Update from Intel's NAND Solutions Group - Firmware issue

[Alan_F_Intel]

To 34nm (G2) Intel® X25-M Solid-State Drive consumers,

• Intel has confirmed an issue with the firmware update process for 34nm (G2) Intel® X25-M SSDs (80GB and 160GB). This predominantly affected Windows* 7 (64bit) users during or immediately after the upgrade process to 02HA firmware using the firmware update tool (version 1.3). Intel plans to release a fix for this issue by the end of November 2009.

• Please see below to decide what you should do:

• If you have not upgraded to 02HA but using 02G2 or 02G9 – then use new tool when available to upgrade to new firmware to get Trim support and better sequential write performance (160GB)

• If you have successfully upgraded to 02HA - then continue using the SSD, there are no known issues.

• If you have received a SSD with 02HA pre installed – then continue using the SSD, there are no known issues.

• If you have unsuccessfully upgraded to 02HA - then contact Intel Customer Support for instructions on how to recover the SSD via secure erase or return SSD to Intel for replacement or refund.

*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

Alan

NAND Solutions Group

Intel Corporation

[idata]

I fear it is but I suggest to wait for the new version of the Tool to see if it can help in fixing your errors.

[idata]

You can try one more thing, run HDDerase again and then format the drive in Windows 7.

[idata]

HDDerase did not fix SMART error problem for me

[idata]

AFAIK there is nothing that an end user can do to change S.M.A.R.T data.

[idata]

Not quite true. There are products on the market that can manipulate just about anything on a drive, even S.M.A.R.T. data.

Check this out: http://www.deepspar.com/pdf/DeepSparPC-3000UDMABrochure8.0.pdf http://www.deepspar.com/pdf/DeepSparPC-3000UDMABrochure8.0.pdf