topic Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error in Archive

Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

Alan_F_Intel — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:18:46 GMT

Status:

Intel has posted a firmware update for the Intel® SSD 320 Series (firmware 4PC10362) which addresses the Bad Context 13x Error being discussed on the Communities site and elsewhere. You can download the new firmware here:

http://www.intel.com/go/ssdfirmware www.intel.com/go/ssdfirmware

Also posted at this link are Read Me, Release Notes, and SSD Firmware Update Tool Guidelines which provide detailed firmware update instructions and other relevant information such as the most current firmware revision available.

What should I do if I have not experienced this issue?

In order to provide the best user experience, Intel always recommends users download and install the latest firmware. As with any storage device, Intel recommends users frequently back up their data and periodically check for firmware updates. The http://www.intel.com/go/ssdtoolbox Intel® SSD Toolbox provides a host of utilities to monitor your SSD, including displaying detailed information such as the currently installed firmware revision.

What should I do if I have already experienced this issue?

If you have already experienced a drive failure or encounter this problem before the firmware update was released, please contact your Intel representative or Intel customer support (via web: http://www.intel.com/ www.intel.com or phone: http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/contact/phone www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/contact/phone) for an SSD replacement. An alternative option is to use the Intel ® SSD Toolbox or similar tools to perform a secure erase in order to restore the SSD to an operational state; all data will be erased. After secure erase, update your SSD with the new firmware. The firmware update will not recover user data.

Background:

For users unfamiliar with the issue, an Intel SSD 320 Series drive may exhibit a drive capacity of 8MB and an electronic serial # field containing a message of "BAD_CTX 0000013x" caused by an unexpected power loss under specific conditions. Once this error occurs, no data on the SSD can be accessed and the user cannot write to or read from the SSD.

rgds,

Alan

NVM Solutions Group

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:41:40 GMT

Thanks Alan, will give it a shot.

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:59:54 GMT

Thanks. Installed successfully, the only issue is that running the firmware update again from the CD does not validate the firmware but instead gives an exception error while checking for valid drives. However, since SSD toolbox gives the updated firmware number, I'm not particularly worried about it.

Lloyd

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:21:15 GMT

I applied it to my 120gb 320 series with no issue. I didn't verify the firmware level with the flash utility afterwards. I used a windows utility to verify the firmware level, all looks well.

Thanks again.

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

ZStan — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:39:36 GMT

Update went fine... 320 series 120Gb version

AS ssd score droped a bit from 381 to 368.. duno if its firmware related or data/usage drop in performance..

but anvil storage test score is same as with old firmware wich is done recently so its not firmware releted

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 03:37:56 GMT

Are there any plans to release firmware for the old generations too?

I ask you, because Bad Context 13x Error is also can be found on the G1/G2 drives, I don't know is it related to power losses, but it's fact. Maybe you can provide us more information about this error and why it can appear? I am sure that not only firmware bug can cause that.

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 04:53:59 GMT

Hi Alan,

I have a 2011 MacBook Pro 15inch with the 320 Series 120GB Drive that has the same Bad Context 13x Error. I do not have access to a PC. I download the latest firmware, created a bootable CD from the ISO using the instructions found in the PDF, and booted off it.

It found the Intel SSD (Model # Intel SSDSA2CW120G3) and told me the serial number is (BAD_CTX 000001) and the current firmware is: 4PC10302. I proceed to answer Yes to all the questions, and it said that the firmware was being applied and that I should wait 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

About 20 seconds into this step, it failed to update the firmware. It displayed the "Intel SATA SSD Firmware update did not completed" screen, asking me to try to Disable the Drive Password protection in the BIOS and try again. It also asked me to Enable SMART in the BIOS, and finaly it told me to enable Legacy IDE mode in the BIOS.

None of the three things are possible in the MacBook Pro, so what are my options here? I rather not RMA the drive since I was hoping the firmware would restore access to the SSD so I can get my files off of it. I do have a old backup, but it's about 1 week prior to the Error, and if possible I rather not loose all that work if I can help it

Any suggestions?

