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Nick
Purveyor of common sense
MVM
join:2000-10-29
Smithtown, NY

Nick

MVM

[hard drive] Quick sanity check for HD firmware upgrades

So...I have 3 total drives in my system:

Two Samsung 840 SSDs and a Seagate 3TB HDD.
One of the Samsung SSDs (probably) needs a firmware update
The HDD definitely has a newer firmware available...

However, I can't update the HDD or verify that one of the SSDs doesn't need a firmware update because I am using one of the SSD drives as a cache drive for the 3TB drive.

The updated Samsung 840 is used as a boot drive which has been updated on firmware...

Soooo...

Can I do this without trashing my Windows 7 install:
1. Un-accelerate my 3TB drive..
2. Reboot...
3. Go into BIOS and switch the controller(s) from RAID to AHCI
4. Boot into Windows 7
5. Run the Samsung Magician to verify my 2nd SSD does not need new firmware and/or update...
6. Reboot (Part of the update process for Samsung SSD)
7. Run the Seagate firmware upgrade too...
8. Toggle AHCI back to RAID
9. Boot to Windows 7
10. Re-accelerate my 3TB drive
11. PROFIT?

norwegian
Premium Member
join:2005-02-15
Outback

norwegian

Premium Member


Use a HDD utility to list the exact HDD's, exact firmware and you may need to list serial numbers to help find exactly what is needed. Some utilities are workable in Windows, and some are workable from bootable CD's.

I'm gathering for us to help with not being there, listing smart data off a tool like HDD Tune pro trial may help to see the HDD's are in good health too before someone here promises you it will be all good.

Provide HDD info and smart info for each and every drive so someone can give you the details to complete this project safely to cover long term needs of your data.

CylonRed
MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County

CylonRed to Nick

MVM

to Nick
Is there a good solid reason for updating the firmware?

Krisnatharok
PC Builder, Gamer
Premium Member
join:2009-02-11
Earth Orbit

Krisnatharok to norwegian

Premium Member

to norwegian
said by norwegian:

I'm gathering for us to help with not being there, listing smart data off a tool like HDD Tune pro trial may help to see the HDD's are in good health too before someone here promises you it will be all good.

If SSD caching is anything like true RAID, you will get no SMART data as Windows only sees the RAID array.

Nick
Purveyor of common sense
MVM
join:2000-10-29
Smithtown, NY

Nick

MVM

said by Krisnatharok:

said by norwegian:

I'm gathering for us to help with not being there, listing smart data off a tool like HDD Tune pro trial may help to see the HDD's are in good health too before someone here promises you it will be all good.

If SSD caching is anything like true RAID, you will get no SMART data as Windows only sees the RAID array.

With SiSoft Sandra I do see the Revisions are different between the two Samsung SSDs. DXT06B0Q vs DXT07B0Q

SiSoftware Sandra
 
SCSI General Properties
Controller : 0
Bus : 0
Target ID : 0
Logical Unit No. : 0
 
General Capabilities
Model : Samsung SSD 840 Series
Revision : DXT07B0Q
Serial Number : S14JNEA********
 
General Capabilities
Channel : Master
Type : ATA
Interface : SATA
Removable : No
Manufacturer : Samsung, Memory Division
MAC Address : 02:50:85:53************
Model : Samsung SSD 840 Series                  
Revision : DXT07B0Q
Serial Number : S14JNEACB2**********
ATA/ATAPI Version : 9.57
SSD : Yes
 
Drive Geometry
CHS Geometry : 16383 x 16 x 63
CHS Total Sectors : 16514064
LBA Total Sectors : 488397168
Capacity : 232.89GB
 
Properties
NCQ - Native Command Queuing : Yes
PEC - Physical Event Counters : Yes
TRIM - Erase Deleted Data Blocks : Yes
LBA Support : Yes
TC - Trusted Computing Features : No
 
