# Storage Drivers, Utilities, and Firmware Thread



## pjBSOD

Very good thread, Sean.


----------



## Sean Webster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *E-Peen*
> 
> Very good thread, Sean.


Thanks bud, got anything you'd like to add?


----------



## Lord Xeb

Yeah, how to be awesome like Sean


----------



## iARDAs

Hey Sean

How do I update my SSD firmware?

Edit : Great. It seems that an SSD can not be updated if it is the primary drive and is booted on.

I am thinking that when my SSD arrives i should just connect it to my rig where my HDD is the primary bootable disc, and than upgrade the SSD via the toolbox of OCZ

Do i still have to enable the AHCI mode on the bios and so on?


----------



## Dhalgren65

iARDA
Best to do as you thought-
Update drive firmware w/OCZ toolbox first,before doing anything with drive.
You might need to have SSD hooked to one of the SATA ports on board(no ATA/Pata/USB 2/3 adapters)
Should take seconds.
Then,disconnect HDD completely,Install SSD on SATAIII port no.1-
Re-install W7.
As to AHCI,I have done it both ways.
Install in IDE mode & change once installed TO AHCI
or set BIOS to AHCI then install.
I believe W7 has AHCI drivers w/install,or gets them w/first update.
(some MB's need seperate,bizarre steps to add AHCI from USB/Floppy before install-
yours I believe is modern enough-it defaults to AHCI in BIOS)
Double check by searching OCN/Sean Webster's awesome SSD info posts/stickies,
look in official Sabertooth Z77 thread...
Best of luck!


----------



## milespeed

a note on firmware install for crucial m4 128 .. mobo is Asus p68.... the SSD drive and the bootable firmware must be on the same SATA controller or they do not talk to each other.....

also.. not sure this is the right thread .. hi Sean ... updating firmware killed my windows boot loader for me, i have just posted in your other thread and await some advice .. cant see windows install CD to run repair (which fixes the problem automatically) need a work around .. all bios settings are correct to be UEFI aware help?!


----------



## LA_Kings_Fan

Forgive the Noobness showing here, but ... What are the SSD / HDD Utilities worth taking up space on our systems ?

I see *Sean* "THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND" *Webster







*listed so MANY ... yet only tend to see the same handful used by others here on OCN over and over again, like ;


HDtune
Crystal Disk Info & Crystal Disk Mark
SSD Life Tool
Parted Magic

AS SSD Benchmark

What programs are really best / needed for making sure things keep running smoothly long term with out filling up my system with Bloat-ware Crap I'll never use ?

And is there some overlap in what the programs DO ... is one option better than another ?

Thanks in advance


----------



## Sean Webster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *milespeed*
> 
> a note on firmware install for crucial m4 128 .. mobo is Asus p68.... the SSD drive and the bootable firmware must be on the same SATA controller or they do not talk to each other.....
> 
> also.. not sure this is the right thread .. hi Sean ... updating firmware killed my windows boot loader for me, i have just posted in your other thread and await some advice .. cant see windows install CD to run repair (which fixes the problem automatically) need a work around .. all bios settings are correct to be UEFI aware help?!


Replied in other thread.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LA_Kings_Fan*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Forgive the Noobness showing here, but ... What are the SSD / HDD Utilities worth taking up space on our systems ?
> 
> I see *Sean* "_THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND_" *Webster
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *listed so MANY ... yet only tend to see the same handful used by others here on OCN over and over again, like ;
> 
> HDtune
> Crystal Disk Info & Crystal Disk Mark
> SSD Life Tool
> Parted Magic
> 
> AS SSD Benchmark
> What programs are really best / needed for making sure things keep running smoothly long term with out filling up my system with Bloat-ware Crap I'll never use ?
> And is there some overlap in what the programs DO ... is one option better than another ?
> 
> Thanks in advance


All you really need is Crystal disk info for SMART data readings and _maybe_ HD Tune for HDDs to do corrupt sector scans...if anything at all.

I just have CDI and AS SSD on my system all the time as the portables.

AS SSD is for me to help trouble shoot other's rig as it tells me what driver/SATA mode they use, alignment, and a few other things based on scores of how they have their SSD set up.

Crystal disk mark varies too much depending on settings and lists no system information so it is not good for troubleshooting.

SSD life is whatever, I don't need it as the SMART data tells me the life of my SSDs.

Parted Magic is its own Linux OS, that doesn't count.


