topic Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here! in Archive

Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

Alan_F_Intel — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:39:14 GMT

We're excited to announce the Intel® Solid-State Drive Toolbox, with Intel® SSD Optimizer and firmware update, designed for our 34nm Intel® X25-M Mainstream SATA SSDs. The latest tools are designed to help better manage and retain the out-of-box performance of Intel SSDs.

For 34nm X25-M & X18-M 160GB owners, the firmware update also offers a performance boost to sequential write speeds by delivering up to 100MB per second, a 40 percent performance improvement over the existing firmware version.

The Intel SSD Toolbox allows users to more effectively monitor and manage the SSD's health. The firmware upgrade and Intel SSD Optimizer use the Windows* 7 ATA Data Set Management Command (known as Trim) to help keep the Intel SSD running at continued high performance. In addition, the SSD Toolbox and Optimizer also allow the respective enhancements to work with Windows* XP and Vista* operating systems.

The Trim attribute synchs the operating system's view of deleted files with those that are deleted, but not erased on the drive. Trim tells the SSD which data blocks are no longer in use. This helps stabilize the performance and health of the SSD over time.

The Intel SSD Toolbox provides SSD management tools and information about the drive, including comparing Self-Monitoring and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.) drive attributes to manufacturer threshold. It provides basic and full diagnostics, along with recommended actions. The Toolbox also features a graphical user interface that will allow end users to schedule and run the Trim command independent of the operating system. Intel recommends users install the firmware update and toolbox, and run the Trim function daily which can be scheduled automatically from the SSD Optimizer tool..

The firmware upgrade can be found at http://www.intel.com/go/ssdfirmware www.intel.com/go/ssdfirmware and the Intel SSD Toolbox and Optimizer at /www.intel.com/go/ssdtoolbox www.intel.com/go/ssdtoolbox.

We will be monitoring this blog and will try to answer questions that you may have. Enjoy the latest software!

NAND Solutions Group Marketing team

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

idata — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:15:54 GMT

Thanks guys.

I have a query. I've just updated the f/w and have undertaken a new install of 7/64 in ACHI mode. I did not update to Intel drivers. The device manager is showing the following driver being installed on the drive:

6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)

If I run "fsutil behaviour query DisableDeleteNotify" it returns a 0, however defrag etc have not been disabled by default. Should this have happened automatically?

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

Charles_F_Intel — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:34:54 GMT

The "fsutil behaviour query DisableDeleteNotify" command is only to check if OS is sending Trim commands. It indicates nothing for defrag settings. Defrag will get set based on SSD properly identifying itself. See this site:

http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/archive/2009/05/05/support-and-q-a-for-solid-state-drives-and.aspx http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/archive/2009/05/05/support-and-q-a-for-solid-state-drives-and.aspx

Regards,

Brady

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

idata — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:50:14 GMT

Hi. With a TRIM enabled SSD is that article not saying that certain default behaviours should be enabled, i.e. defrag, super fetch etc will be set to off by default?

On my system none of these items have been turned off on a clean install of 7/64 with an updated f/w drive. I've switched off defrag manually now but sometime later super fetch etc is still running/ enabled.

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

idata — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:16:34 GMT

Hi,

I have the following spec, do I need to have the FW update? Will the FW update help improve performance on my system?

System Information

Kit Installed: 8.9.0.1023

Kit Install History: 8.9.0.1023, UninstallShell Version: 8.9.0.1023

OS Name: Microsoft Windows XP Professional

OS Version: 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600System Name: PORTEGER500System Manufacturer: TOSHIBASystem Model: Portable PCProcessor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU U7600 @ 1.20GHz BIOS Version/Date: TOSHIBA Version 1.60, 03/04/2008

Language: ENU

Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager

Intel Serial ATA Controller: Intel(R) ICH7M/MDH SATA AHCI Controller

Number of Serial ATA ports: 1

Driver Version: 8.9.0.1023

Serial ATA Plug-In Version: 8.9.0.1023Language Resource Version of the Serial ATA Plug-In: 8.9.0.1023ISDI Library Version: 8.9.0.1023

Hard Drive 0

Status: NormalDevice Port: 0Device Port Location: InternalCurrent Serial ATA Transfer Mode: Generation 1 Model: INTEL SSDSA2M080G2GC Serial Number: CVPO9355009N080BGNFirmware: 2CV102G9 Native Command Queuing Support: YesSize: 74.5 GB

Your advice is very much appreciated.

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

idata — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:37:31 GMT

Thanks folks; great job! You are foregiven for being four days late.

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

Charles_F_Intel — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:13:17 GMT

Minami,

Yes, new FW is good for all cases on the 34nm product.(You have the 34nm product - G2 in the model name.) With Win XP you will need to also use SSD Toolbox to get the Optimizer feature to keep your drive running at its top performance.(Optimizer feature only works with new FW.)

Regards,

Brady

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

idata — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:21:42 GMT

Go to http://www.intel.com/design/flash/nand/mainstream/support.htm

Click "Download the firmware update" link

See "This download is no longer available." message.

Any clue why?

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

idata — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:34:17 GMT

Several sites are quoting this statement from Intel:

"Yes, we have been contacted by users with issues with the firmware upgrade for our 34nm SSDs and we are investigating. We take all sightings and issues seriously and are working toward resolution. We have temporarily taken down the firmware link while we investigate."

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

Charles_F_Intel — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:02:27 GMT

Redux's quote is accurate. We are investigating. The site has temporarily taken down and we will get back with updates asap.

Regards,

Brady - NAND Solutions Group

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

idata — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:32:16 GMT

Thank you, folks.

Take your time Brady. Just do it right, I'd like not to loose my ssd.

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

idata — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:27:53 GMT

I spoke with Intel this evening and they acknowledged the broken link and advised that it should be fixed within a couple of hours. However, given the issue with the first version of the firmware (drive password protection causing data loss which ultimately resulted in the last-minute delay of the G2) and now this, I may hold off for a week or two to make sure it's stable before I flash the ROM. I'm guessing they pulled it on purpose.

Early adoption has associated risks -- I can live without TRIM (and the reported read/write speed increase) for another couple of weeks. This drive is already ridiculously fast as-is.

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

idata — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:42:31 GMT

Thank you very much for your reply!

Cheers,

Minami

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

idata — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:51 GMT

Is the firmware upgrade necessary for the Toolbox just to connect to the drive? It tells me "Error connecting to drive". I have the new 34nm 80GB model as the boot drive (non-raid) on Windows 7.

Please can someone give me the URL for the blog that this announcement refers to?

Thanks.

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

idata — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:45:55 GMT

You need to use the Windows 7 driver for your storage controller, for the tool to work correctly. After i deleted the nvidia storage driver in the device manager, windows 7 installed the default driver and the intel tool could connect to my ssd.

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

idata — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:11:57 GMT

Thanks for the reply, igotssd. I also have 3 mechanical drives attached include 2 as raid1. Deleting the nvidia driver could do something bad such as making the raid array inaccessible to Windows. Then I'll be stuffed. 😞 As much I'd like to use the Toolbox it's probably not worth the risk to my existing, stable system.

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

idata — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:17:44 GMT

There's a problem with the new firmware:

/message/71383# 71383 http://communities.intel.com/message/71383# 71383

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1463671 http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1463671

Re: Note from Intel NAND Solutions Group - Intel® SSD Toolbox with Intel® SSD Optimizer and latest firmware are here!

idata — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:41:59 GMT

Hey Brady,

Do you guys happen to have any updates concerning the rerelease of the firmware and/or the optimization software?

Thanks