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

[Vegan]

Seagate is also introducing 4K sectors with their new models of disk

As ATA standards are not yet modernized, ATA-8 is planning to bring hybrid drives in, and I expect SSD will be improved on as well.

I remember when sector sizes were 128 bytes back in the late 1970s, moving to 256 was one step and more recently 512 bytes.

The move to 4K is more or less in line with clusters that operating systems use.

[idata]

even with that in mind, they could at least give us some kind of REAL update on their progress with this problem

[idata]

I think those who know can not post in this forum and those who can, does not know about progress. It's big company and there is no direct connection between production and end user and this is normal.

[Vegan]

Traffic that page has exploded. Not a problem as my new server is 20x faster than the old one.

[idata]

I don't think vegan was trying to get everyone to game, I read his article and he suggests that the SSD may not be the best place for the OS.