530 SSD, sometimes bad, sometimes good

[ppara5]

I have a 530 120 GB SSD that exhibits problems when updating Fedora Linux. Messages along the lines of "write FPDMA queued" and "ATA bus error" are displayed. I removed the SSD from the PC and installed Fedora Linux on a WDC hard drive with no errors being seen, so it's not the PC. I ran a full diagnostic scan using SSD Toolbox, but no problems were found. Something seems to be wrong, but I don't want to send it in for warranty if it will just be returned to me as is (according to intel.com, I have almost two more years of warranty remaining). From reading the SATA specification, it appears that the supported life is 36,500 GB, but Total NAND Writes = 4639.00 GB. All SMART fields are green Ready For Use. What SSD Toolbox data would Intel support look at to determine if the SSD is toast?

[ppara5]

I installed Linux Mint and have seen no errors whatsoever, and this using the same SSD and Vantec converter. I will continue to use Linux Mint, as it's a good distribution. If I see errors, I'll post then, but otherwise I'll report back in a week. Good thing I didn't actually recycle the first Vantec converter; I just put it in the recycle pile and now retrieved it.

[idata]

Hi Paramountain,

Thanks for the update. We are also checking here and we will be waiting for your outcome with this situation.Regards,Nestor C

[idata]

Paramountain,

We'd like to verify with you if you have noticed any errors so far after the installation of Linux* Mint.We'll be waiting for your response.Regards,Nestor C

[ppara5]

Okay, one more update. Sorry for the delay.

I installed Linux Mint and used it since my last post. I saw no errors. Then today, I thought I'd perform one last test. I secure-erased the SSD and installed Fedora GNOME (for those of you who do not dabble in Linux, Korora is a spin of Fedora). On the first update, I saw the same errors I saw with Korora, as bad as they ever were. Actually, there were some graphical artifacts as well, but that might be due to Fedora 25 GNOME changing from X to Wayland. One thing I want to stress is that these errors are not fatal, though they are worrying.

I don't understand this at all. Remember that I have Fedora 25 Cinnamon installed on another 530 120 GB SSD and Korora 25 Cinnamon installed on a SanDisk 32 GB USB 3.0 flash drive, with neither exhibiting errors (I often use the SanDisk to run Korora on different PCs). It seems like Fedora is super-sensitive to some transient SATA error which the first 530 120 GB SSD exhibits, though the SATA error is not bad enough to appear via SSD Toolbox.

I guess I will use the SSD to run Linux Mint.

[idata]

Hi Paramountain,

Thanks for the updates.For these series of SSDs, we do suggest to run the following https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/26452/Write-Amp-Firmware-for-Intel-SSD-530-535-Series firmware upghttp://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/26452/Write-Amp-Firmware-for-Intel-SSD-530-535-Series rade, the upgrade is for the WAF issue, it will help you to avoid huge write amplification and then, you can also try and make tests with it after the upgrade.Also, keep us informed if Linux Mint does not show any errors at all.Regards,Nestor C