Firmware update now available - Addresses Bad Context 13x Error

[Alan_F_Intel]

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

[Kevin_M_Intel]

Hello Tibby,

Doing this process will in fact bring the drive back to live but based on the driver warranty information, Intel® is not responsible for data lose if the drive fails.

However, you can go to a data recovery company to have all information saved or extracted from the drives. These are some suggestions:

https://software.intel.com/partner/search-detail?companyguid=80ade2e2-0a7d-e111-a1da-001a4b33b648 https://software.intel.com/partner/search-detail?companyguid=80ade2e2-0a7d-e111-a1da-001a4b33b648

https://software.intel.com/partner/search-detail?companyguid=1f3707f6-b3bc-e111-ab57-001a4b33b648 https://software.intel.com/partner/search-detail?companyguid=1f3707f6-b3bc-e111-ab57-001a4b33b648

NOTE: These links are being offered for your convenience and should not be viewed as an endorsement by Intel of the content, products, or services offered there.

[RT4]

So you're saying that a firmware update will erase the data? Btw, I tried updating the firmware but it fails. Can you guys atleast give more technical info. on the issue? Is it a hardware/software fix etc. etc. Appreciate your help with this.

[Kevin_M_Intel]

What I meant to say is that a secure erase will delete all information in the driver and will bring it to live again. Doing a firmware update will be updating the software only and it should not affect the data at all; however, do recommend to keep a back up of files.

[RT4]

Okay. So, a firmware update will fix my drive & allow me to get the data off it? What do I need the services of the data recovery companies for? I tried a firmware update but it fails. Considering that, what is the issue? Is there a newer firmware available?

In essence, I don't want to lose my data. However, it's very expensive for me to hire data recovery agencies. So, how can you help me there?

[Kevin_M_Intel]

Tibby,

I the firmware prevent future problems with the driver but it does not fix current issues. If it failed during the update most probably will be necessary to RMA the drive. You can also try doing the firmware update in a different computer with Intel® controller to discard issues.

I regret to say that Intel is not responsible for the data on the drives. I totally understand that is very expensive to rescue the information with agencies that provide this service but the data is the customer responsibility.