I even tried to download the firmware again on a different Macbook Pro, and burned a second CD from the ISO, and exactly the same problems.

I'm hoping you have some suggestions.

Thanks,

Zubin Anary

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 05:15:17 GMT

hi,

from /message/135752 previous update regarding the issue, i think you need to make your SSD back to operational state before you update the firmware

and maybe thats why the firmware update failed

"What should I do if I have experienced this issue?

If you have already experienced a drive failure or encounter this problem before the firmware update is released, please contact your Intel representative or Intel customer support (via web: http://www.intel.com/ www.intel.com or phone:http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/contact/phone www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/contact/phone) for an SSD replacement. An alternative option is to use the Intel ® SSD Toolbox or similar tools to perform a secure erase in order to restore the SSD to an operational state; all data will be erased. After secure erase, update your SSD with the upcoming firmware. The pending firmware update will not recover user data. "

cmiiw, but afaik there no Intel SSD toolbox for mac yet, so you need to use bootcamp or other secure erase tools that works on osx

other than that, i think RMA the drive is the only way

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 07:17:57 GMT

Great that the fix is available, greater still if there were an Apple Mac compatible version (also of the other SSD tools)!

Colin

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 07:23:36 GMT

Colin wrote:

Great that the fix is available, greater still if there were an Apple Mac compatible version (also of the other SSD tools)!

Aha, the download says that it's only for Windows, but the instructions have an explicit section for Macs...

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

JG1 — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:00:50 GMT

Since this is FreeDos, can I boot with a system that has 8GB ram installed?

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:14:18 GMT

What's the point? 8GB ram or 800 FREEDOS don't care . It will use only as much as needed.There is no maximum requirements, only minimal.

Anyway I have absolutely no problems running freedos with 16GB RAM installed.

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:04:56 GMT

Will there be a separate update for OEM versions of the SSD 320 or do we have to contact our OEM after some period of time? I was frustrated to find that the firmware update utility wouldn't run on my Lenovo / Intel SSD because it said the firmware version on the SSD already had the fix.

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:37:23 GMT

Thank you very much, Intel. Even in 2011 we have to use DOS, CDROMS and switch to IDE in BIOS to flash your SSDs. That is SO tommorow.

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 21:04:06 GMT

Seems to be successful with my MacBook Pro 15 2010

Thanks!

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 08:21:17 GMT

After upgrade this firmware on a Intel SSD 320 160GB, SMART value "Power-On Hours" will be reset to "0" and the timer never update again.

Is a new bug?

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

ZStan — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:53:40 GMT

updating here fine, reseted at 0 after flash and now its at 40

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:12:53 GMT

Re "Power-On Hours never update again":

It's not a bug, it's a feature I've seen this on my Macbook Pro (Early 2011) ever since the SSD has been in use: The value advances but very slowly.

Depending on your driver settings and capabilities the drive will enter "slumber" state whenever it is not busy by virtue of DIPM (Device Initiated Power Management). If DIPM is enabled "Power-On Hours" will only account for the time when the drive is busy doing reads or writes. Thus the value will advance very slowly

Citation from http://download.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/intel_ssd_toolbox_user_guide.pdf : Intel Solid-State Drive Toolbox :

09 – Power-On Hours Count

This attribute reports the cumulative number of power-on hours over the life of the device. Use the Raw value for this attribute. Note: The On/Off status of the device initiated power management (DIPM) feature will affect the number of hours reported.

If DIPM is turned "On", the recorded value for power-on hours does not include the time that the device is in a "slumber" state.
If DIPM is turned "Off", the recorded value for power-on hours should match the clock time, as all three device states are counted: active, idle and slumber.

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 11:04:25 GMT

I did the Firmware update (MacBook pro) --> installed w7 on bootcamp -> SSD has 8mb now! Well Done Intel

Re: Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

idata — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 12:31:56 GMT

This is the second confirmation of the update not fixing the bug at hand and the drive becoming unusable well after the update was applied. Intel hasnt issued a statement yet.