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Storage Drivers, Utilities, and Firmware Thread

106K views 21 replies 11 participants last post by  thestoicstudent 
#1 ·
Storage Drivers, Utilities, and Firmware Thread

Please feel free to add more.
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Links:
Driver Station

Drivers:

Storage Company Firmware, Utilities, Downloads, etc.:

Utilites:

Benchmarks:

If you have an issue updating your firmware from within Windows do this:
  1. Click Start
  2. In the Start menu, type Device Manager, hit Enter
  3. Click "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers"
  4. You will see AMD SATA Controller, Intel SATA controller, etc., right click and click "Properties"
  5. Go to the "Driver" tab
  6. Click "Update Driver"
  7. Click "Browse my Computer"
  8. Click "Let me pick"
  9. You will see the option to choose "Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controller", click this and click "Next" and let it install
  10. Then reboot and try to install the new firmware for your drive now
 
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#3 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by E-Peen View Post

Very good thread, Sean.
Thanks bud, got anything you'd like to add?
biggrin.gif
 
#4 ·
Yeah, how to be awesome like Sean :D
 
#5 ·
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?
 
#6 ·
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!
 
#7 ·
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?!
 
#8 ·
redface.gif
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
tongue.gif
listed so MANY ... yet only tend to see the same handful used by others here on OCN over and over again, like ;


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
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#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by milespeed View Post

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 View Post

redface.gif
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
tongue.gif
listed so MANY ... yet only tend to see the same handful used by others here on OCN over and over again, like ;
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
thumb.gif
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.
 
#10 ·
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
 
#11 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by savage1987 View Post

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
  1. Take the SSD, plug it in your current system and update the firmware.
  2. Build PC. (Possibly update BIOS too)
  3. Plug in only SSD.
  4. Install Windows to the SSD.
  5. 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.
 
#13 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by savage1987 View Post

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.
 
#14 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sean Webster View Post

You currently have slower performance and no TRIM support.
I learned something today
smile.gif


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
 
#15 ·
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!
 
#17 ·
#20 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by toyz72 View Post

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.
 
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