- try with a different cable;
- ensure proper dissipation to avoid thermal throttling;
- verify that the USB3 ports provide enough power for the NVMe device;
- try with a different M.2 NVME disk;
- try on another system or machine.

Surely in this moment I'm forgetting something else to try

Just checked, I have the RTL9210B chipset (it's written on it), they must've not mentioned it on amazon.
Yes, I've had this issue since before the update(hoped the update would fix it lol).

Now to your checklist:
1. Firmware is the latest.
2. I connect it directly to the USB socket, no cables needed.
3. I put the nvme in a heatsink but I don't think it's a heat related issue.
4. I suppose it's enough as I've tried it on all the USB 3 ports in my Asus maximus viii hero and Odroid n2+ lol (If I remember correctly, when the usb 3 worked, it was running at max 800 mA, now it's 500 mA )
5. I don't have another nvme unfortunately
6. Tried on Ubuntu 20.04 and Windows 10 with no avail.

Ultimately I think it's a firmware related issue of the RTL9210B. I just hope they patch it soon.

 

[Andalu]

Just checked, I have the RTL9210B chipset (it's written on it), they must've not mentioned it on amazon.
Yes, I've had this issue since before the update(hoped the update would fix it lol).

Now to your checklist:
1. Firmware is the latest.
2. I connect it directly to the USB socket, no cables needed.
3. I put the nvme in a heatsink but I don't think it's a heat related issue.
4. I suppose it's enough as I've tried it on all the USB 3 ports in my Asus maximus viii hero and Odroid n2+ lol (If I remember correctly, when the usb 3 worked, it was running at max 800 mA, now it's 500 mA )
5. I don't have another nvme unfortunately
6. Tried on Ubuntu 20.04 and Windows 10 with no avail.

Ultimately I think it's a firmware related issue of the RTL9210B. I just hope they patch it soon.

I would not exclude that it is a problem related to that specific NVMe model. I just tested my RTL9210B enclosure with 3 different NVME disks in win10 on a USB 3.0 - 5GBps port without detecting any problem:

 

[Orbss]

Ok so this is very weird, I just changed the firmware config to the following and it's working fine now on windows and ubuntu with usb 3 speeds.
I just hope it stays that way and won't become unstable.

;Configure Start
;=================FW Configure=================
U2PHY = 02 f4 9b e0 e1
U3PHY = 02 d4 09 00 d5 00 80

VID = 0xbda
PID = 0x9210

MANUFACTURE = "Realtek"
;SCSI_VENDOR = "Realtek"
PRODUCT = "RTL9210B-CG"
;SCSI_PRODUCT = "RTL9210B NVME"
SERIAL = "012345679006"

DISK_HOTPLUG = 0x0
LED = 0x1
PINMUX1 = 0x0
PINMUX2 = 0x70
U2_MAXPWR = 0xfa
U3_MAXPWR = 0x70
ASPMDIS = 0x0

;5 minutes of idle time will disable pcie power
;DISK_IPS_THRES = 5

;EN_UPS = 0x0
;PD = 0x0

;CUSTOMIZED_LED is 15 bytes
;CUSTOMIZED_LED = 01 01
;SUSPEND_LED_OFF = 0x0
;FAN = 0x0

DIS_SHOW_EMPTY_DISK = 0x1
;FORCE_SATA_NORMAL_DMA = 0x0
;UART_DBG_PIN = 5
;FINGER_PRINT_EN = n

 

[Orbss]

After about an hour it's back to USB 2 speeds... Unstable it is...

 

[apoelistasaudi]

I have observed one problem still with rtl9210 latest firmware. When I disconnect, it does not actually disconnect from the usb port. Amperage is still shown on my usb amp/volt detector. I assume this was also reported by @Andalu if I can recall, he reported blue light still remains on for some time. after disconnect.

Tested this also with jms580 which disconnects immediately, for comparison purposes..

@Orbss
I have 3 config differences than you. Not sure how these interfere with other features or capabilities.
DISK_IPS_THRES : 0x01
UART_DBG_PIN : 0x05
RM_INTERNAL_RD : 0x01

Never tested linux/Ubuntu OS so unfortunately, it is being a while since I did, I cant advise.

 

[Andalu]

@apoelistasaudi
you remember correctly: to see the led off after safely removing the device, you must wait for the same time that has been set for stand-by mode.

 

[Andalu]

@Orbss
I did another test with my RTL9210B enclosure.
Since the stand-by in your configuration file was disabled (DISK_IPS_THRES: n/a) I did the same for mine by setting it to 0x00 (so anyway disabled) and I did a first test with CrystalDiskMark as in the image below where you can see that the RTL9210B is connected to a USB3.0 port working as such:



then, after leaving the NVMe in idle for about an hour (never entered in sleep mode), I repeated the same benchmark and the enclosure is still detected as connected to the USB3.0 port as shown in the following image:



As far as I have detected in my system, I can't say that the issue you encountered is related to firmware 1.23.9......or at least not exclusively to it

 

[Charlie22911]

I picked up a Samsung T7 2TB, it uses the ASMedia 2362 chipset. I also picked up an Orico enclosure with the Realtek chipset and moved my 1TB 970 Evo to it. The Realtek chipset is far more stable than the JMicron, but has still dropped out on me at least one.
The T7 has been dead stable though, no matter what I do or which of my cables I use, as it should be.

