Firmware Update 2CV102M3 Results

[idata]

I have 2 X-25M 80gb in Intel RAID 0. Here are before and after results for the 102M3 firmware update:

Before:

After:

No significant difference, as far as I can tell.

I'm running Win7 64 and this comment from the update readme file did not happen:

Note: For computers booting into Windows 7 after a firmware update,  

a message appears when the operating system starts that prompts you to restart the computer. Restart when prompted.

FYI

Ken

[idata]

Retiredfields, it sure did work, with your RAID 0 write speed being exactly twice the typical 78 - 80 MB/s single 80GB G2 SSD write speed, after your free space consolidation. Of course, we could ask if the cost of the rewriting using Perfect Disk 11 is more than that if TRIM was available, or if the Toolbox Optimizer could have been used. Even if it is overall, I'd say it's a moot point given the longevity of the NAND chips that Intel uses. You could check the SMART attributes and see what your Host Writes and wear indicator are showing, but I doubt it makes any real difference.

I'm not a RAID user so I don't know if NCQ is functioning on 'drives or volumes in a RAID array. It seems that it must be, although your 4k - 64 Thread read spec is less than twice my single 80GB G2, but not by that much, and the same with the 4k - 64 writes. It's interesting that your write access time is less than the read access time, which was the case with another forum members 160GB G2 SSD, while my single 80GB G2 has faster read than write access speed.

I also wonder how the benchmarking tools can measure speeds that are greater than the SATA 2 interface speed, generally specified as 300MB/s maximum. I'm not saying they are false or inaccurate, I don't know either way, I'm just curious. Wait, what am I saying, it must be that the tool "sees" the RAID 0 volume physically connected via two cables as one 'drive/volume. Is that the case?

I was wondering if the data on the SSD after the firmware update was always corrupted, as Intel recommends (seems more like a warning) having an image back-up done before the FW update. Now wouldn't it be nice if there was a stand-alone version of the Intel SSD Toolbox Optimizer program, that was part of an .iso file like the FW update utility, that could be run on RAID arrayed SSDs that were set to IDE mode for the optimization, just like the FW update. Your Perfect Disk method seems to make that unnecessary.

[idata]

Before

After ,NCQ is looking better

[idata]

CarrotThree, do you have a RAID setup of SSD's, or what? A bit unusual that you did not loose any sequential read speed after the update, and actually increased! We do see the apparently common loss of 4k write speeds, and the great gain in 4k NCQ read speeds. Are you pleased with the overall results?

[idata]

Parsec , it is a raid 0 made of two 80GB X25-M ssd ,and yes i am happy with the update with the improved NCQ .

I already whas happy with one ssd and old firmware , but it is easy to make them in a raid configuration and have higher speeds.

It is done on with XP32bit ,asus p5Q ,E4800

[idata]

Just wanted to post that on none of the systems I manage did ACHI work. I had to set to IDE mode to update the firmware. We use primarily HP Elite Desktop SFF 8100's, HP Business laptop 2540p's(laptop).