Intel Toolbox 3.3.3 bad firmware/ 750 SSD SMART malfunction

[AMial]

Hi everyone, I've been owning a 750 ssd from a couple a months now, and I've to say overall I'm very pleased with its performance, but not convinced at all about Intel's utility for solid drives and their updates with the firmwares etc. I'm running windows 8.1 64 bit on a X-99 platform.

My main concern is with the toolboox utility and the fact that always seem to work different revision after revision. When I first installed it the past year was sometimes showing or not showing SMART function for the ssd from time to time, randomly. With the last update got fixed, and with the current disappeared again, completely and there's no way to bring it back. Also the firmware update functionality is poorly working in my humble opinion, with every edition of the software has always been showing the updates a bit randomly and late compared the release and installation of the toolbox.

Or maybe it's just me. But I've been reading other type of posts very similar to this one around the web. I also always monitor the performance of my drive and system and this last firmware update of the 750 feels not a general improvement. Apart from boot times, that I've to say have seemed to get a bit better and better.

I really hope Intel will give better support and firmware improvements on an awesome product such the 750.

PS. As an advice for an improvement I would say it would be nice to have a sort perfomance tool / benchmark integrated in the toolbox, which monitors the consistency of performance overtime, after bios and firmware updates. I know it has a sort of similar function now but doesn't give that much plus or informations.

I'm sure other professionals/enthusiast like me would like to have something similar, and a bit more of software capability/stability

[jbenavides]

Hello X-99,

Thanks for you comments, we appreciate your confidence in Intel products and the feedback you may provide based on your experience with the Intel® SSD 750 Series.

Here are some pointers related to the topics you mentioned:

- For optimal operation and compatibility of the Intel® SSD 750, please make sure you https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/23929/Intel-Solid-State-Drive-Data-Center-Family-for-NVMe-... Download Intel® Solid-State Drive Data Center Family for NVMe Drivers. Installing the latest driver may improve the interaction with the different management tools.

- In addition to the driver, Intel provides three different tools for the 750.

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/18455/Intel-Solid-State-Drive-Toolbox Intel® SSD Toolbox: Graphical interface for management, monitoring and firmware updates in Windows*.

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/23931/Intel-Solid-State-Drive-Data-Center-Tool Intel® SSD Data Center Tool: Command Line interface tool for management, monitoring and firmware updates for Windows* and Linux*.https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/18363/Intel-Solid-State-Drive-Firmware-Update-Tool Intel® Firmware Update Tool: Bootable tool to update SSD firmware (OS independent).

- The Intel® SSD 750 Series has received different firmware updates since its release in order to improve the drive behavior, at this point, the firmware upgrades often address specific issues and these changes may not be so visible if your SSD is already working correctly.

- As you mentioned, the toolbox does not include performance benchmarking functions, however, we have noted your feedback about this. Currently, you can use 3rd party tools to monitor drive performance, like Iometer, Crystaldiskmark, or other applications designed for this purpose.