Intel SSD 545s 128GB Slow Write Speed

[SLee111]

Hi,

Would like to know why the write speed of my Intel SSD 545s 128GB. Tried different SATA port, still the same.

Kindly refer to the attachment for more info.

[idata]

Hi steven6489,

Thank you for posting in the Intel® SSD community.There are some details to consider when running a benchmark test. If you run the test on a drive that is the primary boot drive with the OS installed in it, it's expected to get a lower result than the one advertised for the drive, as well as if the drive contains data stored in it.I recommend you to re-run the benchmark test considering the following:

1. Set up the drive as a secondary drive, not as the primary drive. (You would need another drive to boot from.)
2. Perform a Secure Erase so that you can test the drive when it's empty. Make sure first to back up any data that you don't want to lose.

Please try it again with those considerations. If you have any doubt, feel free to ask.Have a nice day.Regards,Diego V.

[SLee111]

Hi Diego V.,

Thanks for your reply. I just tested with another PC with higher specs, the result as the same. For your No.2 recommendation, i am unable to do so because Intel SSD Toolbox doesnt allow me to click it. Please refer to the attachment.

The result by using another PC and Intel SSD as secondary drive.

[idata]

Hi steven6489,

Running the benchmark test on a different computer with better specs won't change the result because what you are testing is the drive itself, and it is still the same one.My first recommendation to get a better result in the benchmark test; was to setup the drive as a secondary drive to free the SSD from handling extra data in the data bus. You are currently using the drive as the primary drive. This will decrease the performance in the benchmark test because the drive is handling, besides the data from the benchmark test, the data from the OS itself, the data of the benchmark application and the data of any other application running on the OS. This represents extra work for the SSD and it adds delay in the data bus.Regarding to my second recommendation of performing a Secure Erase, this will help the SSD to write and read in a better way as the drive would be completely empty. The reason why the application is preventing you from performing the Secure Erase is because you are using the drive as the primary drive which means that you are booting from that drive. If you erase all its data, you will be erasing the OS too; and you would not be able to boot anymore (unless you re-install the OS).If you have another SSD, please try connecting it to the computer so that it can be the primary drive and the system can boot from it. This new drive must have the OS installed in it, otherwise you won't be able to boot from it. Then, you have to connect the Intel® SSD 545s Series in another SATA port so that it can be the secondary drive in your system. The boot priority can be configured in the BIOS.Then, once you have the SSD set as the secondary drive, you can perform the Secure Erase. Remember to back up the data first as it will be erased during the Secure Erase process.These two recommendations will help the drive to get a better performance in the test.If you don't have another drive to try what I just explained, what you can do is to reduce the size of the test file you are using in the benchmark test. The size of the file is set to 1GB. The Intel® SSD 545s Series uses a cache memory to improve the performance, but when this cache memory is full the performance drops. The detail with this cache memory is that its size is 0.5GB, so every time you run the benchmark test with the 1GB test file, you are filling up the memory until it's full. In order to avoid this, you can use for example a test file of 100MB instead.Keep in mind that even though you are reducing the test file to avoid having the cache memory full during the test, the SSD is still handling data from the OS and other applications as I explained above, so it's probably that you won't get the same performance as the one advertised for this drive.Having said this, if your main concern is if the drive has any kind of issue, you don't have to worry about it as the drive is working fine.I hope this information clarifies how the benchmark test should be run. If there is anything else I can help you with, or if you have any other doubt, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll be more than happy to help you.Have a nice day.Regards,Diego V.

[SLee111]

Hi Diego V.,

Thanks for your details explanation. For your information, the second test as perform by putting Intel SSD 545s as secondary, you can refer my screenshot posted earlier the Intel SSD 545s under drive letter E.

Since you are sure that my Intel SSD is working fine, I will continue to use it.

Thanks.