Update on "Bad Context 13x Error"

[Alan_F_Intel]

Intel has been investigating the 'Bad Context 13x Error' as seen on select Intel® SSD 320 Series drives. This was previously noted in the Intel community post as "SSD Power Loss". To summarize the error: In certain circumstances, after an unexpected power loss, a small percentage of SSDs may experience this error on the next attempt to boot the system. In this situation, the system's BIOS reports an SSD as an 8MB capacity drive.

Intel has reproduced 'Bad Context 13x Error' utilizing strenuous testing methods. This 'Bad Context 13x Error' can be addressed via a firmware update and Intel is in the process of validating the firmware update. A future update will define the schedule to deliver the firmware fix.

The Intel SSD 320 Series continues to be shipped and is available for purchase. If you experience this error with your Intel SSD, 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 those with Intel SSD 320 series SSDs who are concerned but currently unaffected, Intel advises the following actions:

• As with any storage device, backup your data regularly
• When shutting down your system, follow your system's standard shutdown process
• Minimize unplugging the SSD while your system is powered

Intel takes these issues seriously. Please watch for further updates on this site.

Rgds,

Alan

Intel's NVM Solutions Group

[idata]

George Greene,

His posts are mostly just promoting his website and a pet theory that has no backing.

But the main problem is they are OFF-TOPIC. They do not relate to the issue this thread is for, which is the 8MB bug on the Intel 320.

Let's keep posts on topic please.

[idata]

He is wrong in everything he says. An SSD was made for an OS drive. I showed the charts and the link to the tests that are going on, they have written 100's of TB to 40 and 64GB drives and they are still writing. I aligned my Intel 80GB SSD at 1024 when I installed it 9 months ago running Windows 7 PRO X 64. it is aligned tonight at 1024. As are my other 3 SSD's.

[idata]

w00thisButtonDo wrote:

I think even if firmware is ready to production and download they must triple check it, before release to public and the reason is the same - to not fail again with some "0Mb bug" or something like "drive is encrypted, please enter a password" when you never put it on...

Exactly, they are running an internal validation of the firmware upgrade package. There is no point in releasing even a beta that could contain other showstopper problems. I hope they run a complete validation test cycle before releasing it.

[idata]

Exactly, they are running an internal validation of the firmware upgrade package. There is no point in releasing even a beta that could contain other showstopper problems. I hope they run a complete validation test cycle before releasing it.

My guess is they are busy translating the readme file to Japanese, Chinese, Africaans and what not.

It's a big company and the process is there for a reason, isn't it?

First things first, and the case of users sitting on data storage timebombs is just nowhere to be found in any of these fancy Excel sheets.

At least they removed the "world class reliability" line from the 320 web site!

[idata]

What readme though? The firmware update procedure is the same on all internal 2.5" Intel SSDs as far as I know, and instructions for that have been available for a long time.