topic SSD X25-M 80GB with only 8MEGAbytes available in Archive

SSD X25-M 80GB with only 8MEGAbytes available

idata — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:58:28 GMT

A few days ago I bought an Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810t-6775 which came with an Intel SSD X25-M 80GB. After 2 days of operation, the HD simply recognizes only 8 megabytes. In the BIOS, Serial Number field is shown BAD_CTX. I wonder if Intel has a fix for this problem. I can not claim warranty as bought in the U.S. but I am in Brazil now.

Re: SSD X25-M 80GB with only 8MEGAbytes available

idata — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 03:09:48 GMT

http://www.google.ru/search?hl=en&q=BAD_CTX http://www.google.ru/search?hl=en&q=BAD_CTX

https://secure-communities.intel.com/message/50680# 50680 https://secure-communities.intel.com/message/50680# 50680

HDD ERASE 3.2 - http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=669&type=expert&pid=6 http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=669&type=expert&pid=6

look for link to download

Re: SSD X25-M 80GB with only 8MEGAbytes available

idata — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 07:39:40 GMT

I thought Acer has international warranty?

try calling Intel for the RMA then....

Re: SSD X25-M 80GB with only 8MEGAbytes available

idata — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:29:05 GMT

Hello everybody. After using the hdderase 3.3, the active HDAT2 kill to try to restore the factory image of my HDD, I have not had success. The problem persists! I came in contact with Intel and told me to look with Acer. I did but Acer has asked me to send the laptop to get the warranty, this is out of the question because I'm in Brazil. Anyway, I hope that some tool from Intel yet to be released to correct this problem. I've changed the HDD from my laptop and everything works perfectly.

Re: SSD X25-M 80GB with only 8MEGAbytes available

idata — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:53:14 GMT

After erasing with hdderase 3.3 did you get you capacity back or not? Or it still "8MEGAbytes available"?

I've used victoria tool also (http://www.google.ru/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&q=victoria+windows&aq=f&oq=victoria+window http://www.google.ru/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&q=victoria+windows&aq=f&oq=victoria+window) to erase drive with test write function (multipass about 48 hours). But after hdderase I got my capacity back.

If you can provide more information, then do it, please.

Re: SSD X25-M 80GB with only 8MEGAbytes available

idata — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 02:27:04 GMT

Formating or writing over the drive is not the same as sending an ATA Secure Erase command to the drive, which is what the HDDErase tool does. By running that victoria tool, every pass it ran used up another of your 10,000 allowed MLC cell writes.

An alternative to the HDDErase is using the hdparm tool in Linux:

http://ata.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/ATA_Secure_Erase

Re: SSD X25-M 80GB with only 8MEGAbytes available

idata — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 07:12:03 GMT

I have SLC drive and SMART attribute that is showing flash wear aka Endurance Remaining (232) is changed from 89 то 88 that is not critical for me. Anyway I got stable drive after all. Thanks for hdparm tip

Re: SSD X25-M 80GB with only 8MEGAbytes available

idata — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:48:03 GMT

i have exactly same issue with x18-m 160G gen 2. things happened when I installing windows 7, i am using thinkpad x301 laptop. I doubt this is a bug with intel x18/x25-m ssd. looks this is not a occasional case.

Re: SSD X25-M 80GB with only 8MEGAbytes available

idata — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:50:55 GMT

Intel just ignores questions about this failure/BAD_CTX meaning. I am sure they know what is happened.

Re: SSD X25-M 80GB with only 8MEGAbytes available

idata — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:00:20 GMT

yes, I agree. I hope intel can face the problem. otherwise, more and more people will suffer.

Re: SSD X25-M 80GB with only 8MEGAbytes available

idata — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:38:37 GMT

Well friends, I've tried various tools to repair my SDD but I had no success. I contacted Intel, but as my SSD was purchased as part of my laptop from Acer, Intel redirected me to the Acer. Acer has requested that I send my laptop for repair, but it would be impossible for me because of the time I'd be without my laptop. I even replace the SSD Intel for a Western Digital Scorpio Black 320GB and my laptop is working perfectly. I was very disappointed with the support of Intel! I have the hope of making a new firmware for Intel to fix the problem of the X25-M, but until that happens, I'm living:) PS.: I tried the following tools: HDAT2, HDDErase 3.1 and 4, Active Killer HDD Scan HDD LLF's HDDGuru, Victoria, and some others which do not remember ... BAD_CTX but continues to appear in the serial number.

Re: SSD X25-M 80GB with only 8MEGAbytes available

idata — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:13:37 GMT

I have the same problem. After updating to 2CV102HA firmware today my SSD stopped working. It worked a little while, but after I restared Windows it started to show 0MB in BIOS and Intel Firmware Update Toolkit shows BAD_CTX as a serial number. Nice....