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]

AFAIK the warranty extended because people aware that 25nm NAND have less write cycles compared to 34nm which impact to 320series SSD lifetime

3000writes for 25nm NAND compared to 5000write cycles for 34nm

and back then 320series is the first SSD using 25nm NAND

and where you got information that 510 is enterprise SSD ?

arent both 320 and 510 series is consumer MLC SSD ?

anyway i agree with people, even it takes time to validate the new firmware, at least they can give estimate time when the firmware update ready

[idata]

I am a potential customer thinking really hard about buying the 320 right now.

However, this bug is giving me cause for concern with what would otherwise have been a no-brainer purchase that I would have made a long time ago.

I have asked support about an ETA for the firmware fix and there is no estimate yet. That is fine, except that Intel expects the customer to shoulder shipping costs for replacement if a drive breaks before the firmware fix is released.

Since this is a known problem that hardly seems fair. Since I plan on using it in a laptop, this issue is especially worrying for me and I've held off purchasing it so far. I need to buy an SSD soon to get it ready for school, so Intel is on the verge of losing a customer because of this bug and the lack of assurance that I'll be taken care of if I go ahead and buy the 320 right now.

Hoping for better news since I would rather have Intel's otherwise great reliability than to get a much better performing Sandforce 2 drive.

[Vegan]

I have been watching the topic here as well as sifting around on Google and I have noticed that sudden power loss seems to be the most common trigger for the problem.

In server rooms power is usually fault tolerant so outages are rare. With a consumer the variables are far more numerous.

I use sleep mode on my gaming rig and I am not sure if that would affect the product or not? Likely not as sleep is commonly used. This is due to the orderly power management.

Netbooks and notebook have a backup power so they should be safer.

[idata]

Hello, I am ThinkPad user and I used this SSD for that.

I experienced two times of this bug so far, and in both cases, I am sure the notebook had been powered because I could see the blue screen message that needed to be powered to be displayed when I encounrted the problem.

I do not intend to deny the power loss hypothesis, that may be one of the condition which make the SSD brick.

I guess there could be multiple way to induce this problem.I think all notebook users need to take daily or more frequent backup as well just in case.

I wish the firmware fix was released within 5 years warranty

[Vegan]

I strongly urge regular backups

I have seen more than one way the SSD has failed, only that power loss is common

What are you doing to revive your SSD?