Features
S.M.A.R.T Support : Yes
Security Support : Yes
Power Management Support : Yes
ACPI Power Management : No
Power-up in Standby : No
Packet Command Interface : No
Removable Media : No
Look-Ahead Buffer : Yes
Write-Back Cache : Yes
Host Protect Area : Yes
Microcode Update : Yes
Acoustic Management : No
48-bit LBA : Yes
Device Config Overlay : Yes
 
Active Features
S.M.A.R.T Enabled : Yes
Security Enabled : No
Power Management Enabled : Yes
Look-Ahead Buffer Enabled : Yes
Write-Back Cache Enabled : Yes
Host Protect Area Enabled : Yes
 
S.M.A.R.T Information
Version : 1.01
ATA Commands Support : Yes
ATAPI Commands Support : Yes
S.M.A.R.T Commands Support : Yes
 
S.M.A.R.T Data
Re-Allocated/Retired Sector Count (05) : 100 (10 - 100) [00000000]
Power-On Time (09) : 99 (0 - 99) [00000170]
Power Cycle Count (0C) : 99 (0 - 99) [000000D0]
TB1 : 99 (0 - 99) [00000001]
TB3 : 100 (10 - 100) [00000000]
Program Fail Count / Unaligned Access Count (B5) : 100 (10 - 100) [00000000]
Erase Fail Count (B6) : 100 (10 - 100) [00000000]
Interface Link Change (B7) : 100 (10 - 100) [00000000]
Uncorrectable Error Count (BB) : 100 (0 - 100) [00000000]
TBE : 67 (0 - 60) [00000021]
ECC Corrected/Program Failure Count (C3) : 200 (0 - 200) [00000000]
CRC/Write Sector Count (C7) : 100 (0 - 100) [00000000]
TEB : 99 (0 - 99) [00000095]
Total blocks (LBA) written (F1) : 99 (0 - 99) [2504D6C7]
 
Sensors
Power-On Time : 15 day(s), 8 hour(s)
Disk Enclosure Temperature : 33.00°C
 
Transfer Modes Support
I/O Queue Depth : 32
Block Size : 16
Maximum SATA Mode : G3 / SATA600
 
Transfer Modes Active
Current Block Transfer : 16
Current SATA Mode : G3 / SATA600
 
Translation Mode Disk Geometry
CHS Geometry : 30401 x 255 x 63
Bytes Per Sector : 512bytes
Capacity : 232.88GB
 
Cache Information
Read Cache : Yes
Write Cache : Yes
Prefetch Buffer : No
 
Partitions Information
Partition 1 : MBR Boot IFS-NTFS 100MB
Partition 2 : MBR IFS-NTFS 232.79GB
 
Logical Drives
Logical Drive : C:
 

vs

SiSoftware Sandra
 
SCSI General Properties
Controller : 1
Bus : 1
Target ID : 0
Logical Unit No. : 0
 
General Capabilities
Model : Samsung SSD 840 Series
Revision : DXT06B0Q
Serial Number : S14JNEA********
 
General Capabilities
Channel : Slave
Type : ATA
Interface : SATA
Removable : No
Manufacturer : Samsung, Memory Division
MAC Address : 02:50:85:53************
Model : Samsung SSD 840 Series                  
Revision : DXT06B0Q
Serial Number : S14JNEACB1**********
ATA/ATAPI Version : 9.57
SSD : Yes
 
Drive Geometry
CHS Geometry : 16383 x 16 x 63
CHS Total Sectors : 16514064
LBA Total Sectors : 488397168
Capacity : 232.89GB
 
Properties
NCQ - Native Command Queuing : Yes
PEC - Physical Event Counters : Yes
TRIM - Erase Deleted Data Blocks : Yes
LBA Support : Yes
TC - Trusted Computing Features : No
 
Features
S.M.A.R.T Support : Yes
Security Support : Yes
Power Management Support : Yes
ACPI Power Management : No
Power-up in Standby : No
Packet Command Interface : No
Removable Media : No
Look-Ahead Buffer : Yes
Write-Back Cache : Yes
Host Protect Area : Yes
Microcode Update : Yes
Acoustic Management : No
48-bit LBA : Yes
Device Config Overlay : Yes
 