My adventure here is over I think, and I’ve reached the conclusion that ASMedia and Realtek should be the goto choices as of now.
Avoid JMicron for the time being I guess.

 

[Orbss]

I have observed one problem still with rtl9210 latest firmware. When I disconnect, it does not actually disconnect from the usb port. Amperage is still shown on my usb amp/volt detector. I assume this was also reported by @Andalu if I can recall, he reported blue light still remains on for some time. after disconnect.

Tested this also with jms580 which disconnects immediately, for comparison purposes..

@Orbss
I have 3 config differences than you. Not sure how these interfere with other features or capabilities.
DISK_IPS_THRES : 0x01
UART_DBG_PIN : 0x05
RM_INTERNAL_RD : 0x01

Never tested linux/Ubuntu OS so unfortunately, it is being a while since I did, I cant advise.

Yeah those are the RTL9210 non B default configs. I have the B version so I don't think changing to these configs would be beneficial for me. (Don't wanna risk it and damage the nvme)

 

[Orbss]

@Orbss
I did another test with my RTL9210B enclosure.
Since the stand-by in your configuration file was disabled (DISK_IPS_THRES: n/a) I did the same for mine by setting it to 0x00 (so anyway disabled) and I did a first test with CrystalDiskMark as in the image below where you can see that the RTL9210B is connected to a USB3.0 port working as such:

View attachment 35136

then, after leaving the NVMe in idle for about an hour (never entered in sleep mode), I repeated the same benchmark and the enclosure is still detected as connected to the USB3.0 port as shown in the following image:

View attachment 35137

As far as I have detected in my system, I can't say that the issue you encountered is related to firmware 1.23.9......or at least not exclusively to it

Maybe it's an issue related only to the WD blue sn550, I just hope it gets patched soon.
Anyway, I just bought the asm2362 adapter. I hope I'll have more luck with that one.

 

[apoelistasaudi]

Yeah those are the RTL9210 non B default configs. I have the B version so I don't think changing to these configs would be beneficial for me. (Don't wanna risk it and damage the nvme)

1. RM_INTERNAL_RD = 0
It keeps blue light on all the time and flashes when it works, as opposed to no light when not in use.
2. DISK_IPS_THRES=1
Setting standby timer to 1 min
3. UART_DBG_PIN : n/a vs
UART_DBG_PIN : 0x05

@Andalu do you know what 3 does????

E.g sets UART debug pin to number 5??? Is it to communicate with the serial terminal?? To debug problems with firmware?? If it is I don't see a problem with either on or off.

You could change standby timer to 1min or 5mins to keep your case cool. This is recommended rather than no standby timer. The other 2 settings don't matter. Note you will eventually damage the nvme if you don't enable the standby timer (since it is higher heat)

@Andalu do you have these 3 config settings enabled on rtl9210 revision b?? I believe you do (at least for the standby timer you do) just asking to verify and give an answer indirectly to @Orbss.

 

[Andalu]

Maybe it's an issue related only to the WD blue sn550, I just hope it gets patched soon.
Anyway, I just bought the asm2362 adapter. I hope I'll have more luck with that one.

If possible, please let me know if the problems you reported for the RTL9210B chipset have been solved by using the asm2362 enclosure, thanks.

 

[Andalu]

1. RM_INTERNAL_RD = 0
It keeps blue light on all the time and flashes when it works, as opposed to no light when not in use.
2. DISK_IPS_THRES=1
Setting standby timer to 1 min
3. UART_DBG_PIN : n/a vs
UART_DBG_PIN : 0x05

@Andalu do you know what 3 does????

E.g sets UART debug pin to number 5??? Is it to communicate with the serial terminal?? To debug problems with firmware?? If it is I don't see a problem with either on or off.

You could change standby timer to 1min or 5mins to keep your case cool. This is recommended rather than no standby timer. The other 2 settings don't matter. Note you will eventually damage the nvme if you don't enable the standby timer (since it is higher heat)

@Andalu do you have these 3 config settings enabled on rtl9210 revision b?? I believe you do (at least for the standby timer you do) just asking to verify and give an answer indirectly to @Orbss.

Unfortunately I don't know much about debugging, so I can't give you a sure meaning of the parameter "UART_DBG_PIN" which, in any case, I believe you have already correctly indicated

My configuration for the RTL9210B can be viewed in the first image here, where I proceeded to disable the stand-by timer (DISK_IPS_THRES set to 0x00) just to check if the problem reported by @Orbss could have been caused by a thermal throttling due to the failure possibility to cool down thanks to the stand-by mode. But it was not so.

Regarding the "RM_INTERNAL_RD" parameter, I had already reported here (before updating to v1.23.9) that I had not noticed any different behavior by setting it to 1 or 0. Today I tried again by connecting both the RTL9210 (with RM_INTERNAL_RD = 1) and RTL9210B (with RM_INTERNAL_RD = n/a) enclosures and performing at the same time some operations of copying and deleting files of different sizes but I did not appreciate the differences in the behavior of the two LEDs, both behaved in the same way.