Vertex 3 240GB seems to have died

[Zurtex]

About 2 months back I purchased an OCZ Vertex 3 240GB, today when booting up my computer it just wasn't recognised. I had a quick play around with wires and clearing my CMOS but now luck. I hooked it up to my self built HTPC in my living room, but also no luck.

Is there anything I can do to test it further? Or do I just have to try and find the receipt and send it back to the shop?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[footballrunner800]

try to boot with the linux cd OCZ has to check the drive.

 

[Zurtex]

try to boot with the linux cd OCZ has to check the drive.

Yeah, already booted a copy of Linux to see if it'll detect the drive, it didn't.

 

[corkyg]

Now that's an expensive dud SSD. Exercise the warranty. Your credit card data should be able to provide purchase details. You should also have gotten an email receipt.

 

[nanaki333]

Ocz doesn't care about the receipt. They just check the serial to see if it's still under warranty. should be an easy process.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Another OCZ drive dead, go figure.

 

[Zurtex]

siiiiigh, that's a real shame, my agility 2 is still happily running after quite some time.


I'm really not comfortable with handing over a storage device without first having a way to wipe the contents. I don't suppose there is anyway to physically do this without breaking the warranty? If it costed a little less I wouldn't even consider handing it back, I'd just buy a new one...

 

[Thor86]

Ouch. Sorry to hear about your SSD going south. Can you write up your other components of your system especially your case/psu, and motherboard? Did you use a SATA6Gbps cable? Using Intel or Marvell SATA controller? Thanks.

 

[groberts101]

siiiiigh, that's a real shame, my agility 2 is still happily running after quite some time.


I'm really not comfortable with handing over a storage device without first having a way to wipe the contents. I don't suppose there is anyway to physically do this without breaking the warranty? If it costed a little less I wouldn't even consider handing it back, I'd just buy a new one...

there are some issues with the newest sata chipsets, OROM's, and ACPI tables not getting along with the Sandforce 6G controllers. If you had used the newest 2.09 firmware that came out you may have avoided this problem. Going to the vendor for a swap would be the easiest method or RMA is pretty quick as mentioned above as well. Usually 1 week or so back to your doorstep is typical.

As for the data?.. well.. that's up to you but I will say this. If the drive is panic locked completely and will not be visable in the bios detection?.. then they will not be able to pick it up on any other equipment either. The ONLY way to put the drive back online would be for them to open it and apply an engineering flash to the controller. It is of destructive nature and does NOT permit them to just bring it back and allow them to access your data.

This is not speculation as I have spoken personally with OCZ support reps(I beta test for OCZ) and have been told exactly what the process involved is all about. Can't say much more than that for specific detail but hopefully you get the idea that they have no access if the controller is locked. If it's locked?.. it's locked. Plain and simple.

Here's the last ditch effort I would try before return/RMA. Can't go into much more basic detail without specific hardware being used but this is standard advise over at OCZ forum.

1. remove power for at least 1 hour to drain residual energy.
2. reset the mobo cmos and try in ide mode. then ahci and raid as well.
3. try another sata chip if you have one available or better yet another system altogether.

If no detection is possible? the drive is panic locked. It is NOT dead and engineering mode destructive firmware flash will bring it back. However,.. they will toss it into a bin and send you a completely new drive. You'll probably get the latest firmware already flashed?.. but be sure to check and update to 2.09 if not already running with it. Good Luck

PS. if you did actually get lucky and detect the drive again?.. you MUST secure erase and update to the newest firmware before proceeding to use the drive. If you get lucky to access your data?.. then get it quickly and DO NOT SLEEP or use the drive for any longer than needed to recover it.

 

[TheTrue]

there are some issues with the newest sata chipsets, OROM's, and ACPI tables not getting along with the Sandforce 6G controllers. If you had used the newest 2.09 firmware that came out you may have avoided this problem. Going to the vendor for a swap would be the easiest method or RMA is pretty quick as mentioned above as well. Usually 1 week or so back to your doorstep is typical.

