SSD320 failure rate at 6% so far

[MCole4]

Everyone,

We deployed 120 of the SSD320 drives with updated firmware prior to rollout beginning in November 2011. So far we've experienced 7 failures over the course of 3 months - all 7 being the "8MB size BAD_CTX serial number" problem supposedly fixed by the firmware. All 7 drives were successfully re-animated using the SSD Toolbox version 3 software. All of our machines already had the version 2 SSD toolbox software, with the TRIM function regularly scheduled once a week.

The worst part of this whole experience is that when the drive crashes it does so with no warning, and the data is totally unrecoverable. Backup your stuff!!!!! We're in the process of working with Intel on the issue, but the party line so far has been to either RMA or fix the drives. I just wanted to post this so others would be aware that the 8MB bug can still bite even though you're running the latest firmware.

Good Luck!

Mark

[idata]

Hello all,

i want to share my HP elitebook 8460p with SSD 320 series problems.

Hard drive Specifications :

1. Model Number : INTEL SSDSA2BW160G3H

2. Model SERIES : INTEL SSD 320 SERIES 160 GB (show as 8 MB in intel SSD toolbox)

3. Serial Number : BAD_CTX 0000013F (shown in intel SSD toolbox)

4. Firmware : 4PC10365

PROBLEMS :

1. Bluescreen error in windows vista enterprise 32 bit after automatic update in my company.

2. After restarting the notebook i got the following message in the startup "REBOOT AND SELECT PROPER BOOT DEVICE". My windows wouldn't even start.

3. I connect my SSD into another computer as secondary drive and boot to the windows. Check in the disk management, i found my harddrive is only 8 MB. Many of the forum called this "8 MB BUG". Note : my SSD harddrive is not shown in my computer.

SOLUTIONS TRIED :

1. HP software & driver : I downloaded "Intel Solid State Drive (SSD) Firmware Update" on website "[URL="http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=5056943&... http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=5056943&..."]http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=5056943&... http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=5056943&..." and trying to do install SP52887 directly from windows and it says "setup status : this harddrive model is not supported : ST380013AS" which is my first harddrive (not the SD). The most updated firmware, i try to install SP5508 and it says "update status : This harddisk model is not supported". SP52887 installer is also comes with disk images to update firmware from boot process, i also do this and it says "your harddrive is having the latest firmware, no upgrade is needed". So, i think i have no luck with HP software & driver.

2. Intel SSD toolbox : I downloaded Intel SSD toolbox from website "[URL="http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=18455&lang=eng%20 http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=18455&lang=eng%20"]http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=18455&lang=eng%20[/URL] http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=18455&lang=eng%20[/URL]" and i cannot update to the latest firmware because of i have the latest firmware already. The only thing left is "SECURE ERASE" and it's the last thing i want to do because it will delete all the data in the SSD hard drive.

QUESTIONS :

Anybody know how to fix SSD 320 series harddrive without secure erase it ?