Cannot upgrade Vertex 2 60GB Firmware

[Modus]

Currently using a Vertex 2 60GB SSD as a boot drive. it is using firmware 1.11 and I believe the latest is 1.24. I downloaded the SSD tool and firmware 1.24 from the OCZ web site. I followed the guide on the OCZ site too. After clicking "Download Firmware to Selected Drive", the PC reboots. once rebooted and logged in, it shows no indication that the firmware has been upgraded. Nothing invovling the SSD update tool pops up to continue either. I checked the firmware with HD Tune and it's still at 1.11.

any help guys?

[AkG]

I assume you are in AHCI mode...right? If not thats your problem.
I assume you are NOT running Intel RST 10 series drivers....if you are...thats your problem. Use the older 9 series they are more stable right now anyways. ;)

The easiest, safest way to upgrade firmare is to pull the SSD and update it when its a "D" drive in a dif system.
The next safest way is via Windows repair CD.
I personally wouldnt upgrade it when its the OS drive...to many things can go wrong. ;)

This is the step by step guide on how to do it. Follow it and you should be ok.

OCZ Sandforce 1.24 Firmware update

[Modus]

I don't know what AHCI is or if I'm in that mode. I also don't know what RST drivers I'm running. If upgrading the firmware isn't going to improve the speed or the life and I won't bother with it.

thank you for your help.

[bvsbutthd101]

Originally Posted by Modus

I don't know what AHCI is or if I'm in that mode. I also don't know what RST drivers I'm running. If upgrading the firmware isn't going to improve the speed or the life and I won't bother with it.

thank you for your help.

if you dont know what AHCI is, then you dont have it set. You should set it in the bios before installing windows on it.

Question for AKG, what exactly does updating your firmware do?

[AkG]

The firmware is the controller code (think mobo BIOS but for your SSD). It tells the controller exactly what to do and HOW to do it. For example going from 1.1 to 1.24 will make the drive more stable under certain circumstances (some people reported issues of bsods after resuming from sleep on 1.1 that went away after a firmware update). 1.1 itself added in a work around / fix to the std MS AHCI drivers issue that up until 1.1 COULD cause TRIM to not work properly on SF drives. This is just some examples of the BIG things that change from firmware revision to firmware revision. Smaller changes are things like tweaks to make it slightly faster on low end r/w (or high end, etc) and tweaks to its self cleaning routines. Where they are still ONLY at 1.24 the firmware is still fairly young and immature. As time goes by the changes from firmware revision to firmware revision will get smaller and smaller as they have refined the firmware about as far as they can (think Indlinx and 1.5 vs 1.6 firmware)...BUT for the vertex 2 that is a couple major firmware revisions away!

[bvsbutthd101]

Originally Posted by AkG

The firmware is the controller code (think mobo BIOS but for your SSD). It tells the controller exactly what to do and HOW to do it. For example going from 1.1 to 1.24 will make the drive more stable under certain circumstances (some people reported issues of bsods after resuming from sleep on 1.1 that went away after a firmware update). 1.1 itself added in a work around / fix to the std MS AHCI drivers issue that up until 1.1 COULD cause TRIM to not work properly on SF drives. This is just some examples of the BIG things that change from firmware revision to firmware revision. Smaller changes are things like tweaks to make it slightly faster on low end r/w (or high end, etc) and tweaks to its self cleaning routines. Where they are still ONLY at 1.24 the firmware is still fairly young and immature. As time goes by the changes from firmware revision to firmware revision will get smaller and smaller as they have refined the firmware about as far as they can (think Indlinx and 1.5 vs 1.6 firmware)...BUT for the vertex 2 that is a couple major firmware revisions away!

I have the same SSD, should I update it now?

[AkG]

What firmware do you have on it? IF its 1.23....meh. The only real dif added into 1.24 was increased stability for IOM.
IF you are running 1.1 then YES I would. Its a good idea to keep them up to date (or at the very least CLOSE to up to date). My rule of thumb for NON testbed / non review items is to update them on major firmware revision .1, .2. , .3 etc UNLESS there was a BIG bug fix in a minor firmware update (like there was in 1.23 which fixed a BSOD error on resume from sleep). YMMV but thats what I do and what I usually recommend. :)

[bvsbutthd101]

Originally Posted by AkG

What firmware do you have on it? IF its 1.23....meh. The only real dif added into 1.24 was increased stability for IOM.
IF you are running 1.1 then YES I would. Its a good idea to keep them up to date (or at the very least CLOSE to up to date). My rule of thumb for NON testbed / non review items is to update them on major firmware revision .1, .2. , .3 etc UNLESS there was a BIG bug fix in a minor firmware update (like there was in 1.23 which fixed a BSOD error on resume from sleep). YMMV but thats what I do and what I usually recommend. :)

first time using an SSD, how exactly do I check the firmware version?

[AkG]

There is a couple ways of doing it. All of them easy and painless.
The way I usually do it is via Crystal DiskInfo, as it displays a LOT of info on all types of SSDs (not just OCZ ones).
You can get it here:
CrystalDiskInfo - Software - Crystal Dew World

For SF drives (not just OCZ branded ones) you can use OCZ Toolbox.
You can get it here:
OCZ Toolbox for Sandforce based SSD drives. (Agility2, Vertex2, Vertex2 Pro, Vertex-LE)

Hope that helps.

[bvsbutthd101]

Originally Posted by AkG

There is a couple ways of doing it. All of them easy and painless.
The way I usually do it is via Crystal DiskInfo, as it displays a LOT of info on all types of SSDs (not just OCZ ones).
You can get it here:
CrystalDiskInfo - Software - Crystal Dew World

For SF drives (not just OCZ branded ones) you can use OCZ Toolbox.
You can get it here:
OCZ Toolbox for Sandforce based SSD drives. (Agility2, Vertex2, Vertex2 Pro, Vertex-LE)

Hope that helps.

ok thanks, I'll download CrystalDiskInfo when I get home and see what version i have.