As for the data?.. well.. that's up to you but I will say this. If the drive is panic locked completely and will not be visable in the bios detection?.. then they will not be able to pick it up on any other equipment either. The ONLY way to put the drive back online would be for them to open it and apply an engineering flash to the controller. It is of destructive nature and does NOT permit them to just bring it back and allow them to access your data.

This is not speculation as I have spoken personally with OCZ support reps(I beta test for OCZ) and have been told exactly what the process involved is all about. Can't say much more than that for specific detail but hopefully you get the idea that they have no access if the controller is locked. If it's locked?.. it's locked. Plain and simple.

Here's the last ditch effort I would try before return/RMA. Can't go into much more basic detail without specific hardware being used but this is standard advise over at OCZ forum.

1. remove power for at least 1 hour to drain residual energy.
2. reset the mobo cmos and try in ide mode. then ahci and raid as well.
3. try another sata chip if you have one available or better yet another system altogether.

If no detection is possible? the drive is panic locked. It is NOT dead and engineering mode destructive firmware flash will bring it back. However,.. they will toss it into a bin and send you a completely new drive. You'll probably get the latest firmware already flashed?.. but be sure to check and update to 2.09 if not already running with it. Good Luck

PS. if you did actually get lucky and detect the drive again?.. you MUST secure erase and update to the newest firmware before proceeding to use the drive. If you get lucky to access your data?.. then get it quickly and DO NOT SLEEP or use the drive for any longer than needed to recover it.

Now I get it!!

You work for OCZ!

And what the he'll is this ---->> "there are some issues with the newest sata chipsets, OROM's, and ACPI tables not getting along with the Sandforce 6G controllers."

Are you now trying to blame Intel, AMD or Microsoft for the poor validation process of SF and OCZ?

All none SF ssd are working fine in any motherboard, try to help our fellow posters here not send then to pull they eyeballs out because OCZ need to tweak BIOS and windows for then to work.

Return that junk and buy what you think is reliable and you don't loose your important data.

I for one jump ship after I loose my son birth photo because of a vertex drive.

This is ridiculous and you know it. Please stop blindly making accusations towards other members. It's a terrible, unproductive attitude and we won't put up with it.
-ViRGE

 

[reb0rn]

no way its OCZ&SF fault and their "0.6%" bsod problem, what a joke and they still try to make it someone else fault.......

and still ppl buy those crap just because of its specifications they manage to score using compression of data....

I hope we soon see some software way to make other SSD use "benefit" of compression if there is any in real work usage

 

[Mark R]

Now I get it!!

You work for OCZ!

I'm not sure he does. I think he's just a major customer who buys thousands of drives.

And what the he'll is this ---->> "there are some issues with the newest sata chipsets, OROM's, and ACPI tables not getting along with the Sandforce 6G controllers."

It's exactly what he says it is. There is some sort of compatability problem between certain motherboards, BIOSs and SATA controller and SF drives. The Vertex drive problems have been confined to certain models of Mobo and drive combinations.

Are you now trying to blame Intel, AMD or Microsoft for the poor validation process of SF and OCZ?

Initial examination suggests that they are, at least partly, to blame - because extensive analysis has suggested that the SF drives work correctly when they are connected to controllers that are known to work well within specs.

Problems occur when they are connected to controllers that are out of spec, or are on the edges of spec. This is why some people have trouble: even if they RMA their original 'dead' drive, the replacement also doesn't work. It's because their mobo is out of spec (or right on the margin of spec).

The problem sandforce has is that they depend on the mobo operating correctly more than other types of controller, which don't care as much. They do need to address this, badly. And this is part of what the 2.09 update is for.
[/quote]

I for one jump ship after I loose my son birth photo because of a vertex drive.

You didn't keep a backup copy of something so important to you? You're blaming the drive for your own stupidity.

 

[TheTrue]

I'm not sure he does. I think he's just a major customer who buys thousands of drives.


