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

[idata]

But the problem is that I cant even get into bios while the SSD is connected. The password prompt pops up instantly when I start the computer.. And if I disconnect the drive and go into bios.. And then add the drive.. Bios need a reboot to be able to see the added drive. So I cant deactivate the password.. This password protection seems to be from Intels internal SSD and not anything you can remove in bios I think.. like a HARD encrypted protecton and only intel has the password.... I think Ill have to return this to the manufacturer..

EDIT: Ok I tried another computer.. And now I can actually get into bios... But I have no clue where I can deactivate the password option. I cant find anything on my Gigabyte ds4-p35 Motherboard..

[idata]

Current situation... I have now managed to get the size back from 8 mb to 120... But now its password protected after I did a secure erase from the intel utility...

Now I cant install windows on the drive.. And I cant flash the latest firmware either.. Please see the screens for more info...

I have a gigabyte ds4-p35 .. And I have NO option whatsoever in bios which disables any hard drive password.... Ive checked all pages

So what should I do?? Return it to manufacturer or is there something I can do to solve this myself?? Feels like I have tried everything now..

And yes I have tried both ACHI mode and LEGACY IDE mode.. Exactly the same error messages... On both screens...

[idata]

Yes, RMA it!

There is no simple way to recover drive password, when you never have put it on

[idata]

After wrestling with this all day I can confirm the recommendation that these Intel 320 SSD drives should NOT be used with a Mac. Ever.

I had the drive suddenly die while waking from sleep this morning, discovered the 8MB bug, called Intel, downloaded the firmware update ISO.

The firmware updater on the ISO only sees drives on the Internal SATA bus, by the way... useless if you're in mid-recovery and have moved your defective Intel SSD to USB or other external interface on a functional computer.

The OSX Lion Disk Utility cannot manipulate this drive at all once it fails. To my knowledge there are NO Mac OSX utilities that can affect this problem.

Furthermore, the DOS-based Firmware Updater cannot actually do anything to the drive on a Mid-2011 MacBook Pro. Sees the drive, lists it as having a "BAD_CTX" serial number, and complains that it cannot complete the drive firmware update because it's password protected, which is of course false.

I'm sorry Intel, I am not about to purchase a copy of Windows, install Bootcamp (on what drive, exactly?) and run some windows-only app to try and recover my drive so that I can then run your DOS utility to upgrade the firmware on your dubiously reliable Solid State Drive.

Ironic, really, considering that reliability, next only to speed, was my major motivator for purchasing a $600 SSD in the first place.

Thanks for nuking my data, Intel!

[idata]

colonelpanic, I think your problem is not the Mac, but rather the fact that you should secure erase the drive (to recover from the Bad Context situation) before trying to update the firmware. Otherwise RMA your drive to get a replacement. Please have a look to the first post in this thread and note that there other other tools out there to do secure erase without the need to use the SSD Toolbox if you can't.

I tried other SSDs from different brands (OCZ, Corsair) and I must say that the Intel's situation for upgrading the SSD firmware is in any case better...