Active Features
S.M.A.R.T Enabled : Yes
Security Enabled : No
Power Management Enabled : Yes
Look-Ahead Buffer Enabled : Yes
Write-Back Cache Enabled : Yes
Host Protect Area Enabled : Yes
 
S.M.A.R.T Information
Version : 1.01
ATA Commands Support : Yes
ATAPI Commands Support : Yes
S.M.A.R.T Commands Support : Yes
 
S.M.A.R.T Data
Re-Allocated/Retired Sector Count (05) : 100 (10 - 100) [00000000]
Power-On Time (09) : 99 (0 - 99) [000000B7]
Power Cycle Count (0C) : 99 (0 - 99) [00000081]
TB1 : 99 (0 - 99) [00000001]
TB3 : 100 (10 - 100) [00000000]
Program Fail Count / Unaligned Access Count (B5) : 100 (10 - 100) [00000000]
Erase Fail Count (B6) : 100 (10 - 100) [00000000]
Interface Link Change (B7) : 100 (10 - 100) [00000000]
Uncorrectable Error Count (BB) : 100 (0 - 100) [00000000]
TBE : 69 (0 - 60) [0000001F]
ECC Corrected/Program Failure Count (C3) : 200 (0 - 200) [00000000]
CRC/Write Sector Count (C7) : 100 (0 - 100) [00000000]
TEB : 99 (0 - 99) [0000004B]
Total blocks (LBA) written (F1) : 99 (0 - 99) [3022CF74]
 
Sensors
Power-On Time : 7 day(s), 15 hour(s)
Disk Enclosure Temperature : 31.00°C
 
Transfer Modes Support
I/O Queue Depth : 32
Block Size : 16
Maximum SATA Mode : G3 / SATA600
 
Transfer Modes Active
Current Block Transfer : 16
Current SATA Mode : G3 / SATA600
 
Translation Mode Disk Geometry
CHS Geometry : 30401 x 255 x 63
Bytes Per Sector : 512bytes
Capacity : 232.88GB
 
Cache Information
Read Cache : Yes
Write Cache : Yes
Prefetch Buffer : No
 
Partitions Information
Partition 1 : GPT 128MB
Partition 2 : GPT 168.76GB
 
Logical Drives
Logical Drive : F:
 

norwegian
Premium Member
join:2005-02-15
Outback

norwegian to Krisnatharok

Premium Member

to Krisnatharok
Not to sit here tossing back n forth, a bootable media can see them properly. I've a topic here about smart data in a raid configuration.
I understand a tool in Windows will not though, maybe you need to point that out rather than just say you can't. It makes it a false statement, even though you are right to some extent.
norwegian

norwegian to Nick

Premium Member

to Nick
There is a method to boot from USB or CD if you want.
Because it is Win 7, just create a back up image before you start so your system will be recoverable should anything go wrong.
However, do you see any of the bugs reported in the PDF for the firmware updates to need them?

Nick
Purveyor of common sense
MVM
join:2000-10-29
Smithtown, NY

Nick

MVM

It talks about performance enhancements...usually a general blanket statement the manufacturers like to throw out there to cover problems customers/consumers aren't aware of in addition to possible real enhancements.

Nobody has actually told me whether there's any possibility to "blow up my Windows" by un-accelerating my HDD. Since that's purely a cache drive it would be similar to purging the cache temporarily and taking a small performance hit.

Yes I undestand there's risk with flashing the BIOS.

norwegian
Premium Member
join:2005-02-15
Outback

norwegian

Premium Member


If you use bootable material to update you aren't really in cache mode, that only occurs when you are in Windows.

As mentioned already, image to DVD your system, it might take 10 disks, but if you are of the mindset that you do want to update, if anything goes wrong and the operating system doesn't boot, you have a full image to recover from. The image wouldn't go as far as the HDD firmware, so as long as it is applied it will be there with the recovered image.