----------



## savage1987

Hi Sean,
There's something I don't completely understand with this and I'd like to clear it up before going into my first build incorporating an SSD.

In this post the sequence you have listed seems to recommend building a system with only the SSD connected, then updating firmware BEFORE installing Windows. I'm not sure how to go about this; I thought firmware had to be updated from within Windows environment.

Please help me out, I'm only new at this SSD stuff and I am trying to put enough research in to everything now (before parts arrive) that everything should go together smoothly.

Thanks,
Sam


----------



## Sean Webster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *savage1987*
> 
> Hi Sean,
> There's something I don't completely understand with this and I'd like to clear it up before going into my first build incorporating an SSD.
> 
> In this post the sequence you have listed seems to recommend building a system with only the SSD connected, then updating firmware BEFORE installing Windows. I'm not sure how to go about this; I thought firmware had to be updated from within Windows environment.
> 
> Please help me out, I'm only new at this SSD stuff and I am trying to put enough research in to everything now (before parts arrive) that everything should go together smoothly.
> 
> Thanks,
> Sam



Take the SSD, plug it in your current system and update the firmware.
Build PC. (Possibly update BIOS too)
Plug in only SSD.
Install Windows to the SSD.
Follow post #3 of the guide if you wish.
Also, firmware updates can be flashed out side of the Windows environment. Companies have Linux live CDs and bootable DOS apps to update the drive. And the firmware should be the newest when received. Especially if you get the Samsung 830.


----------



## savage1987

Thanks. I have one more question - I could never get my current rig to run in AHCI mode despite several tries, so it's in IDE.

Will this impact my ability to update an SSD in this system?


----------



## Sean Webster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *savage1987*
> 
> Thanks. I have one more question - I could never get my current rig to run in AHCI mode despite several tries, so it's in IDE.
> 
> Will this impact my ability to update an SSD in this system?


You currently have slower performance and no TRIM support. TRIM works.


----------



## savage1987

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sean Webster*
> 
> You currently have slower performance and no TRIM support.


I learned something today









Always assumed TRIM was an acronym and I never actually knew what it did. Just read up on it and yes, it's definitely a bonus.

However, what I was more asking with my previous post is whether an SSD will even work in IDE mode if I plug it in to this system (sig rig) running on IDE? Unless I just create a bootable USB and do it that way in the new system prior to installing Win7. Or instal Win7 on the existing firmware then update it, if there's no problems associated with that.

Which is my best option?

1. attempt it in my sig rig
2. bootable USB before OS install
3. just do it once Windows is installed


----------



## carinae

Hello, I just got myself a 3TB Western Digital Caviar Green and I would like to test it to know if everything is normal. May I ask what I could do to really test the hard drive? Right now, I'm moving files in and out filling the drive. Thank you!


----------



## iARDAs

Hey folks. I just got a Corsair GT 60 GB SSD from a friend but I am lost on which firmware to install on it?

Can someone help me with this?

Thank you.


----------



## Sean Webster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iARDAs*
> 
> Hey folks. I just got a Corsair GT 60 GB SSD from a friend but I am lost on which firmware to install on it?
> 
> Can someone help me with this?
> 
> Thank you.


http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=110257


----------



## iARDAs

Thanks Sean.

Lol the Corsair GT I had was firmware like 1.1 something.

Now I am up to date with 5.03.


----------



## toyz72

i have two m4's. one is a 64gig for os and the 128 is for my games. how do you tell what firmware your using? and will crucial firmware tool work with both plugged it?does it give you a choice of which one to update?


----------



## Sean Webster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toyz72*
> 
> i have two m4's. one is a 64gig for os and the 128 is for my games. how do you tell what firmware your using? and will crucial firmware tool work with both plugged it?does it give you a choice of which one to update?


You can use AS SSD to see what firmware each has. Says in the top left corner once you select your drive.

The firmware tool should update both. Make sure when you use the tool that it is on the root of your C drive.


----------



## toyz72

hey, thx for gettin back to me. to my surprise it went ahead and did both ssd's. all i had to do was ok each drive. my firmware must have been old, because there is a very noticeable difference. i think it said the firmware was 10g?


----------



## thestoicstudent

Hey folks.

I just got a Samsung 850 EVO. I will be doing a clean install of W10 on it.

Is it still necessary to update the SSD to the latest firmware prior to installing the OS on it? Or is it okay to update the firmware afterwards with Samsung's magician tool?


----------

