Intel SSD 530 NAND Write Problem

[fZhan14]

Hello, everyone:

I bought an Intel SSD 530 120G for my laptop several days ago. It worked well with the OS Win8.1 Pro x64.

When I paid attention to the NAND writes, something make me confused.

The situation is as follow:

The SSD with the OS is the first(primary) Disk, and the HDD is the second one. I have moved the cache of IE, chrome and Firefox to the Hard Drive using IE setting or mklink command, and verified it correctly. With the explorer working, the written data stream from cache is produced in the HDD partition theoretically, also I have got this conclusion through the System's Resource Monitor and the Diskmon from Microsoft website. When I cached several Movies embedded in any explorer without other operation separately, there are lots of written data traffic produced in the HDD partition, and just little data wrote in system disk(SSD), it's no doubt. Finally, each test(using one kind of explorer) improved less than 200Mb in Total Host Writes which is normal for system operating, but this process also consumed about 3Gb SSD's Total NAND writes in total in the CrystalDiskInfo 6.0.1. Also I have got the same result with the newly Intel SSD Toolbox, AIDA64 3.20 and CrystalDiskInfo 6.0.1. In fact, this written data traffic produced by explorer's cache in HDD is calculated into the SSD's total NAND writes.

Actually I'm not care of the SSD's wear, and I'm sure it couldn't reach the limited lifespan with normal usage until next generation product arrives. This accidental discovery confused me now, and the result above make me suspect the theory, Putting IE/Chrome or System cache into other medium/drive saving your SSD's wear.

Q:Here, I want to know what makes this strange condition happen, the drivers, system's bug, bad support for old mainboard, the system's setting&config or the special system log?

Testing condition:

Thinkpad R400(GM45 motherboard)/P8700/8Gb RAM/Intel 530 SSD+Hitachi 7k500/Intel 5300 AGN/Win 8.1 Pro X64 with the Win 8.1's Default config and drivers, except trunning the service Superfetch off mannually.

I could make sure the location of explorer cache(IE, Chrome, Firefox) in HDD, also the written data traffic in HDD, and the vast imprived NAND writes in SSD simultaneously.

Thanks for your help.

[yn]

Hi Cleo,

So many months have passed, it seemed that Intel just did't care about this issue and let intel 535 users trying to use unofficial workaround patches to extend SSD's life. I really hope intel could release a firmware fix. Because patch programs are only temporary fixes, and when reinstalling windows/mac osx, i have to re install all this patches...

[CCleo]

Hi All,

It seems that the problem dates back in 2013, and Intel takes too long to solve it (never). They closed my other thread but I still think this is a warranty problem, my drive has written 123TB of NAND in 6 months.

So I will never buy another Intel ssd and will start posting this on tech forums.

[idata]

I used the service by user php_monkey and my write amp went from 14x to 2,08x. This is after 3 months observation.

So I owe great thanks to everybody who did help figure out this issue.

Shame on Intel for ignoring this issue, this was last SSD I bought from the company.

[idata]

Let me join to your club of people, who have to avoid trusting in brand but doing google first

I've reported mine stats there - /message/436529 https://communities.intel.com/message/436529

[idata]

Hello everyone,

Intel has introduced a solution that addresses some customer's concerns on the high Write Amplification on the Intel® SSD 530 Series and the Intel® SSD 535 Series products. Please follow the steps at this link https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/26452/Write-Amp-Firmware-for-Intel-SSD-530-535-Series Download Write Amp Firmware for Intel® SSD 530/535 Series to receive/download the firmware fix.

Please let us know if you require further assistance with this new firmware or anything else.

Regards.