8/13 Update on "Bad Context 13x Error" for Intel SSD 320 Series

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Status:

Intel has reproduced, identified root cause, and developed a firmware update which addresses the Bad Context 13x Error being discussed on the Communities site and elsewhere.

Response plan:

The new firmware update is in final validation testing and is targeted for release on Intel® Communities within the next two weeks. Intel takes firmware updates and issues of reliability very seriously and is taking extra steps to support a smooth release. We appreciate your patience.

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

To minimize occurrence, if a system requires a shut down, Intel recommends using that system's standard power shut down sequence. As with any storage device, Intel recommends users frequently back up their data. Download and install the new firmware when it is available. As with our previous firmware updates, a secure erase is not required.

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.

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" due to 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,

Scott

Intel Corporation

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What are the instructions to put the ISO on an usb thumb drive? I don't have an optical drive. I have tried Unetbootin but it won't boot.

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here is the link I used

http://goebelmeier.de/bootstick/ http://goebelmeier.de/bootstick/

Just use 7zip to open the ".iso" from Intel and then copy it across to the stick...

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Please take a look at this link: http://communities.intel.com/thread/8906 http://communities.intel.com/thread/8906

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There is a very easy way to make a bootable freedos usb stick for the firmware update. It worked for me.

http://communities.intel.com/message/86051# 86051 http://communities.intel.com/message/86051# 86051

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So alllow me to drop in and post my own experience with this thing. I was using a factory 320 300GB drive for a couple of months without issue and then I decided to apply the firmware update after hearing about the dreaded 8MB bug. I made an image with Acronis and then went through with the firmware update without incident. Yesterday while I was working the system locked up hard on me, there was no way to get out of the OS so I shut it down. Upon the next boot I was greeted with no OS found etc. Extracted the drive and confirmed that it shows up as 8 MB. I have a couple more of these drives...I had a backup from 5 days ago but that is a lifetime for what I do. I think I should have taken my chances and never applied the update..."It was all good just a week ago"