Intel SSD 330. Windows 7 freezes frequently after fresh installation

[idata]

I had purchased intel SSD 330 120 Gb.

At first I installed in my desktop (AMD Board), a lot of time the SSD fail to be detected with SMART error.

After that I had it installed in my notebook. It worked, but frequently the windows freezes, I have to reboot, and it's ok. After that the problems comes again and I have to reboot again.

I had the SSD removed, then installed to another desktop (intel), the same problem comes up. I had to reboot to resolve the freezes. I could not get into the Internet when the windows freezes.

THis is very frustrating, I could not get tow work with three different machine. I have another SSD (OCZ),which work with my desktop and notebook.

Can anybody assist me on this.

I had done fresh installations on all three machine.

Can I proceed with RMA?

Thanks.

[idata]

I can confirm that in so-called "IDE/PATA/compatibility/sata non-native" mode the freezes do not happen to my drive.

Thanks for mentioning it, Jeff.

And thanks Intel for releasing these broken drives, because otherwise I would have been left with the wrong idea that AHCI is faster or better over pata emulation and would have never run into this excellet article linked below. Apparently we even have TRIM in pata mode:

http://forum-en.msi.com/faq/article/ide-sata-and-ahci-all-you-need-to-know/ IDE, SATA, AHCI, SSDs and TRIM: all you need to know | MSI HQ User-to-User FAQ

[APomi]

Add me to the list. Exactly the same problem - random freezes once installing a 330 on the computer and Win7 on it. What I've read here is really disappointing, hope Intel deals with the problem. If I wanted to operate on IDE, without AHCI or TRIM, why would I even buy this drive?!

[CTill]

Though the Intel 330 180GB SSD has ran well since the summer of 2012, after upgrading from Windows 8 Pro to 8.1, performance has gone downhill.

Have ran the TRIM tool in the SSD Toolbox as instructed, I also used that app to do the system tuning at setup. I'm also now getting some freezing issues, though not to the point that many of you have described.

Would a manual Garbage Collection help? Booting the notebook into the BIOS screen & leaving it for a few hours. I ask this because when I do boot into the BIOS, the notebook is running harder than when the OS is running (fan wide open & blowing hot air).

My computer is an Intel based one, a MSI FX603 with i5 480M CPU, chipset HM55. This is a dual boot setup, Windows 7 Pro/8.1 Pro, have plenty of drive space left on both OS partitions (roughly 60% between the two).

Furthermore, why has no Intel rep not responded to this thread? Seems like they wouldn't let one product cause users to steer away from the brand, though I also realize that CPU sales brings the bacon home. I've always thought highly of Intel & bought the SSD not only because it was on promo at Newegg, but due to the Intel name alone.

Cat

[Jose_H_Intel1]

Cat, your issue must be software related since the operating system is the only thing that changed. Try updating the BIOS and SATA controller driver. The nature of the issue can be confirmed if the drive operates properly in Windows* 7 and you may also run a full diagnostic just to make sure.

The issue is different for the people who replied before and it is most likely related to compatibility with older SATA controllers.

[CTill]

joe_intel, thanks for your reply, great to hear from an Intel rep!

I believe that I found the issue, was waiting a couple of days to make sure, am now sure it was partition alignment. This was checked a couple of times since Windows 8 Pro was installed, somehow or the other, the upgrade knocked both OS partitions out of alignment.

Diagnosed & fixed it with Mini Tool Partition Wizard, ran the manual TRIM again, it's now back to it's old self. So my issue is solved.

BTW, I go out of my way & at extra expense to obtain Intel components, just because they're better. The one extra thing about the Intel 330 besides that, is that it's offered in 180GB size. That's a unique size for SSD OEM's, strikes a good balance between the smaller ones & those that are too large. Though I do at the time dual boot, I don't keep useless junk or data files on the SSD, so it more than meets my needs.

Am now also running a new PC with one of the fastest i7's, the Dell XPS 8700 with i7 4770. Fast!

Hopefully Intel will meet my needs for decades to come.

Cat