It's exactly what he says it is. There is some sort of compatability problem between certain motherboards, BIOSs and SATA controller and SF drives. The Vertex drive problems have been confined to certain models of Mobo and drive combinations.


Initial examination suggests that they are, at least partly, to blame - because extensive analysis has suggested that the SF drives work correctly when they are connected to controllers that are known to work well within specs.

Problems occur when they are connected to controllers that are out of spec, or are on the edges of spec. This is why some people have trouble: even if they RMA their original 'dead' drive, the replacement also doesn't work. It's because their mobo is out of spec (or right on the margin of spec).

The problem sandforce has is that they depend on the mobo operating correctly more than other types of controller, which don't care as much. They do need to address this, badly. And this is part of what the 2.09 update is for.

You didn't keep a backup copy of something so important to you? You're blaming the drive for your own stupidity.[/QUOTE]

Come on mark you sound like someone who work for one of these two company.

How can you said to anyone in this forum that intel chipset are to blame for this?
We are talking about a company that when one of they product have problem they issue a recall quicker than you get your salary from OCZ.

I move the photos to the driver and the drive die before I could make the backup.

How come I don't have no problem with the Intel 510 on the same motherboard?

Pooh I get it, SF controller was design before the chipset, so all chipset need to be design around the SF control.

Give me a break, who you think you talking to?

Go enjoy your windows reinstall, and you quick backup because you know that the drive may die anytime.

 

[sygyzy]

TheTrue - Your English is so terrible it's difficult to follow any of your arguments.

 

[Drsignguy]

Now I get it!!

You work for OCZ!

No, he said that he BETA tests for OCZ.

This is not speculation as I have spoken personally with OCZ support reps(I beta test for OCZ) and have been told exactly what the process involved is all about. Can't say much more than that for specific detail but hopefully you get the idea that they have no access if the controller is locked. If it's locked?.. it's locked. Plain and simple.

Here's the last ditch effort I would try before return/RMA. Can't go into much more basic detail without specific hardware being used but this is standard advise over at OCZ forum.

1. remove power for at least 1 hour to drain residual energy.
2. reset the mobo cmos and try in ide mode. then ahci and raid as well.
3. try another sata chip if you have one available or better yet another system altogether.

If no detection is possible? the drive is panic locked. It is NOT dead and engineering mode destructive firmware flash will bring it back. However,.. they will toss it into a bin and send you a completely new drive. You'll probably get the latest firmware already flashed?.. but be sure to check and update to 2.09 if not already running with it. Good Luck

PS. if you did actually get lucky and detect the drive again?.. you MUST secure erase and update to the newest firmware before proceeding to use the drive. If you get lucky to access your data?.. then get it quickly and DO NOT SLEEP or use the drive for any longer than needed to recover it.

This sounds to me some advice to help "our fellow poster" of a last ditch effort for a problem that he nor anyone here caused. And hopefully it helps solves his issue.

Good luck Zurtex!

 

[TheTrue]

TheTrue - Your English is so terrible it's difficult to follow any of your arguments.

What can I said?!?

Is not my official language, if I type on my language you are not going to understand.

So if what you was trying to do was make me look stupid, I guess the stupid are you who can't speak a second language.

I can speak your! Even tho a little, now can you speak my?

I don't think so!!

This has nothing to do with the topic at hand, so I strongly suggest all parties drop it.
-ViRGE

 

[groberts101]

This sounds to me some advice to help "our fellow poster" of a last ditch effort for a problem that he nor anyone here caused. And hopefully it helps solves his issue.

It was.. and just trying to be helpful regardless of who's to blame. If I could rewrite the code for all the issues involved? I'd surely help by doing it. I'd charge through the nose for it!.. but I would still try.

 

[evilspoons]

I for one jump ship after I loose my son birth photo because of a vertex drive.

As Daniel Rutter of Dan's Data has put it (many, many times):

Remember this mantra: If it's not backed up, it's not data you want to keep.