SSD Toolbox not working with x25M G2 - need technical help

idata — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 03:16:21 GMT

I recently upgraded my computer & added a new 320 series SSD as the Boot/OS drive. I'm trying to Secure Erase & Optimize my old x25M G2 - but the toolbox will not let me.

Intel SSDSA2M080G2GC:

Intel SSD Optimizer - This tool is not supported on the selected drive.

Secure Erase - This tool cannot be run on a bootable SSD or SSD with partition

I think the core problem might be that this drive used to be my OS drive & had a hidden boot partition (created as part of the Win 7 install). I've tried deleting all partitions & the volume in Win 7 (64). I've tried deleting all partitions using EASUS Partition Master. The drive is not recognized without a volume - but with a simple volume formatted (only showing one) I still get the original errors.

I've even tried hotswapping the drive with the toolbox running - but that doesn't seem to work either.

Searched all over the internet & other forums, but no solution as yet - very frustrated at this point.

Could this be a BIOS / Mobo problem?

Any ideas/suggestions appreciated!

SYS:

Asus P8Z68-VPro

Intel Core i5 2500K

Win 7 (64) running on new 320 Series 80 Gb SSD

Re: SSD Toolbox not working with x25M G2 - need technical help

idata — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 02:20:41 GMT

After a confab with the good folks at Intel, the problem is solved.

Basically I just ran Diskpart under the DOS shell provided in my Win 7 Disk. The other problem may have been related to which SATA controllers were talking to the SSD's.

In case anyone else runs into this issue, here's what to do: (Caveat - follow these instructions at your own risk!) [Written for those at my tech level or below...]

- Turn your computer off & unplug it.

- Disconnect all drives except the one you want to Secure Erase (leave your DVD player connected)

- plug it back in, turn on & insert the Win 7 disk.

- Boot from the Windows* installer CD, allow it to load the files, and get to the part where it asks you to choose the time and language.

- At this part press Shift-F10 this will load a DOS environment.

- Type:

CD..

diskpart

List disk

Select disk # (no # sign just the number of the disk you wish to clean)

clean all

- wait.

- keep waiting

- (even with an SSD clean all under DiskPart takes a while)

- When it is finally finished (+/- 20 minutes... ) turn your computer off, unplug & reconnect all your drives, plug it back up & boot normally.

- note: make sure your SSD drives are connected to an intel controlled SATA port - not, for instance, a Marvell or JMicron controlled port (not saying these are a problem per-se - but I don't think the Intel SSD Toolbox likes to work with them... or, put another way, Intel likes Intel.)

Once you're back in Windows

- Right click on 'Computer' (under Start) & select 'Manage'

- left click on 'Disk Management'

- Assign the wiped drive a letter (give it a simple volume) (right click the drive & choose)

- Exit Computer Management & run the SSD Toolbox.

Everything should be functional...

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SSD Toolbox not working with x25M G2 - need technical help

Re: SSD Toolbox not working with x25M G2 - need technical help